Violence Avoidance: Teaching Boys to Walk Away
Esteem for Boys teaches boys what to do if physically attacked and how to physically defend themselves, but it also helps boys think about the ego-based nature of fighting among young men. Continue
Blog
Should You Carry Pepper Spray?
Through the marketing of these products, women are being told we need some kind of external weapon to be successful in resisting an assault. It’s just another way that our bodies are under attack. The message is that we are lacking, insufficient, and weak and must rely on a weapon like pepper spray in the absence of a strong man to protect us. Continue
Body Bashing Part Three: Making a Difference
We may not be able to immediately change the direction of mass media, but each of us is absolutely the only person responsible for what comes out of our mouths. So let’s all start there. Continue
Body Bashing Part Two: Receiving Compliments
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
Body Bashing: Take The Challenge
Our words are powerful. What we say and what we don’t say have an impact on not just others, but ourselves. Continue
What the Cosby Case Can Teach Us About Rape Trauma Syndrome
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
The Power of Telling: Survivors of Sexual Assault Speaking Out
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
Learn From My Mistakes: A Carjacking Story
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
Rape Prevention on College Campuses
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
California’s College Sex Consent Law
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