Smoking A Little Weed Isn’t That Bad, Is It?
by Pamela Zeller, Executive Director, Sexual Violence Center
In the United States, the discussion continues as to whether or not marijuana is really harmful or should be classified along with other illegal drugs. These debates take place in living rooms, council chambers and university classrooms. It is quite privileged and civilized. What does not enter the discussion is what is happening in developing countries as a result of the drug trade to feed the insatiable appetite for illegal chemical substances in the U.S.
The drug trade has many casualties. “According to the United Nations, Honduras has the world’s highest murder rate, with more than 82 murders per 100,000 people last year. By comparison, Mexico, where more than 45,000 people have been killed since President Felipe Calderon deployed the military against the cartels there five years ago, has a murder rate of 18 per 100,000 and the US 4.8.” (www.stopthedrugwar.org).
The other casualties of the drug trade are the thousands of children, women and men who are sexually assaulted when crossing over into the U.S., the “ticket price” from the drug cartels for safe passage. The drug cartels have evolved over the past ten years to a highly organized crime syndicate that also traffics in children and women for use as sex slaves in brothels, camps, pornography, street prostitution and pedophile rings.
So the next time you see someone light up, make sure to tell them to wash the blood off of their hands first.
Click here for more information and resources about sex trafficking.
Bystanders Can “Do Something”!
by Christina M., Sexual Violence Center Volunteer
Prevention is a mixed bag of tricks, from “reductionist” strategies for victims to preaching to would-be perpetrators to mandatory arrest laws. All these prevention strategies have had mixed and dubious results. But I’ve got to let the cat out of the bag. There’s a new prevention strategy that has some real power. It’s called Green Dot and it’s all focused on bystander action.
Bystander action is a fancy term for all the people who witness or have privy information into the lives of victims and perpetrators of sexual violence. For every person that is sexually assaulted, there are at least three “bystanders” to this crime: family, coworkers, friends, and even strangers in some cases. When your coworker comes to work with a black eye (and not from a bar fight), you are a bystander to sexual violence. When your child refuses to be babysat by the neighbor, you might be a bystander to the red flags of child sexual abuse. A red dot happens in the time it takes to raise one’s hand against a partner’s face. There is so such thing as neutrality. Not doing anything about it is just as good as encouragement.
Bystander action is not about policing people’s lives; rather, it’s about having a sense of shared responsibility and intolerance to violence. You cannot do everything, but everyone can do something. “Something” could mean educating yourself about the signs of child sexual abuse and encouraging your children to share with you if they don’t feel safe. “Something” could mean checking in with your friend about their new relationship. “Something” could mean watching out for your friends at a college party or club. “Something” could mean publicly expressing your beliefs about consensual sex!
If a red dot is every time that a moment of power-based personal violence occurs (an emotional and physical trauma), then a green dot is every time we prevent a red dot from occurring or intervene. Imagine where red dots are occurring in your community: everywhere. If we can eliminate red dots one green dot at a time, we can change the culture of sexual violence. If we all, as bystanders to a great number of lives, stand up with a word, action or belief of intolerance to violence, then haven’t we changed something about norms of violence? At the heart of it, green dots are all about changing social norms of violence and respect. No more will we stand neutrally and watch as our communities are silently destroyed by sexual violence.
The Sexual Violence Center is educating communities about Green Dot. Learn more here.
Working With Teens
by Cassie C., Sexual Violence Center Volunteer
Take a moment and think about a teen that you know. Research has shown that their social lives mean a great deal to pre-teens and teenagers, and their self-esteem is often dependent on the approval of their peers and adults. Sometimes it may feel like they make a big deal out of nothing. Just remember, what may seem like a trivial issue to you is not trivial to teens!
Now imagine that this young person has also dealt with a sexual assault. Knowing all of the different ways that sexual violence can affect a person, can you imagine how complex and painful dealing with an assault would be on top of raging hormones, developing brains and bodies, and overwhelming social structures?
Working with teens who are dealing with a sexual assault can bring on challenges of a different nature. Adolescents’ brains are not yet fully developed (usually not until ages 17-21), so it may be more challenging for them to think critically about their situation. Their social circles are essential to their lives, so be prepared to address ways for them to deal with social pressures and related stressors.
Depending on an adolescent’s childhood, home life, and/or social setting, it can be very difficult to get him/her/they to trust you enough to accept your help. It’s well worth your effort (beyond helping someone work through a sexual assault) – young people benefit when they have supportive adults to talk to outside of their families. Just remember, stay calm and be open – working with teens can be incredibly rewarding!
Here are some links to some great providers of free/low-cost services to teens in the Twin Cities:
- Sexual Violence Center
- West Suburban Teen Clinic
- Annex Teen Clinic
- Trans Youth Support Network
- The Bridge for Youth
“Stalking Your Ex? There’s An App For That.”
by Shereen Reda, Prevention Program Coordinator, Sexual Violence Center
I don’t know about you, but I can’t seem to function without my phone or computer. I freak out when I can’t access my e-mail, or when a call is dropped, or the computer freezes. It says a lot about how much I (we all?) rely on technology to stay organized, keep in touch, and essentially, to make life easier. It also shows me how my (our?) expectations have changed. It’s no longer the standard for a website to take 30 seconds to load, to have a dial-up internet connection, to not own a cell phone or have an e-mail address. Knowledge grows, technologies diversify, products improve, and we get used to “the new normal”.
In essence, we become desensitized. It’s the nature of humanity, and perhaps of growth and progress. When something no longer has the same effect, or something faster/stronger/simpler/whatever is introduced, we move on and we don’t really think much about it, until one day, we look back and realize that something’s changed (what ever happened to video cassettes anyway?).
Here’s what scares me: what else have we just, consciously or unconsciously, come to accept as normal? There’s now an understanding that you can learn about any topic by going online; that you can track your location with the use of GPS; that your phone knows your family’s phone numbers better than you do; and that we store so much of our lives in our technologies that if that technology was somehow compromised, we’d be well, out of luck frankly.
I recently came across a parodied iPhone commercial (view it here), and it got me thinking. From what I’ve mentioned above, as technology diversifies, as we store more of ourselves into hardware and software, the personal risk and exposure increases. Things designed to connect us more don’t always make it clear who is connecting. I’m not meaning for this to perpetuate fear or anything. I think it’s just the reality of the situation, and as consumers and citizens, we should inform ourselves. Google your own name. See how easy it is to find out about someone. I looked myself up and found my full address, age, relatives of the same last name – just to name a few things, all available online…creepy.
January is National Stalking Awareness Month in the US. 1 in 4 stalking victims reported that some form of technology was used to stalk them. Some things you can do to protect yourself are to know your privacy settings, emergency phone numbers, state laws, and local resources. Click here for some more great information.
How much do you know about stalking? Take this quiz to find out – you might be surprised by the results.
Sexual Violence: A Tool of Colonization
by Megan Close, Direct Services Coordinator, Sexual Violence Center
“Native peoples’ history of colonization has been marked on our bodies. In order to heal from personal abuse, such as sexual abuse, we must also heal from the historic abuse of every massacre, every broken treaty, that our people have suffered.”
- Andrea Smith, “Rape and the War against Native Women”
In 1492, Christopher Colon appeared on the shores of this land. Since that moment in history, Native Americans have experienced trauma in one form or another through the colonization of the Americas. Colon enslaved Indigenous peoples almost immediately, and colonizers were also quick to depict Native women as sexual beings. This can be seen in early paintings or drawings where the women were continuously portrayed as topless and immersed in the wilderness. Due to Europeans own cultural understanding of nudity, there were assumptions and judgments made that resulted in the objectification and demoralization of Native women. Colonization and war both assist with the objectification and demoralization by using rape as a weapon or tactic to carry out the task at hand. Devon Abbott Mihesuah characterizes these views in the book, Indigenous American Women: Decolonization, Empowerment, Activism. She states, “Native women were seen as sexual begins free for the taking, and indeed, sexual violence against Native women was common after invasion” (59).
Coming into the present, we can still see examples of the colonizers view being sustained. We’ll take the example of prostitution. Today in Minnesota Native women are being trafficked and prostituted at an alarming rate. In the 2010 “Garden of Truth” study done by MIWSAC, the researchers interviewed over 100 Native women who had been trafficked or prostituted in Minnesota and found that “79% of the women had been sexually abused as children, 92% had been raped, 72% had suffered traumatic brain injuries as a result of prostitution, and 62% saw a connection between prostitution and colonization, and explained that the devaluation of women in prostitution was identical to the colonizing devaluation of Native people”(5). Further one woman that was interviewed discusses how men would like to role play as the colonizer and the colonized, even going as far as to have her call him “John”.
Of course Native Americans are only one example of how sexual violence has been used as a tool of colonization. I encourage everyone to learn more about the Native community and/or your own community to gain an understanding of how sexual violence has been used historically.
The Sexual Violence Center believes that oppression is at the core of sexual violence. Stay current with SVC news and volunteer training connecting to our Facebook page and official website.
ONE Moment at a Time
by Jacqui C., Sexual Violence Center Volunteer
In the “Journey Through the Arts” support group hosted at our office in North Minneapolis, group members process their individual experiences through conversation and art. One victim/survivor’s idea of a healing activity might be to smash plates in order to make a new mosaic from the shattered pieces. Another victim/survivor might prefer to draw a timeline of their life before and after their assault, while still another’s favorite activity might be to visualize their experience using shapes and colors.
It’s hard to come up with activities that fit the needs of each individual in the group because something that one person finds empowering might feel tedious or overwhelming to someone else, and vice-versa. Healing from trauma is somewhat like a Rubik’s cube: like the colorful 3-D mechanical puzzle, a person’s healing process is multi-dimensional, can take on a virtually infinite number of variables, and, if you’re at all like me, can sometimes feel absolutely impossible to solve without support.
The reason this puzzle is so complex and unique to each individual boils down to one thing: the process of healing from trauma is nonlinear. I wish that I could tell our clients, all of whom have been affected by sexual violence in some way, that you only need to take steps 1, 2 and 3 in order to get from point A to point B and then the hurt and trauma will be gone. It’s just not that simple. Everyone is different, and so is their path after sexual assault or abuse. They might not have any idea where to begin, and that’s okay. They might take a few steps forward and then stall or backtrack, and that’s okay, too.
At SVC, we support survivors by giving them the options, information, and referrals they need to make informed decisions for themselves. We believe that the only person who knows what each individual truly needs is that individual him/her/hirself. We know that our role is just one piece of the puzzle, and we want the victim/survivor to feel in control of their healing process.
Taken from the last pages of Erica Staab’s new book, “The In-Between”:
“if we pay attention,
if we listen to that little voice of wisdom,
if we trust
we will know when we need to do what,
when we need to move forward,
when to rest,
when to seek help,
AND — when to trust ourselves.
ONE breath at a time,
then ONE hour at a time,
then ONE day at a time,
ONE healing moment at a time.”
An advocate is available to talk to you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call our crisis line at 612-871-5111 for support and resources.
The Measure of a Man
by Daniel P., Sexual Violence Center Volunteer
I read an article the other day about an Afghan woman who was sentenced to twelve years in prison after being raped by her cousin’s husband. You see, rape in Afghanistan is considered adultery. In other words, it is always a woman’s, never a man’s, fault that her vagina, or any of her orifices for that matter, are penetrated against her will.
So this article made me reflect on how rape is viewed in America; I concluded that American society, just like Afghan society, blames women for being sexually assaulted. The rhetoric at large is the following: women are not supposed to dress provocatively; women should never flirt with men, otherwise they will be labeled as “easy” or “loose”; and women should not be out by themselves during late hours of the night. I guess the only positive aspect about our society’s perception of rape victims is that America does not incarcerate women for being sexually assaulted.
So yeah, we live in a society that places the blame on the victim instead of the perpetrator. But why is this so? After all, men have a moral and ethical responsibility to keep their genitalia in their pants. Men also have a responsibility to respect and never harm others. Yet, when men perpetrate crimes like this, we single out the most vulnerable person.
As a male, it is my responsibility to challenge and change this paradigm. America is a patriarchal society where men are at the top of the hierarchy. Therefore, I must use my privilege and power as a male to make my voice be heard and say enough is enough. It is time for America’s perception of rape and rape victims to change. It is time for all of us to work together and make our society realize that women are not at fault for their victimization. However, it is imperative for males to step up to the plate and say no to institutionalized male rule and privilege.
Remember: The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
The Sexual Violence Center serves people of all genders, and is always looking for volunteers and board members of all genders and backgrounds. Find out how you can get involved by visiting our website!
The Narrow and Limited Federal Definition of “Rape”
by Jude Foster, Hennepin County Systems Change Program Manager
The Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) definition of rape used by the FBI, is “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will”. This definition has not changed since its inception in 1927. This definition only recognizes female victims that have experienced vaginal penetration by a penis. It has been called archaic and even re-traumatizing for victims/survivors that feel their victimization outside of the UCR definition just doesn’t count.
Due to the narrow UCR definition, many sexual assaults are not included in the national crime report. In Minnesota, for example, the criminal sexual conduct code in our statutes does not use the term “rape” once. Instead, the statute defines criminal sexual conduct in five separate degrees, recognizing non-consensual sexual contact, as well as penetration, as illegal behavior. Penetration is not limited to a penis in Minnesota state law. The law accepts that penetration can occur with other parts of the body and/or objects. The statute is also gender-neutral, acknowledging people of all genders can be victims or perpetrators of sexual violence. With such a limited UCR definition of sexual violence, law enforcement agencies simply cannot report to the FBI many of the sexual assault cases that have been reported to them. This results in national crime statistics reflecting a fraction of sexual assaults that are reported to law enforcement.
The UCR is used to produce national crime statistics, giving a slanted view to the public about the prevalence of sexual violence in their communities. In some jurisdictions, sexual assault cases that do not meet the UCR definition are lumped in with ‘unfounded” cases, which can easily be misinterpreted as false reports. Although false sexual assault reports are low, this is a common misconception held by the public. The under-reporting caused by the UCR not only minimizes the issue of sexual violence, it limits access to the needed resources by law enforcement and rape crisis centers. It becomes difficult to justify funding for sexual assault investigations and advocacy groups, when only a small piece of the problem can be cited.
The United States Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime and Drugs held hearings last year to re-examine the UCR definition. The Police Executive Research Forum held a Critical Issues summit this past September in Washington, D.C. where leadership in law enforcement and victim advocacy from all over the country convened to discuss the UCR definition. The FBI is currently working with a panel on writing a new definition for the UCR.
Click here for support in reporting a sexual assault to law enforcement.
A Look Forward From the Penn State Case
by Rachel T., Sexual Violence Center Volunteer
The recent attention on the Penn State sexual assault case has highlighted the effects sexual violence has on victims and the importance of bystander intervention to end this type of violence.
These sexual assault cases are a prime example of power-based personal violence. The victims, all of which were involved with The Second Mile, a non-profit focusing on the personal achievements and potential of youth to grow with positive self skills and self-esteem, were easily accessible to a person of power, Gerald Sandusky, who used this power inappropriately to sexually assault eight victims.
As many others might be thinking when reading about the Penn State case, I can’t help but wonder – how did this happen, not only to one, but eight boys? Somewhere along the way, something went wrong. It is clear that more people should have taken a role in this to end the violence.
I’m not placing the blame on any one person involved in this case, or saying who should have done more. In reality, everyone probably should have done more, but instead of focusing on the past and what could have been done, I think it is more important to look forward. I think these cases give us an opportunity to step back and think about where and how often power-based sexual violence occurs, and what we can do right now, as well as in the future, to prevent it either proactively or reactively.
A good first step to take a stand against violence is to take a look at ending sexual violence in our community and how to be helpful as a bystander. The Green Dot strategy is a strategy aimed at having more people get involved to end violence by being an active bystander (active can be pro- and reactive).
I think a lot of us have been told it is better to mind our own business, but when it comes to sexual violence in our community, we need to take a stand. Any role you can take to get involved will help to get one step closer to ending this type of violence.
