Why We Should Care

These past two weeks have been very difficult for many survivors of sexual abuse. In some ways, witnessing Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s testimony on September 27 was a recitation of every survivor’s own experience. What followed her testimony was the embodiment of every survivor’s nightmare.

Just One

As I tearfully watched this strong, beautiful, and inspirational presentation, this one sentence spoken by US Champion Gymnast Aly Raisman, has stayed with me: “All we needed was one adult to have the integrity to stand between us and Larry Nassar. If just one adult had listened, believed, and acted, the people standing before you on this stage would never have met him.” For over 20 years . . .

Why Awareness Matters

The shame, confusion, and self-blame that a child experiences in the wake of sexual abuse drive any impulse to speak up far away in to the recesses of obscurity. Sadly, because survivors (child and adult) are so adept at hiding their shame, we, as a culture are only too happy to comply with their desire to remain in the shadows. And as long as the secret is safe, the journey to healing remains hidden. ...