Polite Society, Sexual Assault, Victim Outrage

 We recently received a disturbing email in which the author related her experience in support groups that she has attended.  She advised that she quickly dropped out of the groups because “they just didn’t seem to confront the problem head on”. She was viewed as way too extreme, even in the feminist groups she attended.  She went on to state that her experience revealed that women are still expected to talk about sexual violence “politely” without anger or resentment.

We were grateful that she found Kathleen’s book “Breaking Through Silence” refreshing. She found its frankness and take no prisoners attitude relatable. She echoed what Kathleen and I already know; that by speaking the truth about sexual violence in a voice that expresses the true outrage and pain victims feel that you become an outcast.

Sexual violence has been around from the beginning of time.  Until we can break the cycle of “silence”. Until we have the courage and ability to discuss sexual violence freely and openly. Until we can break the concept that sexual violence is only a female issue, we are doomed to carry this epidemic into the next generation.

Although the statistics vary, on average One in three girls/women; boys/men are victims of sexual violence before the age of 18. Men and women need to join together to Break the Cycle of Sexual Violence and create a safer world now and for the future.