Dear Survivor:
The past couple of weeks, leading up to the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh, have been a mix of emotions. We are disheartened and enraged that 27 years after the brave testimony of Anita Hill in those same chambers, history has repeated itself.
Dr. Ford showed the world, what a survivor’s truth telling looks like. She bravely, gracefully, and courageously came forward to share her story of being assaulted as a young girl, by the very man that the Senate has just confirmed for one of the most powerful and honorable positions in our country. As the world watched, her story was not only discredited, but dismissed, minimized, and most disturbingly, mocked by those in power.
We know that Dr. Ford’s story is much too common. While Dr. Ford’s testimony was broadcast for the world to see, we know that there are many more stories just like hers that will continue to remain unheard and not believed. We are living in a time when sexual assault is not only a reality for 1 in 4 girls, and 1 in 6 boys, but that our communities are quick to blame and shame, and not take a moment to stop and listen. As more of you come forward and share your stories, there are people in positions of power, and even entire systems that will push back on the power of your truth telling in efforts to maintain power.
Decades of research and survivor advocacy tell us over and over again that the odds are stacked against you: that the barriers to disclosing are countless, the impacts of trauma can be lifelong, and our legal system is broken. For too long, the burden of sexual assault – from prevention to intervention to accountability, have been on your shoulders. While we know change will not happen overnight, we are here to tell you that it is not ok. It never has been, and it will always never be ok.
Whether your assault happened ten minutes ago, or ten years ago, we know what a difficult decision it is to tell your Truth, and we know that there are many reasons why you may never choose to do so. Each day for you is different: some days are paralyzing while others can be full of hope. We understand all the voices and unsolicited and often uninformed opinions can greatly impact your journey. Today, we are with you as we say:
You are not alone.
It is not your fault.
We hear you.
We see you.
We believe you.
To sign our pledge below, please click here.
Leave a Reply