Alcohol & Sex: A Disastrous Combination

By Molly Hays, Communications Intern

In 2005, more than 97,000 college students ranging in age from 18 to 24 were victims of alcohol-related acquaintance rape or sexual assault according to collegedrinkingprevention.gov. This specific website aims to change drinking habits in college students.
97,000 is a staggering number, and presumably that number has only been increasing as campuses swell.

Alcohol and sex prove to be a disastrous combination, not just for college students.

That’s why, the Sexversations® 3 of hearts card, provides an interesting question; “If someone was drinking and they are sexually assaulted, does that mean it's their fault?”

First off, I would exclaim loudly that no, it’s not their fault. Yet, a culture of victim blaming has developed, in which the victim is not only blamed but disgraced.

No one can ever predict or prepare to guard themselves against sexual assault; however precautions can be taken to better help ensure your own personal safety. Again, even if precautions are disregarded, that doesn’t mean the act of violence committed against you is justified. And someone could safeguard themselves as much as possible and still be violated.

Some things we suggest doing to help protect yourself are to:
- Avoid dangerous situations

- Trust your intuition
- Be aware of your surrounding
- Stay in groups when going out
- Always have a DSP (designated sober person)
- Carry your cell phone at all times
- Watch your drink carefully, and don’t drink from it after leaving it unattended

For more information on how to protect yourself you can visit Unite for Change.

But what do you suggest? How can people take an active role in personal safety and how can we deviate from a culture rampant with victim blaming practices?

Justice for rape victims

After 9 months of public and private pressure towards the Los Angeles Police and Sheriff’s Department, these departments finally counted their untested rape kits. In the recent article from the San Francisco Chronicle, it is brought to our attention that many rape kits are not being tested. Not only are these rape kits not being tested but these rape kits are not even being accounted for. Los Angeles is a prime example, 12,500 sets of rape kits were found to be untested and unaccounted for reported by the Human Rights Watch.

As an advocate, I encourage survivors of sexual assault to seek medical attention and strongly encourage them to allow a rape kit exam to be performed so that biological and physical evidence can be collected, which is often necessary to support their case. A rape victim has the right to choose whether or not to report the crime committed against them and as an advocate I support their decision either way. As an activist I personally feel reporting the crime is important. Whether I’m playing the role of activist or advocate, to find out there is a possibility the rape kits that we strongly encourage the survivor to take part in are not even being tested blows my mind.

What does this say to the victim?

Who chooses what rape kits should be tested?

Every victim has the right to seek justice.

The article concluded with the emphasis of having a statewide reporting of untested rape kits being mandated. Although this does not insure the testing of every rape kit, it is a first step to having all rape kits accounted for.

This step should have already been mandatory furthermore; our next step needs to be the assurance that rape kits are being tested. Having these untested rape kits tested allows for identification of the perpetrator and ensures public safety from future assaults by the same perpetrator.

Be Aware. Take Action.
Sabrina Sadler, Social Outreach Intern

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Justice for rape victims: Don't ignore evidence
Sarah Tofte
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Imagine for the moment the unthinkable: You are a rape victim. In the aftermath of such a traumatic event, the police will ask to collect DNA evidence from your body, an invasive process that can take four to six hours. Police will take this evidence, known as a rape kit, and you might assume it would be tested for a DNA match that could lead to a prosecution and conviction and keep your rapist from striking again.

Yet, all too often, rape kits are never sent to crime labs. Across the nation, there are thousands and thousands of untested kits in police storage facilities. A March 2009 report by Human Rights Watch found that in the Los Angeles area alone, there were more than 12,500 sets of untested rape kits. Our research reveals that backlogs are not unique to Los Angeles - they exist in any major jurisdiction that does not have a policy of testing every kit booked into police evidence. That includes the Bay Area.

Untested rape kits represent lost justice for rape victims. DNA testing has grown increasingly important in rape investigations. Testing a kit can lead to identification of an assailant, confirm a suspect's contact with a victim, corroborate the victim's account of the assault, link apparently unrelated crimes and exonerate innocent defendants. Nationwide studies have shown that cases in which a rape kit was collected, tested and contained DNA evidence are more likely to move forward in the criminal justice system.

Finding a match can prevent a rapist from raping again. In one horrific recent case, authorities failed to send for testing the rape kit from a very young victim, and the suspect later raped another girl.

Human Rights Watch's research on the backlog in Los Angeles revealed that law enforcement agencies do not routinely send every booked rape kit for testing, nor do they keep track of how many kits are sitting untested. When the police and sheriff saw the numbers for Los Angeles, they were shocked.

When Human Rights Watch began its research, it heard powerful stories from rape victims who also had shared their stories with city and county lawmakers.

Without hard numbers, however, it was difficult to generate the political will to fix the problem. The organization's biggest task was to get the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff's Department to reveal the number of untested kits in storage.

Public record requests were of little help. Under California law, public entities must only report findings from rape kits they have counted. But if they haven't counted them, the information officially didn't exist. It took nearly nine months of public and private pressure to get the Police and Sheriff's Departments in Los Angeles to count their untested rape kits. It was not until the numbers were publicized that law enforcement was compelled to change its policies.

Human Rights Watch is not aware of any jurisdiction in California - including the Bay Area - that has made a commitment to count its backlog and then test every rape kit. A bill before the state Senate would require police and sheriff's departments to count the untested kits and report that number to the state Department of Justice.

A statewide reporting mandate is a necessary first step toward justice for rape victims in California. The Legislature can signal to rape victims that their rape kits - and public safety - matter enough to require law enforcement agencies to count them.

Sarah Tofte is a researcher with the U.S. Division of Human Rights Watch.

Fraternity men address sexual violence

Fraternity men are often in the news for countless unflattering things, however our experience with these guys has been far more positive. Here is a blog written by the type of men we so often work with but not enough folks write about as it is not sensational or sexy, they are simply men who believe in respect and equality. The author is someone we have grown to respect and from his insights I am sure you will see why. Below the entry is the link to the Fraternity blog, The Road so you can comment and see more of the cool things they are talking about.

Greek Men, Weak Men
By Jeremy Berggren
Today is the last day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and I wanted to make some points.

1. Power, as the fourth fundamental principle of Deltism, relates to sexual assault on an interpersonal, group, and systemic levels. By that I mean sexual assault can be about power and control. As Greek men we should also consider ourselves responsible in this fight. It is not just a woman's issue, it is a mens issue too. When someone you know is sexually assaulted you have the power to do the right thing, and that could be: 1. Believe them. 2. Remind them it is not their fault. There are other resources on the Unite for Change website. Knowledge is power.

2. Faith: Did you know that rape is the only crime in which the victim must prove their innocence?If we are really concerned about moral superiority, wouldn't we associate responsibility with the perpetrator and not make the survivor prove their innocence?The thought that women "cry rape," is about a dereliction of duty, it is essentially being weak - in heart and mind. As Greek men we need to rise above these pithy statements and myths. Weak men can fall back on social norms, sexism, and the status quo. Are we committed to excellence or status quo preservation?

3. Courage is standing up for what is right, even in the face of fear. A member at a chapter was expelled when the officers found out he attempted to rape a member of a sorority on campus. Earlier the member was trying to get in a room with the female, but she was drunk. Chapter brothers pulled him away, but later that night he got in again. The chapter called an emergency meeting and immediately moved to expel the member.It wasn't about myth or making the female prove it, the brothers knew there was a problem and they took action, and some of this member's best friends were in the chapter. Accountability is a piss in the bucket if there are no consequences. In this case it meant expulsion. That took courage.

4. Truth. Every two and a half minutes, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted.
In 8 out of 10 rape cases, the victim knows the perpetrator. 1 in 4 college women surveyed are victims of rape or attempted rape. 90% of all acquaintance rapes involve alcohol. 84% of college men who committed rape said that what they did was definitely not rape. 42% of college women who are raped tell no one about their assault. Nearly one third of college men said they were likely to have sex with an unwilling partner if they thought they could get away with it. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually assaulted before age 18. Males are the least likely to report a sexual assault, though it is estimated they make up 10% of all victims.

In terms of what we can do, as Delts, there are many things. Going back to power I want to address four levels (and by this I mean that power = access to resources):Personal = accessing your own experiences, knowledge, and learning more. A great resource is on the Unite for Change website.

Interpersonal = how you share resources with one other person. If this is a sexual assault survivor it could be your knowledge that it is not their fault, it could be believing in them, it could be using your personal power to seek proper steps from that point. If this is a chapter brother it could be sharing these resources with him, so he can be another ally and advocate to stop sexual assault.Group = how groups of people share resources. This is your chapter. Your family. Within the group leadership is necessary to create a vision of where you want the group to go. It can also mean aligning with other groups to have more resources about sexual assault, and what men can do about it. System = groups under an umbrella, or a lot of resources. This could be the overall Fraternity, or the Greek system. As Delts we've used "Playing the Game," a DVD about sexual assault. But are there other things we should be doing? Do you, as a student (and legislative body of Delta Tau Delta) have the power to make changes in the larger system?
Sexual assault is not a woman's issue. As Greek men we are associating with sorority members, our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and more. Weak men would only associate responsibility to the mom's, little sisters, cousins, girlfriends, classmates, and other women in our lives and our communities. As Greek men we must take issue with this.

We've got to live our values, and stand beside and up for those we care about.

Jeremy Berggren is the director of leadership development for Delta Tau Delta and recently attended a Male Ally Conference at the University if Illinois in Chicago. He believes all fraternities have a systemic responsibility to address men's violence/sexual assault and our highest values and aspirations call us to do so.

http://deltroad.typepad.com/delta_tau_delta_the_road/2009/04/greek-men-weak-men.html

Dear Bacardi and Bacardi Breezer Ad Team, You should be ashamed to say the least.

By Molly Hays, Communications Intern

Above: ridiculous, inaccurate, inappropriate and not to mention damaging ad run by Bacardi.

To insinuate the staff of Bacardi Breezers consumed too much product when they came up with a new promotional campaign might be a little harsh, however I can logically draw no other conclusions.

The campaign basically implies to the target women consumers that all they have to do to be hot is purchase Bacardi Breezers and find an ugly woman friend who by proximity will increase the consumer’s own hotness. It’s interesting that they think that by discriminating some women, other women will be more attracted to purchasing their product. But I like to think that women as a whole stand up for each other.

Apparently the campaign, titled, “Get An Ugly Girlfriend!” ran for two months during 2008 in Israel. The campaign included English and Hebrew websites and a Hebrew Facebook group.
After discovering the site many feminist websites and news sites featured the story. Readers responded and complained to Bacardi who promptly shut down the sites.

Bacardi officials responded to the negative feedback in a letter saying, “Bacardi proudly celebrates diversity and we do not endorse the views of this site. We sincerely apologize to anyone who was offended by this site and thank you for bringing it to our attention.”

Later Bacardi released another letter claiming that the company never sponsored or developed the promotion and that a third-party developer created and carried out the promotion.
“As a Company and as individuals we are also angered and dismayed that such a campaign was ever created and we have taken immediate action to stop it as it violated our stringent global marketing principles that we firmly support,” said the second letter.

I don’t know who to believe. I feel that if Bacardi had the power to shut down the site so quickly that they must also have had immediate access to it. But what does this say about what advertisers think is acceptable, funny and appropriate? Where are we headed when discrimination and misogyny run rampant in advertising campaigns, especially campaigns aimed at the same sex that is being discriminated against?

Queen Latifah is Squarley Facing Forward

Queen Latifah Reveals Past Sexual Abuse in July 2009 Issue of ESSENCE

I came across this sneak peak from the July Issue of ESSENCE. The article shares how Queen Latifah has got to where she stands today and even lets us into a very personal experience of her being sexually abused as a child. She kept silent about the abuse for many years which ultimately affected other relationships in her life. With the death of her brother, she realized that she needed to let it all out and tell her parents. She is now sharing with the readers of ESSENCE. Sharing such a traumatic incident with anyone is a hard thing to do. I applaud Queen Latifah, for sharing with us, for being a great role model, and inspiration to many. By sharing her story, she allows girls and women to be inspired to overcome life’s obstacles. She even gives women who have been through similar situations a chance to relate, have hope, and realize that they are not alone. Queen Latifah is a remarkable woman, who is admired by many, so I would like to personally thank her for sharing her story and for giving women and girls a voice.

--Sabrina Sadler, Outreach Intern

*Remember the following is just a sneak peak of the article featured in ESSENCE, to check out the full article pick up the July issue on stands now!

During the two decades since she began her ascent, Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, has reached higher than she could have ever imagined in her wildest dreams. To an onlooker, it might appear that her every move has been carefully orchestrated, but that wasn't the case. "I never envisioned all of the things that I've accomplished," she tells me two days after her party. We're on the roof of West Hollywood's Le Montrose Suite Hotel, chatting. "In the beginning, I just wanted to hear my record on the radio, then I just wanted to make a movie," Latifah confides. "I didn't really have a long-term plan, but as more opportunities came my way, I just ran with them."


Her efforts have paid off in the form of an Oscar nod, as well as a Grammy, a Golden Globe and even star number 2,298 on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Queen is nothing if not versatile. Remember how folks gasped when she portrayed a fearless bank robber who kissed a girl in the movie "Set It Off," while the teenybopper crowd fell out laughing when, on the advice of her friend's young son, she starred in the third installment of the Scary Movie spoof-horror franchise? Then, of course, there's the easy, breezy beauty she's been serving up as the face of her Queen Collection cosmetics line with CoverGirl.


Even with all her success, Latifah has had to bob and weave her way past the jabs that have been flying at her since day one. First there's the fickle industry she's chosen. Then there are the whispers and innuendos that continue to orbit around her, yet she never seems too fazed, not publicly anyway. Some questions she will answer readily. Was she really up for that role in "Monster's Ball"? Yes. When did she quit smoking? Almost five years ago. How much weight did she lose on Jenny Craig? More than 20 pounds, and still maintaining. But when it comes to inquiries about her personal life, she pumps the brakes.


There is, however, one personal experience that she's now willing to share, one that she had kept to herself for years. For a short period of time when she was a child, Latifah was the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of a teenager charged with her care. "He violated me," she says of the abuser. "I never told anybody; I just buried it as deeply as I could and kept people at an arm's distance. I never really let a person get too close to me. I could have been married years ago, but I had a commitment issue." Eventually, she opened up to her parents, who separated when she was young. "When I was 22, my brother died, and I knew that I couldn't carry his death and that secret," she says. "I had to get it off my chest. My mother felt terrible. She was kind of a country girl, so she wasn't up on how slick people could be. When I told my dad, he said nothing." Latifah says now that it was scary when her father didn't respond. "He's a man of action," she says.


Now at peace with that part of her past, Latifah is squarely facing forward. She hasn't any idea what's next on her horizon, and that's fine by her. Rather than obsessing over a checklist of wants and wishes, she's intent on enjoying the space she's in while staying open to what chance might have in store. "There are some places I'd like to see, some young 'uns I hope to raise, but other than that, I've done a lot of what I've wanted to do," she says. "Everything else is icing on the cake."
POSTED by Regina R. Robertson

Perez Hilton’s Altercation Highlights Issue of Victim Blaming

Perez Hilton is known for taking cheap shots at celebrities, but things got messy when Black Eyed Peas singer will.i.am’s manager physically fought back.

Apparently members of the Black Eyed Peas asked Hilton, real name Mario Lavandeira, to back off on his critical approach of the members and their music at the MuchMusic Video Awards held in Toronto on Sunday. He refused and engaged in some explicative name-calling.

Later Hilton was assaulted by the band’s manager, Liborio "Polo" Molina. Molina has been charged with assault and has a hearing scheduled for early August.

Regardless of the situation that led up to the altercation, the reaction following has been strikingly similar to reactions many sexual assault survivors experience. Victim blaming has been occurring all over the web, from tweets to blogs to comment’s on Hilton’s site.
What’s sad about this situation is that people are finding justification for Molina’s actions, just as many people find justification for the horrific experiences sexual assault survivors endure.
John Mayer used his twitter account to inform Hilton that, “People don't want to see you hurt, they want to see you experience something equalizing,” and “By understanding the genetics of a violent incident you can learn to avoid them. And if you can't, you will learn to end them.”
The flaw in his logic though is suggesting that Hilton could have avoided the violence. While name-calling could have been avoided, there’s a line between verbal violence and physical violence. And one doesn’t justify the other. However, Mayer’s not alone.

Others are justifying the incident saying that Hilton, “Had it coming to him,” and that this must be his karma.

That sounds very similar to, “If only she hadn’t drank so much…” and “Just look at the way she was dressed; she was asking for it.”

No one asks to be assaulted.

Hilton responded to all the reactions on his blog, saying, “There are many ways to deal with disagreements, both good and bad, but violence is never the answer. Never. I now know that first-hand. It should not be condoned, promoted or accepted. No one "deserves" to be the victim of violence. No one "has it coming." NO ONE. And victims should not be ridiculed.”

I find it surprising that victim blaming even exists. However, I hope this situation will highlight victim blaming as a whole, and especially victim blaming in sexual assault cases. I hope that all these people coming to the celebrity blogger’s side will open their eyes and reevaluate victim blaming on all levels, not just on the plane of celebrity ranting.

--Molly Hays, Communications Intern

The Sexualzation of Young Girls- How Parents can help

Authored by The American Psychological Association (apa.org)

Girls get this message repeatedly: What matters is how “hot” they look. It plays on TV and across the Internet. You hear it in song lyrics and music videos. You see it in movies, electronic games, and clothing stores. It’s a powerful message.As parents, you are powerful too. You can teach girls to value themselves for who they are, rather than how they look. You can teach boys to value girls as friends, sisters, and girlfriends, rather than as sexual objects. And you can advocate for change with manufacturers and media producers.Tune in and Talk. Watch TV and movies with your daughters and sons. Read their magazines. Surf their Web sites. Ask questions. "Why is there so much pressure on girls to look a certain way?” "What do you like most about the girls you want to spend time with?" "Do these qualities matter more than how they look?" Really listen to what your kids tell you.Question Choices. Girls who are overly concerned about their appearance often have difficulty focusing on other things. Clothes can be part of the distraction. If your daughter wants to wear something you consider too sexy, ask what she likes about the outfit. Ask if there’s anything she doesn’t like about it. Explain how clothes that require lots of checking and adjusting might keep her from focusing on school work, friends, and other activities.Speak up. If you don't like a TV show, CD, video, pair of jeans, or doll, say why. A conversation with her will be more effective than simply saying, "No, you can’t buy it or watch it." Support campaigns, companies, and products that promote positive images of girls. Complain to manufacturers, advertisers, television and movie producers, and retail stores when products sexualize girls. Understand. Young people often feel pressure to watch popular TV shows, listen to music their friends like, and conform to certain styles of dress. Help your daughter make wise choices among the trendy alternatives. Remind her often that who she is and what she can accomplish are far more important than how she looks.Encourage. Athletics and other extracurricular activities emphasize talents, skills, and abilities over physical appearance. Encourage your daughter to follow her interests and get involved in a sport or other activity.Educate. You may feel uncomfortable discussing sexuality with your kids, but it's important. Talk about when you think sex is OK as part of a healthy, intimate, mature relationship. Ask why girls often try so hard to look and act sexy. Effective sex education programs discuss media, peer, and cultural influences on sexual behaviors and decisions, how to make safe choices, and what makes healthy relationships. Find out what your school teaches.Be real. Help your kids focus on what’s really important: what they think, feel, and value. Help them build strengths that will allow them to achieve their goals and develop into healthy adults. Remind your children that everyone’s unique and that it’s wrong to judge people by their appearance. Model. Marketing and the media also influence adults. When you think about what you buy and watch, you teach your sons and daughters to do so, too.

For more information, see the American Psychological Association report at http://www.apa.org/pi/wpo/sexualization.html

Provocative Calvin Klein ad featuring models engaged in foursome.

Congratulations CK, you got our attention. The scantily clad billboard pictured above has people talking and not just folks in the Soho district of NYC where the 50 ft. tall controversial ad currently resides. People all over the world are talking about it. Some call it raunchy and disturbing and others say it’s sexy and engaging.

Calvin Klein Inc said its "intention was to create a very sexy campaign that speaks to our targeted demographic." So, we’re asking you, what does this ad say to you? Has CK taken it too far? Is this ad portraying an empowering position for the woman or is it making the woman an object for these men’s play?

Sexversate on Facebook

3 of Spades: Do you have a responsibility to tell your partner if you have an STI?

--Molly Hays

Sexversations® are a series of questions about sex, intimacy, sexuality, relationships, STIs and questions for your conscience that are set in a super chic deck of cards. It’s sexy (to say the least), entertaining and informative. Through Sexversating we empower. Find out and get involved in the Sexversations® Facebook Group , Facebook Fan Page, or website.

This week we’re sexversating about STIs (sexually transmitted infections) and informing your partner. Check out the 3 of Spades post and then give us your two cents. Or for 15 dollars you can purchase your own game at sexversations.com and get your own sexually employing game of poker on.


But before you do, here’s a brief rundown on the current state of STIs.

- There are over 30 different bacteria, parasites and viruses that can be sexually transmitted.
- The most common STI’s are gonorrhoea, chlamydial infection, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid, genital herpes, genital warts, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B.
- In 2007, over 1 million cases of Chlamydia were reported, making the disease the most prominent reported disease in 2007.
- STIs can be transmitted not just sexually, but also from mother to child during vaginal birth, and from tissue and blood transfers.
- People ages 15 to 24 comprise nearly half of all new STI cases yearly.
- Many people living with STIs experience few or no symptoms at all.
- The next most effective safe sex practice in reducing STI transmission risks, besides abstinence and monogamy, is employing consistent and correct use of male condoms.
- Gardasil, the HPV vaccine, protects against viruses that cause 70% cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.
- STIs are the main cause of preventable infertility, especially for women.
- 19 million new infections are reported each year in the United States.


Thanks to the World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for statistical information.


P.S. Atlanta is hosting the 2010 National STD Prevention Conference next March. It may be a while out, but then again, it’s never too early to plan for your health and well-being.
In the meantime, log on to Facebook and start sexversating!

FREE Condoms

Just this morning I was doing a little research to help someone locate free condoms in their community and I came across JollyJohns.com which is a web-site that provides free condoms and free shipping. No sooner did I stumble upon this source before reading on their site that JollyJohns will be shutting down permanently on June 30th, 2009. The freebies are coming to an end BUT they're providing free condoms until their official closure at the end of the month. So if you're in need of condoms and want to save some cash go to JollyJohns.com for the hook up while you can.

To find out if free condoms are available in your community please contact your local Health Department.

WE STAND UNITED

Get Involved! Make A Statement!

--Sabrina Sadler

Delilah, Caterina, and Sabrina, 3 ordinary young ladies determined to make a statement!

Women from all over Northern California ran in the Nike Women’s Fitness Festival a 5k run/walk. The run benefited WEAVE inc., the local domestic violence and sexual assault agency. Being very strong supporters of me, my two best friends, Delilah and Caterina wanted to help bring Awareness to Sexual Assault. As seen in the picture, we each represented one of three programs that I am currently involved in. Each one of the programs is determined to bring a stop and awareness to Sexual Assault.

UNITE FOR CHANGE: Works with students to provide education and resources that promote sexual assault awareness and prevention.

NO WOMAN LEFT BEHIND: Brings awareness and encourages college students to stand by one another to prevent sexual assault.

WEAVE: Is the primary provider of crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Sacramento County.

Our statement only began with representing these three amazing programs, but the true understanding the three of us ladies took from these three programs is UNITY! No matter the program, No matter the agency, No matter the campaign… WE STAND UNITED

We as individuals, agencies, programs, campaigns are united to end violence. It is our GOAL! I felt so proud to participate in a run benefiting Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence and to be able to represent the three programs! During the run people actually read the front and back of our shirts. I remember someone shouting from the side with pride “No Woman Left Behind”, and then as we passed other participants we heard “We Stand United.” People did read our shirts! Three ordinary ladies got involved in the community, brought awareness, and made a statement.

So What can you do to get involved? You can get involved in local events or runs just like we did!!! And if you’re not a runner you can volunteer to help. Agencies like WEAVE are always looking for volunteers.

Check out your local community. Here are some upcomig events that just might be in a city near you...
Stride Against Violence in Chicago, IL on September 13, 2009
Race to End Violence in Concord, New Hampshire on October 3, 2009

These are just a couple of the many run/walks taking place in our communities. Many of these events take place in April which is Sexual Assault Awareness month and October, Domestic Violence Awareness month.

Remember you have the power to bring change and awareness. Get Involved and Make a Statement!

Combat the Silence with Clicks

Clicks for Change
-- Molly Hays

Blogger Alexandra Kain of the Seattle Grassroots Examiner was so inspired to act. What stirred her was a movement called “Silence Is The Enemy,” started by The Intersection and ScienceBlogs.com of Discover Magazine to raise awareness of sexual violence against women and specifically the sexual violence being committed in Liberia.

Six years since Liberia’s civil war ended in 2003, sexual violence is still being used as a weapon of control for both sexes. Furthermore, sex is still viewed as a man’s right.
Bloggers are uniting and pledging to donate portions, if not all of their June revenue, to Doctors Without Borders, the organization providing care to victims in Liberia.

According to the organization’s special report, entitled, “Shattered Lives: Liberia,” a 2008 study revealed that 40% of women combatants and 32% of men combatants were victims of sexual violence during the war. Of the women combatants, 74% had symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also, 70% of sexual violence survivors in Liberia are children.
Directly from The Intersection blog (http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2009/06/01/silence-is-the-enemy/), “Today begins a very important initiative called Silence Is The Enemy to help a generation of young women half a world away. Why? Because they are our sisters and children–the victims of sexual abuse who don’t have the means to ask for help. We have power in our words and influence. Along with our audience, we’re able to speak for them. I’m asking all of you–bloggers, writers, teachers, and concerned citizens–to use whatever platform you have to call for an end to the rape and abuse of women and girls in Liberia and around the world.

In regions where fighting has formally ended, rape continues to be used as a weapon. As Nicholas Kristof recently wrote from West Africa, ‘it has been easier to get men to relinquish their guns than their sense of sexual entitlement.’ The war has shattered norms, training some men to think that ‘when they want sex, they need simply to overpower a girl.’ An International Rescue Committee survey suggests 12 percent of girls aged 17 and under acknowledged having been sexually abused in some way over the previous 18 months. Further, of the 275 new sexual violence cases treated Jan-April by Doctors Without Borders, 28 percent involve children aged 4 or younger, and 33 percent involve children aged 5 through 12. That’s 61% age 12 or under. We read about their plight and see the figures, but it’s so easy to feel helpless to act in isolation. But these are not statistics, they are girls. Together we can do more. Mass rape persists because of inertia so let’s create momentum.”

Oh, the internet, proving wonderful channels to direct social change. Do your part and get the click counts up. Each website click generates a penny, and every penny counts.
Below is a list of blogs contributing their revenues.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/
http://scienceblogs.com/isisthescientist/
http://scienceblogs.com/aetiology/
http://scienceblogs.com/bioephemera/
http://scienceblogs.com/neurotopia/
http://scienceblogs.com/authority/
http://scienceblogs.com/drugmonkey/
http://scienceblogs.com/ethicsandscience/
http://www.examiner.com/x-6875-Seattle-Grassroots-Examinerhttp://moderateleft.com/
http://www.scientificblogging.com/rugbyologist/silence_enemy
http://scienceblogs.com/sciencewoman/

Combat silence with clicks, let that mouse roar.