Welcome to the SpeakOut! Blog

Break the silence that surrounds sexual assault, sexual harassment, interpersonal violence, relationship abuse, stalking, hate crimes, and identity-based violence. Share your story here on our anonymous blog.

To speak about an experience with any form of interpersonal violence is difficult, but it is also empowering. Breaking the silence reduces shame and helps others to speak out about their own experiences.

End the shame. Be empowered. Speak Out!

Thank you for Speaking Out! We would love to get your permission to share your testimonial. If you would like to allow your testimonial to be used at a later Speak Out!, please let us know by making a comment or a note in your testimonial.

We are holding our spring Speak Out! on April 16th, 2018 from 7-9 pm in The Pit. For more information, check our Facebook page.

Because this blog features stories of interpersonal and sexual violence, we offer this *content warning* as a way of caution. We also ask that you do not reproduce any of the content below, as the authors of these personal stories are anonymous, and cannot give consent for their stories to appear anywhere other than this blog or at a Project Dinah-led SpeakOut event.

Monday, January 25, 2010

I wish my dad, brothers, step father, and male friends would realize how big of a problem sexual violence is.

They personally know a survivor, me, and yet these things continue. I wish they would stop making sexist jokes. I try to explain why it’s not funny when you said “that test raped me.” I try to explain why it’s not okay to blame women who don’t leave abusive relationships. I try to explain that language is important. I try to explain that the way the world is isn’t the way it has to be.

And you all just say I’m “doing my little women’s studies stuff.” Bullshit.

This violence is cyclical and systematic. I want to speak out as a survivor of not only sexual assault and interpersonal violence, but also one that is hurt every time you joke about rape, make a degrading comment about women, or grab my ass because you think it‘s cute. It’s not funny. Your actions are creating a culture where it becomes okay to hurt women, and you do it without thinking.

WAKE UP!

STOP IT!

What is it going to take before you realize the effect that your actions have on your daughter, your sister, your friend? When will you stop hurting her?

No comments: