Blog
Where is the Accountability?
We are told there’s too little evidence, or too much evidence… the rules keep changing but the outcome is the same: a lack of accountability for those who perpetuate gender-based violence. The criminal justice system was not created to protect survivors and too often it upholds imbalances of power that allow perpetrators to harm again and again.
We Need to Talk About Men
When we have been harmed and we do not have a safe outlet to express our pain, we are more likely to hurt others and/or to hurt ourselves. Boys and men are often socialized not to talk about their feelings, not to cry, or seek support. Many young men are given explicit and implicit messages that if they’ve been hurt the only acceptable emotion is anger. And where does that anger go? If we want to make strides in prevention, we have to explicitly acknowledge that all genders can experience sexual and domestic violence. We have to hold ourselves accountable if we are creating harm and silencing survivors by upholding a gender binary when working to prevent gender-based violence. We have to examine how the standards of traditional masculinity harm everyone, including men.
5 Tips for Supporting a Survivor of Sexual Assault
If you are someone who has received a disclosure of sexual assault, you do not need to suddenly become an expert or an advocate. These simple strategies can make a big difference; the simple act of being heard and believed can truly be transformative.