Every April, we recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year, with rape in the headlines too frequently, we speak out with even greater urgency to honor survivors and prevent sexual violence.
We know the devastating statistics: 1 and 5 women and 1 and 71 men have been raped in their lifetime. That’s 18 million women in this country who have been raped and more than 1 million rapes that occur every year. The vast majority of these assaults occur when the victims are under the age of 25, and those under the age of 18 are the greatest risk. These numbers are real, but they don’t tell the whole story. They don’t tell of the broken trust when the attacker is a friend, a trusted colleague, or a family member. They don’t tell of the suicidal feelings, the depression, or of the PTSD. And they don’t tell of the courage survivors demonstrate when they work every day to put their lives back together.
The YWCA Bradford is working hard to support survivors and prevent sexual violence. The Victims Resource Center at the YWCA serves adults, children and families who are victims of domestic or sexual violence and come to the YWCA frightened, hopeless, penniless and sometimes physically hurt. The YWCA provides safe shelter, food, referrals for services, support, counseling and legal advocacy.
In addition to the services provided by the Victim Resource Center, the YWCA also holds its annual signature event, Walk a Mile in Her Shoes©, a men’s march, in which men and boys parade down Main Street in high heels, raising awareness of sexual violence. In addition to the YWCA event, the University of Pittsburgh Bradford also holds awareness events, including Take Back The Night, which is also held in April.
Stigma surrounding sexual violence silences many victims and further shrouds these violations in secrecy and self-blame. It is not uncommon for victims to experience feelings of powerlessness, shame, depression, fear, anxiety and isolation. Giving voice to survivors of sexual violence raises awareness and serves to empower, as evidenced by Louise.
Speaking out:
By Louise
“I decided to speak out because I was sick of the social stigma that shamed survivors of rape. I was tired of waiting for society to change and make it safer for survivors to speak, so I decided to actively defy the stigma and speak anyway. This was a way in which I could be a part of the change that I desired. The act of speaking out can end the false sense of shame survivors often carry. Seeing you cast off the shame may inspire others to do the same. In speaking about sexual violence I have received many warm and heartfelt correspondences from people who felt very isolated but who now know that they’re not alone. They can seek help and they can now heal. Sexual assault and its wounds flourish in an atmosphere of secrecy, silence and myth. Speaking out brings it into the light. The act of speaking out has the power to heal.”
On March 7, 2016 President Obama signed the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act into Law. This legislation is groundbreaking in its approach to sexual assault. States must set aside funds to develop programs that meaningfully address rape and sexual assault including those committed by strangers, acquaintances, and intimate partners as well as alcohol and drug facilitated rape. This means more training for law enforcement and prosecutors and more resources for victim services. College campuses must provide orientation programs to new students about dating violence and sexual assault and must develop clear, written policies about how these cases will be handled. Federally subsidized housing programs must protect sexual assault victims from being evicted or denied housing due to the assault committed against them, and must help a victim transfer to another housing unit if necessary.
Government cannot do it all. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, please contact the YWCA Bradford’s Victims’ Resource Center at 1888-822-6235 or 814-368-4235. Together we will work to change the culture so that one day we will end sexual violence.
(Mariann Kahle, RD, LDN is a registered dietitian currently providing nutritional support for patients in the Bradford and Olean area. She is a board member of the YWCA.)
