The past few days, we’ve seen sexual violence at the forefront of this year’s election in a way it never has been before.
We want to remind every survivor: we believe you. It’s not your fault, and it should never have happened to you.
It’s okay if you didn’t choose to tell anyone right away. It’s okay to disconnect from social media for a few days right now. It’s okay to be not okay right now.
We commend the bravery and strength of survivors coming forward. Sharing the details of an assault with the media is an incredibly personal, oftentimes difficult, choice.
These conversations are necessary as we continue to hold people and institutions accountable for sexual violence. But they can also be difficult for survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones. It can be hard to hear and read the details of an assault. It can be hard to hear commentators express skepticism and lack nuance discussing sexual violence. It can be just plain hard.
There are resources, hotlines, and people who do this work every day available to support you.
- New Jersey Statewide Hotline: 800 – 601 – 7200 + njcasa.org
- National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800 – 656 – HOPE (4673). Live chat is also available.
- Love Is Respect: Text “loveis” to 22522 for support
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center Online Library
Though it’s challenging, we know it’s critical to have this conversation about sexual violence at a national level. We want every survivor to know: we hear you, we support you, and we believe you.