BREAK THE SILENCE: PEOPLE ARE BEING VICTIMIZED EVERYDAY AND VERY FEW ARE TALKING ABOUT IT. IT’S TIME TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.

Written by Keiona R. Miller – Maybe you have been personally affected by this, but if not, I’m certain that you know someone who has been a victim. According to reports, every 98 seconds an American is sexually assaulted. Every eight minutes that victim is a child. Nearly one out of every six American women is a victim of sexual assault. And one out of every six males will be assaulted by the time they are 18 years old.
Victims of sexual assault are more likely to experience poor performance in school, increased professional issues at work, and more difficulty in relationships with family, friends and co-workers. They are also more likely to suffer suicidal or depressive thoughts. They are 3.4 times more likely to use marijuana, 6 times more likely to use cocaine, and 10 times more likely to use other major drugs.
The prevalence of sexual assault in our communities has raised it to the level of a public health crisis. Everyone is at risk, yet the greatest sustaining element of this crisis is our collective silence on the issue. It’s time to start talking, now.
Victims of sexual assault often do not speak up for a number of reasons; They blame themselves, or fear that they will be blamed for what happened to them; They feel shameful and embarrassed; The memory of the assault is too painful to re-live in the process of reporting it; They fear repercussions from family members or intimate partners; They fear no one will believe them. This silence allows perpetrators to remain unknown and unpunished.
There is also a certain lack of clarity on the definition of sexual assault that works to support this silence. Usually when the topic is raised, the conversation gets centered on rape, and usually involves sudden attack form a stranger or someone new. It is important to understand that “sexual assault” includes many other inappropriate and more subtle behaviors than rape. And that assault can occur even within relations between intimate partners.
WHAT IS SEXUAL ASSAULT/SEXUAL VIOLENCE? It is “any sexual activity where consent is not freely given. This includes completed or attempted sex acts that are against the victim’s will or involve a victim who is unable to consent. Sexual assault also includes non-contact, unwanted sexual experiences such as verbal sexual harassment.” –CDC
April was National Sexual Assault Awareness month. The month has ended, but our work is far from finished.
What are some things that we can do as a community to address the issue? We can establish an environment within our own personal realms of influence that makes it easier for victims to speak up. Adopt rules and policies for addressing inappropriate conduct. Educate our children about “O.K. touch,” and “Not O.K. touch.” Call out insensitive jokes and comments made by others in our social circles. Report suspicious behavior and activities to law enforcement or appropriate authority. Continue to raise awareness on the issue not just in April, but throughout the entire year. Most importantly we can commit ourselves to believing, first, the victims story when they speak up.
If you, reading this article, are a victim of sexual abuse or would like to help someone who has been victimized, there are trained counselors and mental health professional available to listen and speak with you anonymously, free of cost, 24/7, and they will believe you.
Zufall Health, Somerset County 908.526.7444
RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National
Network) 800.656.4673
NSVRC (National Sexual Violence Resource
Center) 877.739.3895
If you missed the opportunity to join last month’s national campaign efforts to address the issue, it is not too late. Any of the organizations listed above can provide you with helpful tools and resources to guide you in continued efforts. The plague of sexual assault is far too large a problem to be adequately addressed in one month’s worth of activities. Your voice and efforts are desperately needed year round if we are to make any significant change.
This year’s national Sexual Assault Awareness theme is ‘Engaging New Voices.’ The 2017 emphasis is on encouraging and equipping coaches, fathers, members of Greek life, and faith leaders to play stronger roles in changing the culture and societal norms that allow sexual assault to persist. I’m calling on the North Plainfield Community to join me in raising awareness and become active partners in addressing this public crisis. Together we can make a difference. Councilwoman Miller can be reached by Phone: 609-848-8801 or Email: keiona@keionamiller.com