Sexual Assault

"My particular brand of existence means allowing belief and non-belief to coexist peacefully alongside one another, just as Shintoism and Buddhism do in Japan — just as I must with my past."

Voodoo and Televangelism: A Black Woman's Journey To Atheism

I was probably the most religious kid you ever met. I genuinely believed in God, the way that most kids believe in Sunday morning cartoons and rainbow colored fruit rollups.

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I blamed myself for what happened and internalized the guilt and shame that many survivors feel after sexual violence.

I Was Sexually Assaulted On Valentine's Day

My sexual assault is the main reason my girlfriend and I didn’t celebrate the love-infested holiday for the first six years of our relationship. Last Valentine’s Day, a month after we celebrated seven years together, was our first time embracing the holiday as our own.

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Photo of Senator Ernst: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons

We Have To Stop Holding Survivors To Impossible Standards

Because survivors aren’t masked superheroes: They’re humans.

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If you're planning to dip back into the nostalgia zone with your kids, be prepared to discuss issues like sexual assault and consent when they come up.

5 Classic Movies That Can Trigger Conversations About Sexual Assault & Consent

If you're planning to dip back into the nostalgia zone with your kids, be prepared to discuss issues like sexual assault and consent when they come up.

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I feel like I’m in this in-between space where I have deep sympathies for sexual assault victims and am incredibly passionate about issues of rape culture.

To All Those Who Don't Know If They've Been Sexually Assaulted 

I feel like I’m in this in-between space where I have deep sympathies for sexual assault victims and am incredibly passionate about issues of rape culture.

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(Artwork: Tess Emily Rodriguez)

Ask Erin: I Assaulted My Ex And Don't Know How To Make It Right 

I sexually assaulted my ex, and I don't know how to make things better. I have apologized and told her I would give her all the space she needs.

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If you don’t want false rape accusations, don’t sexually assault anyone.

To Men Afraid Of "False Rape Accusations:" Try Being A Woman

If you don’t want false rape accusations, don’t sexually assault anyone. Don’t even come close to sexually assaulting anyone.

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The author in 1991 at age 18.

Sexual Assault By An Ivy League Lawyer? Me, Too.

And Mr. Ivy League, if you’re reading this, know that you caused harm. I’m setting down my shame, like an old coat that no longer fits. The shame is yours.

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