Of all the crimes known to man, sexual assault is the one that carries the most shame for it's victim.  When your car is stolen, you are not ashamed to report it. When your house is broken into and burgled, when a drunkard punches you in a bar, when your purse is snatched from your shoulder on the street, even when someone is murdered, there is no shame in reporting immediately. A sexual assault crime, unlike any other violation, carries with it an overwhelming, paralyzing weight of shame that can silence its victim for decades and often times, forever.

 

Rape Culture Mentality: "You should have known better.  No one will believe you.  You are making it up to be vindictive.  It was your fault, you shouldn't have worn than that.  You looked sexy.  You shouldn't have flirted.  You shouldn't have drank that.  You shouldn't have gone there. You need to let that go. It's not that big a deal. You're over-reacting. Your past will be dredged up, you will lose your job, your family will disown you.  It's his word against yours so don't bother. That was years ago... why disrupt his whole family and life." And on it goes…

 

1 out of every 6 American Women has been the victim of attempted or complete Rape. 

 

Were you raped when you were alone and vulnerable? Were you slut-shamed for what you wore or how much you drank? Were you blamed for your rape? Were you accused, by people close to you, of lying about being sexually assaulted? Were you raped, incested, molested by someone who was supposed to be close to you and protect you?

 

How many of you have carried your rape in silence and solitude?  How many of you have been threatened to be sued for slander if you talked about it? How many of you were told by friends or family to keep your mouth shut and get over it? How many of you had your work suffer, or your grades in school plummet because you were carrying his dirty little secret? How many of you have had no one to walk beside you the treacherous path of reporting? How many of you have had friends, family, cops, lawyers, judges not believe you and take his word over yours? *****

 

Have you been carrying this horror, his secret, for all these years while he lives a vibrant, happy, successful and full life?!

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He lives a good life while you limp along like a wounded animal. Shot through the womb... bloody and bleeding but never quite dying. 

 

You know the words, you are a whore and the baby is a bastard. 

 

But, there is no word for the man. 

 

You're a slut. What is he? 

 

 

 

The time is NOW! Rape culture must END! 

 

 

My hope is that one day any woman can walk down any street at any time of day and not have to be on guard. 

 

My greatest wish is that we do not have to train our young women to go from the grocery store to their car in a "safely" with her keys between her fingers, carefully and cautiously looking around, her mace at the ready, checking in the back seat and underneath the car and quickly locking the door as soon as she gets in.

 

My dream is that we create a world where women can feel safe and free of harm from men.  

 

Let us create this reality together!