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April marks the one year anniversary of the CCASA Blog. To celebrate our anniversary, and to kick off Sexual Assault Awareness Month, we’ve decided to highlight some of the reasons that blogging is such an important tool in the prevention of sexual violence.
When we blog…
We break the silence surrounding sexual violence in this country. We expose sexual violence as a social problem of epidemic proportions that has historically been shrouded in secrecy and shame.
We debunk dangerous myths about sexual violence – myths that perpetuate America’s rape culture by blaming victims and excusing perpetrators.
We hold perpetrators accountable for the acts of violence they commit, and we demand legal reform to deliver justice to more survivors.
We provide a platform for survivors to find their voices, to speak out, and to discard the shame harbored by so many who endure sexual abuse or assault. In doing this, we challenge the stereotypical survivor story by illustrating the complex realities of those on the path towards healing.
We publicize resources, campaigns, events, and volunteer opportunities in order to engage community members in the ongoing fight against sexual violence.
We educate readers about sexual violence prevention by teaching them to be effective and responsive bystanders.
We foster grassroots activism around sexual violence prevention by highlighting injustice and invoking anger. We suggest avenues through which that anger can be productively and safely channeled.
We highlight the political agendas of national, state, and community leaders in order to better inform the public about the perspectives on sexual violence held by people in elected positions of power.
We create an alternative, independent media source and directly challenge the biases,
misrepresentations, and blatant inaccuracies frequently made by the mainstream media with respect to their coverage of sexual violence.
We promote the belief that an end to sexual violence isn’t a fantasy but an achievable reality. We aim to see that reality come to fruition.
Why I Blog – CCASA Bloggers share their motivations for blogging about sexual violence:
“Attitudes and beliefs about sexual assault have to change and since a lot of conversations seem to occur on the internet and through social media, I blog. I blog to get the word out, to keep it present in people’s consciousness which means it is more likely to be present in their individual conversations, which is where I believe long term change occurs.” – Michelle Wolff
“Because there’s so much that isn’t being said.” – Kemi Chavez
“I blog because remaining silent is not an option” – Jill Gruenberg
“Because men can and should be a part of this conversation.” – Dan Church
“I write for the blog because we rarely read about sexual abuse and violence in the media from the perspective of advocates and survivors and these voices need to be heard.” – Becky Owens Bullard