My Devina

Rape Prevention – It’s Not a Warm and Fuzzy Cause

I was at a Rape Survivor’s benefit.  The event was top notch – fabulous location, mouth watering food and appetizers, great entertainment, and amazing items and opportunities available at auction.  And yet there weren’t a lot of people at the event, and the auction was not a success.

I’m sure there were a couple of factors contributing to this.  But the biggest was one no one was talking – rape is still a bit of a taboo subject.  Estimates are that somewhere between 20% to 50% of women and about 5% of men (in the USA) have experienced sexual assault, abuse or molestation in their lifetime. But not everyone wants to talk about it.  And a lot of people really don’t want to go to an event raising money for it. Why? It’s not sexy.  And it’s not fun to say.

It’s much easier for someone to get something at auction and say – “I bought this at the Save the Puppies Foundation event” – than it is to say “I bought this at the Rape Prevention or Rape Survivors event.”  It just doesn’t give that same warm fuzzy feeling to everyone involved.

I knew this going into this event.  But I participated because I have hope in us as a collective community.  I feel that at some point soon, the tide will turn.  And people will get behind the idea that all bodies are off limits to things occurring which they do not give consent to – be that individual a man, woman or child. And I hope that someday soon people will decide that this is a great cause they can become connected to, that is locally driven and has a lasting and global impact.

I’m really not sure what the solution to this dilemma is. Talking about it in spite of it’s unsexy, un fuzzy nature is a start.    Anyone have any ideas?

If you or someone you know has been raped, here is one organization that can help.  You can also do a search for rape hotline or help in your area (for both men and women):

RAINN – Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network. http://www.rainn.org  They also have a hotline: 1.800.656.HOPE

For another post on sexual assualt see Healing from Rape: The Light At The End of The Tunnel

 

My Devina

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