When someone comes to you…what will your reaction be?
This is the tagline for End Violence Against Women International’s new campaign, Start by Believing. Besides the obvious (though apparently, not always obvious enough!) action of not committing rape, the most helpful thing we can do for survivors is to believe and support them when they come to us and ask for help. It is traumatic enough to be victimized in the first place; rapists rob their victims of their peace of mind, sense of safety, and temporarily their control over their own body and choices. However, it is equally painful and demeaning to have the bravery to tell someone your story and then be doubted, brushed off, or vilified for speaking up. Not only does this skeptical response hurt the survivor, but it also allows the rapist to continue on free of consequence—and most importantly, free to rape again. One common p...