This concern is not limited to teenage girls: I’ve had similar conversations with adult women ranging in age from their thirties to their seventies. We think we’d like a compliment, but then we are left feeling confused about what to do with one when we get it. Continue
Our words are powerful. What we say and what we don’t say have an impact on not just others, but ourselves. Continue
The high-profile Cosby sexual assault cases should raise public awareness about the tragedy of isolation resulting from rape. Since everyone knows someone who has survived a sexual assault, it’s important we all understand the psychological aftermath of these assaults in order to best support the survivors in our lives. Continue
Contrary to our instinct to hide traumatic experiences, the quickest route to healing from rape is to talk about it– with a friend, a counselor, or even on a hotline. Many years ago, I volunteered on a rape and battering hotline and nearly every call I took ended with the caller saying she felt better just having talked about it. Continue
Often, people get injured in a carjacking not because the perpetrator planned on injuring them but because they were frustrated that the victims didn’t do what they were told to do efficiently enough – in my case: “Leave your purse in the car.” There was nothing in my purse that was worth my life, but I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time. Continue
According to rape hotline statistics, rape is the most underreported crime on a national level. Of course, this phenomenon of underreporting holds true on campus life as well for various reasons. Continue
The law stipulates that a person must communicate an “unambiguous yes” to sex and further states that someone cannot give consent if they are drunk or unconscious. This should be obvious, but we know from looking at the statistics that it is not, and there are plenty of assaults against women that occur under these circumstances. Continue
Shame and a cultural investment in women’s poor self-esteem form the ideological pillars of sexual violence against women, making female victims of sexual violence accomplices in their own victimization. Continue
Esteem has reached over 27,000 participants with our dynamic trainings and we look forward to continuing our mission of creating interpersonal communication solutions for individuals, schools, and companies for many years to come. Toward that end, I invite you to check out the site here and leave a comment on the blog to let us know what you think. Continue
Put your new listening skills into action this week on Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, or any other celebration you partake in. Continue