sexual violence
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Rape Declared a 'National Emergency' by Sierra Leone's President
Trigger Warning: This article details sexual violence and child sexual abuse. Rampant rape and sexual violence in Sierra Leone has become so prevalent that its president, Julius Maada Bio, has declared a national emergency, according to CBS News. The rallying point of this declaration is the brutal rape of a five-year-old girl by her uncle.…
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'We Hear You. We See You. We Believe You': Terry Crews and More Help #MeToo Center Survivors in a New PSA Campaign
In the recent rush to bring sexual predators to justice, the survivors of sexual violence are often lost in the shuffle of debates, rhetoric and sensationalism that ensues. But the Me Too movement, founded by Tarana Burke in 2006, has always placed survivors front and center of any discussions of sexual violence, and on Monday,…
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Why Do We Silence Black Girls and Women Who are Survivors of Sexual Violence?
Today, conversations about sexual violence and harassment towards women have infiltrated popular culture, the news and beyond. But despite the prevalence of sexual violence towards black girls and women, we remain almost invisible in these conversations. You see, the legacy of sexual violence towards black women and our subsequent silencing runs deep. In her seminal…
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Tarana Burke: Black Community Needs to Have Uncomfortable Conversations About Sexual Violence
I caught up with Tarana Burke at the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault annual awards on Monday in New York City, where she picked up yet another award for her years of activism, most notably #MeToo. Over the past year alone, Hollywood and media luminaries like Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby, Matt Lauer and…
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We Get It. It’s Harvey Weinstein’s News Cycle. But What About Our Black Girls?
I stopped watching broadcast news five years ago, after a sex crime was reported in close proximity to where I live. The local news was beginning to feel like trauma porn and was much too close to home. The purge had been a healthy choice—that is, until national news infiltrated my timeline, the Twitterverse and…
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Indiana University Bans Athletes With History of Sexual Violence
In a groundbreaking decision, the University of Indiana will no longer allow student-athletes with a history of sexual or domestic violence to compete in the school’s college athletics. The Indianapolis Star reports that in the wake of a number of scandals across the country that sparked debate on how big-time college athletics handle the troubling…
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Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Why We Must Focus on Black Girls and Child Sexual Abuse
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Every year during this time, there are campaigns across the country that highlight the dangers of acquaintance or “date” rape. There are silent marches and “Take back the night” events on college campuses around the country, and generally a heightened focus on the epidemic of sexual violence among adult…