April is Sexual Assault Prevention & Awareness Month. The topic for this Blog isn't a "fun" topic, but it's absolutely imperative for human beings world wide. Notice, I didn't just say women, because sexual assault doesn't just happen to women.
Did you know...
*1 in 2 (50%!!) WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE OTHER THAN RAPE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
*1 in 5 MEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE OTHER THAN RAPE IN THEIR LIFETIME.
*Every 98 seconds, someone in America is sexually assaulted!
*And every 8 minutes, that someone is a CHILD.
*Only 6 of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.*
*1/5 women have experience completed or attempted rape in their lifetime.
*41% of women reported experiencing physically aggressive STREET HARASSMENT.
*1/3 women experience physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. (Intimate Partner Violence)
*Women have a 50%-95% chance of developing PTSD after being raped.
*18% of men reported experiencing verbal street harassment.
*Nearly 1 in 67 men in the US have experienced rape or attempted rape.
*1/6 boys are are sexually abused before the age of 16.
*Only 26.2% of men who experienced childhood sexual abuse disclosed it at the time of the abuse.
*FEWER THAN 5% of completed or attempted rapes against college women are reported to law enforcement.
*Among college women, 9/10 victims of sexual assault knew the person who sexually assaulted them.
***SEXUAL VIOLENCE THRIVES WHEN IT IS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY AND VICTIM BLAMING GOES UNCHECKED.
THIS IS EXACTLY WHY WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT IT. EVEN THOUGH IT'S FREAKING AWFUL.
MAYBE ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT'S FREAKING AWFUL.
On average, there are 321,500 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault each year in the United States.
Young women are especially at risk:
*82% of all juvenile victims are female. 90% of adult rape victims are female.
*Females ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.
*Women ages 18-24 who are college students are 3 times more likely than women in general to experience sexual violence. Females of the same age who are not enrolled in college are 4 times more likely.
AAUW reports that for women in college, the number is even higher...
AND THAT'S ONLY BASED ON REPORTED SEXUAL ASSAULT. Which means it actually HIGHER.
*As of 1998, 2.78 million men in the U.S. had been victims of attempted or completed rape.
*About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.
*1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.
*21% of TGQN (transgender, genderqueer, nonconforming) college students have been sexually assaulted, compared to 18% of non-TGQN females, and 4% of non-TGQN males.
So what can we do about it??
There's a great campaign called "NO MORE" that you can donate to or be apart of! Check them out here: https://nomore.org/campaigns/saam/
But there's so much more to do than that.
1. Individuals can model supportive relationships and behaviors, call out harmful attitudes, and challenge the societal acceptance of rape and sexual assault.
2. Communities and businesses can take action to implement policies that promote safety, respect, and equality.
3. TALK ABOUT IT!! USE YOUR PLATFORM, WHATEVER IT MAY BE!!
4. STOP FREAKING BLAMING VICTIMS. Seriously, STOP IT.
IT'S TIME WE START USING OUR VOICES.
*Don’t wait for a critical moment to say the right things. The words you choose every day communicate your values.
*When you hear comments that blame victims or make light of sexual violence, speak up so others know you don’t agree. Even if you don’t have a perfect response, this shows you do not believe in stereotypes, you believe survivors, and you’re a safe person to talk to.
The National Sexual Assault Resource Center put out the following info:
What is sexual violence?
• Sexual violence is any type of unwanted sexual contact – including sexual assault and rape.
• This can include words and actions like sexual harassment, catcalling, and non-consensual sharing of private images such as “revenge porn.”
Sexual violence impacts everyone.
• Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 67 men in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape some time in their lives (Smith et al., 2017).
• Anyone can experience sexual violence, including children, teens, adults, and seniors.
• Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 67 men in the U.S. have experienced rape or attempted rape some time in their lives (Smith et al., 2017).
• Anyone can experience sexual violence, including children, teens, adults, and seniors.
Victims often know the person who sexually assaulted them
• People who sexually abuse can be family members, friends, romantic partners, or other trusted individuals.
• They may use coercion, manipulation, threats, or force to commit sexual violence.
• People who sexually abuse can be family members, friends, romantic partners, or other trusted individuals.
• They may use coercion, manipulation, threats, or force to commit sexual violence.
Victims are never to blame
• It doesn’t matter what someone was wearing, how they were acting, if they were drinking, or what type of relationship they had with the person who abused them.
• It doesn’t matter what someone was wearing, how they were acting, if they were drinking, or what type of relationship they had with the person who abused them.
Sexual assault is often not reported:
• A person may not report what happened for many reasons, including:
-Concern they won’t be believed
- Fear of retaliation
-Distrust of law enforcement
- Shame or fear of being blamed
-Pressure from others
Healing and justice look different for every survivor
• A survivor may or may not choose to move forward with the criminal justice system.
• Healing is an ongoing process. Everyone heals in their own time and their own way.
You can support survivors
• Chances are you know someone who has experienced sexual violence even if they haven’t told you.
• They are listening to how you talk about the issue, and hearing that you understand and believe survivors may help them feel safe.
-Concern they won’t be believed
- Fear of retaliation
-Distrust of law enforcement
- Shame or fear of being blamed
-Pressure from others
Healing and justice look different for every survivor
• A survivor may or may not choose to move forward with the criminal justice system.
• Healing is an ongoing process. Everyone heals in their own time and their own way.
You can support survivors
• Chances are you know someone who has experienced sexual violence even if they haven’t told you.
• They are listening to how you talk about the issue, and hearing that you understand and believe survivors may help them feel safe.
Embrace your voice!!
• Sexual violence thrives when it is not taken seriously and victim blaming goes unchecked.
• Your voice is essential in setting the record straight on sexual violence.
• Sexual violence thrives when it is not taken seriously and victim blaming goes unchecked.
• Your voice is essential in setting the record straight on sexual violence.
YOUR VOICE HAS POWER. BELIEVE SURVIVORS. END VICTIM BLAMING. ASK FOR CONSENT. RESPECT BOUNDARIES.
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