Editorial
Guest
Editorial
April is Sexual Violence Awareness Month in Vermont and Across the Country
SafeSpace
is one of many anti-violence organizations planning events in April to
raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence and to increase
suppor for survivors of these crimes. You may ask why should the queer
community be concerned about sexual violence? Isn't that only something
that happens to straight girls when they drink too much at a frat party?
Or maybe you do have a queer friend
who told you ze had been
sexually abused when they were younger, or another friend con- fided in
you about a really "bad date" they once had. But still you wonder
how common could these experiences really be? There are many myths about
the realities of sexual violence.
Did you know that one out of three
girls will be sexually abused by the age of 18? Or that one out of every
five boys will become a victim of sexual violence by the age of 18?
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer
and questioning people are affected by sexual violence just like the rest
of the population, in fact we may be more targeted because of our identities.
Everyone is affected by sexual violence because it not only affects the
victim; but the victim’s family, friends and community often suffer
as well.
Sexual violence is about power
and control, not about sex. Just like our queer identities are about who
we are as whole beings, not only (or at all, some would say) about who
we choose to have sex with, or partner with. Because in both realms of
"taboo" topics there are elements of shame, fear and cultural
oppression, queer survivors of sexual violence are often left invisible
and struggling to heal from sexual violence alone.
SafeSpace organizes against all forms
of violence, including sexual violence, because we want this to stop.
We want our queer and allied community to embrace all survivors of violence,
to believe them, to support their healing, whatever that might look like,
and never blame them for becoming a victim.
Vermont is experiencing a steady rise
in sexual assaults every year. Last year, SafeSpace experienced a 25%
increase from the year before of the number of survivors we worked with.
The Women's Rape Crisis Center experienced a similar increase of 29% in
the same year. The Vermont Crime Information Center reported a 58% increase
from 2003 to 2004 in the number of rapes committed in Vermont.
These increases of violent crime are
of grave concern, and lead us to grappling with reasons for the rising
numbers of sexual assaults. Many of us do not believe these increases
are merely about more women, men and young people reporting the violence
perpetrated against them.
We believe violence may be on the
rise due to many factors in our communities, in the broader culture, and
in the world. We believe that the many changes that need to be made to
end sexual violence in our state and community need to happen on every
level and in many different ways.
On the Individual level – change
is individuals choosing not to use violence.
On the Community level – change
is supporting survivors and challenging discrimination and violence of
all kinds.
On the Institutional level –
change is justice for survivors and holding offenders accountable.
On the Cultural level –
change is not condoning violence as an
acceptable part of humanity.
SafeSpace invites you to join us in
speaking out against sexual violence in our community. We hope to see
you at one of the many powerful events during Sexual Violence Awareness
Month, including the Take Back the Night speak-out and march in Burlington
on April 4th, and SafeSpace's Run Against Rape on April 29th.
You can find more information
and a full calendar of events at www.SafeSpaceVT.org,
or by calling SafeSpace at 802-863-0003.
Kara DeLeonardis, LICSW, has been Executive Director of SafeSpace
since the organization's inception in 2001.