sexual violence
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‘We Can’t Wait’: Tarana Burke on Why the We, As Ourselves Campaign Is a Crucial Centering of Black Survivors
The 'me too' founder shares how her movement's original mission has found new life in joint partnership with Fatima Goss-Graves and Monifa Bandele.
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Hit Hard by the COVID-19 Recession, Black and Latinx Survivors More Likely to Return to Abusers, Study Finds
Throughout the year, the twin crises of the coronavirus pandemic and the recession it spurred have disproportionately hurt Black and Latinx communities across the country. A new study from the nonprofit Me Too has found that survivors of sexual violence in these communities have been particularly vulnerable to financial instability caused by the pandemic—thus making…
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For Survivors of Sexual Violence at Howard University, a Fund That Truly Trusts Them
(Content note: This piece contains details about specific incidents of sexual violence.) Nylah Burton didn’t tell her mother about the first sexual assault she experienced during her time as a Howard University student—one that she has little memory of. But she did tell her about the second, in part because there was no mistaking what…
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Op-Ed: Alicia Garza on the Insidious Silencing of Black Women Sexual Assault Survivors: 'We Are Told to Be Quiet'
I was in high school when I was assaulted by someone I knew. I grew up believing rape happened to people who didn’t know better—or should have known better. My stories of sexual violence, the ones I believed, were those in which a woman had agency and didn’t use it. When I was assaulted, I…
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Domestic Violence Organization Says All It Took Was a Black Lives Matter Sign for Police in Wisconsin to Cut Ties
If for some reason you ever need to see a picture-perfect example of the weaponization of white fragility, look no further than law enforcement in rural Wisconsin, where a local nonprofit organization that provides safety and shelter for victims of domestic and sexual violence has drawn the scorn and rebuke of multiple police departments. Their…
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On 3rd Anniversary of Viral Hashtag, Me Too Announces New Tools, Programs to End Sexual Violence as We Know It
Almost as soon as “Me Too” became part of the mainstream lexicon when discussing sexual assault, harassment and gender violence, pundits debated whether the viral hashtag was a moment or a movement. On Thursday, the third anniversary of the hashtag receiving international attention, Me Too founder Tarana Burke has a clear answer: ending sexual violence…
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Me Too and Essence to Host the Black Women and Girls Survivor Town Hall Featuring Tarana Burke and Angelica Ross
We are in the midst of a renewed focus upon Black safety and survival—and Black female political power—and yet, as we were reminded by our peers at Essence today, “While Black women have the highest turnout rate at the polls, they also have the [second] highest rates of sexual assault,” eclipsed only by Native American…
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#MeToo: Tarana Burke Bolts From Sexual Violence Forum at FAMU in Dispute With HBCU
#MeToo founder and activist Tarana Burke abruptly ended a sexual violence forum at Florida A&M University after getting into a verbal altercation with a FAMU employee. Burke along with professor and influencer Yaba Blay were wrapping up their presentation when Burke and an unnamed FAMU employee had words regarding a program to end sexual violence…
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The 'Me Too.' Movement Makes Moves, Launching an HBCU Tour This Spring
As the discussion around sexual violence continues and we collectively consider how best to combat it at its roots, education is key—as is accountability. With that in mind, this spring, ‘me too.’ is launching a first-time, five-stop HBCU tour across the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States, with support from Lifetime Network and The Root. Featuring…