Abuse

We all want to believe that a rapist is an undeniable monster. A person who is so easy to pick out in the crowd for being an undeniable creep. They are that stranger in the dark alley or lurking in the bushes. Some despicable man with no semblance of soul or care for other human beings that lives to attack women because he couldn't be with a woman otherwise.

Sexual assault can take many forms. The legal definition will change a bit from place to place but it is generally defined as any action that is sexual in nature and violates the sexual integrity of the victim. It is an unwanted and non-consenting action performed by one person on another. In many cases, sexual assault is defined by its lack of freely given consent. It is used as more of an umbrella term that includes a wide variety of unwanted actions...

The #MeToo Movement has sparked a lot of debate and conversation across the globe. It has challenged a lot of common conceptions about the current standards around consent, gender bias, and power imbalances. We are exploring deeper into personal autonomy and how that relates to other people. The movement is giving a voice to many victims/survivors that never felt they had a voice before and highlighting some of the injustices people have endured. The movement is bringing a lot of things to light, many of which have never really been discussed before.

Sexual violence is an ongoing problem for many communities across the world. It is a very complex issue that is influenced by a variety of different factors. There is a common perception that sexual violence only happens towards women but this is not always the case. People of any gender can experience sexual violence. Research has confirmed that those who belong to the LGBTQ2S* community tend to experience more sexual assaults and violence than the heterosexual population. The CDC conducted a national survey in 2010 and found that rates are significantly higher for those who identify on the LGBTQ2S* spectrum.

How can we help those who have survived a sexual assault? It's important that we start to move more towards supporting those who have been through such an experience. It's only by taking these steps that we can start to make real change