Transitioning Times

In light of October’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we wanted to focus on domestic violence and sexual assault on campuses. While sexual assault is a major issue on campus, many don’t realize that intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant issue among college students. Women aged 16-24 experience the highest per capita rate of intimate partner violence in the United States. This is just one of the many eye-opening facts that demonstrate the severity of domestic violence among young people in this country. The following are more statistics showing the frequency of domestic violence and sexual assault, specifically on college campuses. •       21% of college students report having experienced dating violence by a current partner. 33% experience dating violence by a previous partner. •       13% of college women report they were forced to have sex by a dating partner. •       Over 13% of col...

The end of June signaled the end of Pride Month; however, we want the community to know we welcome and support victims in the LGBTQ+ community all year round. Pride Month celebrations started to commemorate the riots that broke out as a result of a police raid at the Stonewall Inn, targeting the LGBTQ+ community. Two trans women of color, Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, are most notable for resisting the police on that day in 1969. From there, celebrating these protests became a yearly event, which has evolved into what Pride Month is today. Pride parades, marches, and celebrations are held all month long, throughout the country, to remember those who have fought for the progress that has been made and the rights and protections that the community is still fighting for. It has also become a time for those in the community to celebrate proudly who they are. ( https://sites.psu.edu/womeninhistory/2016/10/23/the-unsung-heroines-of-stonewall-marsha-p-johnson-and-sylvia-rivera/ ) ...

I'm disheartened to see so many cases of sexual assault by people in power, though I'm not surprised one bit. Harvey Weinstein, Ben Affleck, Dr. Larry Nassar, Bill O’Reilly, Steven Seagal, R. Kelly, and even former president George H. W. Bush, along with several others, have recently been accused of sexual assault or harassment. This is our society; it is so deeply rooted in us. We let rape jokes slide, demean and dehumanize women, don’t hold perpetrators accountable, and blame victims for their assault. We teach people how not to get assaulted/raped, but we don't teach people to not rape. (Here’s a video put together by Huffington Post about many of the allegations that have come out following the allegations against Harvey Weinstein: https://www.facebook.com/HuffPost/videos/544774159200069/ ) Sexual assault and harassment are about power and control, and when perpetrators have additional power due to their position in society or industry, it is bound to be a bree...

TRIGGER WARNING: SEXUAL VIOLENCE             Why didn't I fight? This is probably the question I am most asked by others. For a long time, it was a question I could not stop asking myself. The following is an excerpt from my memoir, written years ago when I was still grappling with that question.             “Right,” I told him at the intersection. He smiled and turned left.             “What are you doing?” I asked, my voice jumping in fear, which I tried to disguise as playfulness. Of course this was a joke. See? I get that it’s a joke. Now turn around. Turn around. Turn around. My eyes focused on my hands on my lap, the seatbelt tight across my chest, suddenly feeling too tight. The inside of his car was grey, all grey. I wanted to think of what to say, to do, but all I could think about was the grey. ...

Although I am constantly reminded about how much the community supports the work that we do, the allies who agreed to take on acting roles in the  Mock Trial made me believe that we may be able to change the rape culture that exists in our society.  On Tuesday, April 18, I walked into Courtroom 1 of the Northumberland County Courthouse and was pleasantly surprised by a full courtroom.  The Mock Trial in a case named U.S. v Michael Davis focused on a college relationship in which a young woman alleged that she was raped.  It was a complicated case, as most sexual assault cases are.  There were no witnesses to what took place and alcohol was involved.  The victim, who had been drinking, had not given her consent to have sex but the defendant proceeded, even after she had said “no.”  The jury, comprised of volunteers from the audience, found the defendant, a college-age man, guilty of the lesser charge of misdemeanor sexual assault.  Two years ago, ...

In the course of life, many of us will become the recipient of a victim’s disclosure of abuse or assault. In the work of domestic violence and sexual assault counselors, assault or abuse disclosures are common. When a survivor discloses to someone who places blame on the victim, rather than on the perpetrator, many say they feel as though they are experiencing a second assault.  Each time a survivor shares their story and unburdens themselves of a very private and traumatic secret, the listener should be aware of the privilege and responsibility that comes with being trusted with a moment of exceptional vulnerability.  Just a few important words in response to a disclosure, can profoundly affect the course of the survivor’s healing journey. Try using these phrases to communicate your support and acknowledgment of a victim’s experience: “I believe you.”  Three powerful words can set the tone for the survivor’s internal narrative. If she plans to tell her story wid...

            When it comes to sexual harassment and assault, taking a few steps backward in regards to protections is never a good thing. April was sexual assault awareness month (SAAM), where we highlight the problem of sexual assault a little more heavily than usual. Much advancement has been made over the years in combatting sexual assault; however, the fight is far from over. On March 27 th , just a few days before he would make a declaration that April would be SAAM, President Donald Trump signed an executive order overturning the Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces Act, signed by President Barak Obama in 2014. Among other protections, this act would require companies who have federal contracts to be open about what they’re paying their employees and not allow them to keep sexual harassment, sexual assault, or discrimination allegations or cases in private. This is called an arbitration clause, which companies put in employees’ contracts “to keep sex discri...

On April 18, 2017, Transitions hosted a mock sexual assault trial at the Northumberland County Courthouse. It was well-attended, with a full courtroom of approximately 100 people. This was a public event and invitations were distributed widely to high schools and colleges in the area as well as community organizations. The mock trial was created by the DC Street Law Clinic through Georgetown University . Actors were provided with statements given by their characters but otherwise improvised during the trial. The two attorneys spent the most time preparing for the trial. There was only one rehearsal prior to the event.  This mock trial was created in 2009, but the issues it raises continue to be relevant. College students are at a higher risk of being victimized; statistics state 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted while in college. There has been a lot of discussion in the past few years about sexual violence on college campuses, including from then- Pres...

April 26 th , 2017 marks the 18 th celebration of Peace Over Violence’s Denim Day .  If you are not already familiar with this event, Denim Day is the annual violence prevention day sponsored by a Los Angeles-based nonprofit, Peace Over Violence.  Over 11 million people across the country participated in 2016.  It is held in April every year as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The Denim Day campaign began after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction because the victim was wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, and the justices believed she must have helped her rapist remove them, thereby implying consent.  The following day, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim. Peace Over Violence developed the Denim Day campaign in response to this case and the activism surrounding it. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive...

With one in six women in the U.S. having experienced sexual assault 1 , the first question that springs to my mind is: Why aren’t there more abundant resources for shaping boys’ and young men’s perspectives on healthy sexuality and relationships? Our boys need clear information and guidance on growing into responsible young men who reject pervasive cultural influences of macho violence, domination/subjugation of females, and glamorization of violence against women in pop culture. We have to start with the basics: How do we talk about women’s and girls’ bodies? What does consent for any kind of touching look like? While the resources for parents and mentors may seem lacking at first glance, there are books and websites as well as education programs available specifically for youth ages 12-19, ranging from PSA campaigns to year-long interactive courses to prevent attitudes and behaviors that lead to sexual assault and dating violence. One recent review by the Sexual Violence Researc...

Making happiness our goal may seem like a shallow aim when we have survived domestic violence, sexual assault, or any kind of crime that leaves us feeling defenseless, vulnerable, and afraid.  Worrying about our safety and the safety of our children and loved ones may seem not only justifiable but the only sane thing to do.  However, the kind of happiness that I am referring to is the kind that provides a sound basis for building a positive future.  This kind of happiness is good for our mental health, gives us hope that we need for recovery, and helps us come out the other side of all the dreadful things that have happened and live productive, meaningful lives characterized by love, freedom, fun, and belonging.  Having personally witnessed the power of happiness to aid recovery from all the harmful things that life can throw our way, I was pleased to find an article in Business Insider that promoted the idea that neuroscience has basically uncovered the same ...

These photographs speak to me strongly about consent and language.  There are no words, only images, yet all of us can tell that these are not consensual encounters.  Many people who speak out against affirmative consent say that asking every five minutes doesn’t make people feel sexy.  I personally don’t believe asking “is this ok?”  disrupts anything, but for argument’s sake, I will help people read body language.  If someone is gripping your wrist or pushing your hands away, that means you should ask if they want you to continue.  If someone is lying completely still, that means you should ask if they want you to continue.  If from your perspective, someone seems to be enjoying it, ask if they want to continue.  Just keep asking!  If the other person is enjoying the encounter, you get to hear "yes, good job!  Keep going!"  If the person is not, STOP!  You get to save yourself and the other person from a terrib...

Domestic violence and sexual assault are difficult topics to discuss. In today's society, there seems to be a stigma that goes along with these two issues, a stigma that unfortunately incorporates victim blaming.  Victim blaming is when the victim of a crime is held solely or partially responsible for the wrongful act done upon them. A recent example of victim blaming happened in the People v. Turner case. Brock Turner blamed college party culture and consumption of alcohol for a sexual assault he initiated rather than taking responsibility for the horrendous crime he committed. Turner, a former Stanford University student-athlete, sexually assaulted an intoxicated, unconscious woman behind a dumpster, whom he met at a house party. Turners’ defense attorney contributed to the victim-blaming when his way of defending this case was to point the finger at the victim and fixate on how much she drank on the evening of the sexual assault. Victims of sexual assault, more times t...