Articles

What it’s like to be a male survivor of sexual assault

If Adam slept through the night, he knew, it would be good day. But that didn't happen often, even after a relative stopped raping him. Now 34, Adam says the abuse began when he was 14 and stopped as soon as he turned 18. His relative warned him that if…

Congresswomen Launch First Ever Caucus on Black Women and Girls

“From barriers in education, to a gender-based pay gap that widens with race, to disparities in both diagnoses and outcomes for many diseases, our society forces Black women to clear many hurdles faced by no other group, and asks them to do it with little assistance,” said Congresswoman Watson Coleman.…

“What is the Price of Justice?”

People in communities of color who are struggling to achieve economic security often find themselves burdened by court-ordered financial obligations that they have no ability to pay. Frequently, this results in people being incarcerated in local jails due to courts’ unwillingness to examine, or disregard of, each person’s financial circumstances.…

Senate Holds Backpage in Contempt of Congress in Sex Trafficking Investigation

n October 2015, Backpage and its CEO, Carl Ferrer, received a congressional subpoena from the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs’ Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations to answer questions regarding the site’s safety protocols for ads, some of which have been connected to sex trafficking involving minors. Both parties,…

More High Ranking Officers Being Charged With Sex Crimes Against Subordinates

Since September, the armed forces have court-martialed or filed sexual-assault charges against four colonels from the Air Force, Army and Marines. In addition, a Navy captain was found guilty of abusive sexual contact during an administrative hearing. Historically, it has been extremely rare for senior military officers to face courts-martial.…

Study Finds That Digital Assistants Do Not Understand Rape Crises

As we increasingly rely on digital assistants like Apple’s Siri or Samsung’s S Voice, many question the extent to which these systems should be programmed to respond to crises like rape or domestic assault. For the time being, a recent study finds, they’re scarcely of any use. The primary objective…

Domestic Violence During Pregnancy Doubles Risk of Premature Birth

Women who experience domestic violence while pregnant are twice as likely to give birth to a premature baby or a baby with low birth weight, according to a new study.  Researchers from the University of Iowa performed a meta-analysis on 50 studies that looked at the effects of domestic violence…

This Common Response To Campus Sexual Assault Doesn’t Actually Protect Victims

In most college sexual assault cases, schools take the early step of instituting a no-contact order between the alleged victim and the accused assailant. The order, similar to a restraining order, serves as an interim accommodation for the person reporting an assault. It helps keep the two parties away from…

Advocacy Learning Center Now Accepting Applications

Embark on an interactive and transformative journey with advocacy groups across the country to explore our collective roots and renew our efforts to end violence against women and children. Whether we work with those who have been sexually assaulted, battered, or stalked, or with women who are trafficked or prostituted,…

Tribal Leaders Call for Expanded Jurisdiction Over Non-Native Domestic Violence Offenders

Recognizing that the Department of Justice’s 2014 decision to grant special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction under VAWA was a “historic” step toward upholding tribal sovereignty, advocates and tribal leaders say that the law should be expanded upon to grant greater protections to tribal citizens at risk of assaults by non-Natives,…

Teen Dating Violence Is Target of New CDC Program

Reducing teen dating violence in the United States is the aim of a new program introduced by federal health officials. This is a widespread problem that can have serious effects. But, many teens don't report incidents because they're afraid to tell their family and friends, the U.S. Centers for Disease…

#Children and Teens

New Guidebooks Aim to Help Police Officers Connect With Diverse Communities

The Vera Institute of Justice today released three guidebooks aimed at fostering community policing strategies and building trust with diverse communities. The release was announced by Attorney General Loretta Lynch at the launch of the second phase of her national Community Policing Tour at the Doral Police Department in Miami-Dade…

Once Every 16 Hours, An American Woman Is Fatally Shot by a Current or Former Romantic Partner

On Thursday, January 28, Tania Adams, a 41-year-old mother of three, was gunned down by her estranged husband in the clubhouse of a planned community she worked at in Homestead, Florida. He then wounded one of her co-workers before fatally shooting himself. According to a fundraising drive set up to…

Black Lives Matter Partners With Reproductive Justice Groups to Fight for Black Women

Every activist worth her hand-lettered sign knows that it takes collaboration to create change, and February 9th marks a linking of arms between the leaders of organizations that seek to center the rights of Black women. Regina Mahone, the managing editor of RH Reality Check, lead a discussion with Monica…

Revisiting the NFL’S Domestic Violence Efforts

Among the countless ads airing during Super Bowl 50, there will be an anti-domestic violence spot from the group No More. It's the second consecutive year the organization's public service announcements air during the big game. Domestic violence and the NFL have been unhappily coupled more than a few times…

Bill Cosby May Have Changed Police Rape Investigations

At the new year’s dawn, New York Police Commissioner William J. Bratton made an unprecedented announcement: The city had experienced a sharp increase in reported rapes, driven in part by victims bringing forward years-old assaults. One-fifth of the assaults reported in 2015 happened at least a year prior to the…

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

With one in three teens experiencing some form of abuse from a dating partner, now is the time to have conversations about dating violence with the teens in your life. Even if you don’t see the warning signs, learning how to create healthy relationships and avoid abusive ones are skills…

#Children and Teens

Survivor Victory: Erica Kinsman Wins Historic Settlement Against Florida State

FSU must report on these efforts every year for the next five years. It’s the largest settlement of its kind in U.S. history. This settlement is a win for survivors everywhere. Through her bravery, resilience and integrity, Erica was able to transcend her traumatic experience, stand up to FSU’s institutional…

Ex-Cop Gets 263 Years For Raping, Sexually Assaulting Black Women While On Patrol

Jurors had recommended that Daniel Holtzclaw be sentenced to 263 years in prison for preying on women in 2013 and 2014. District Judge Timothy Henderson agreed, said Holtzclaw will serve the terms consecutively and denied his request for an appeal bond. Holtzclaw waived his right to remain in custody in…

Special Collection: Disaster and Emergency Preparedness and Response

Although the body of research on post-disaster violence is limited, the available information from recent experiences has demonstrated that gender violence is a critical issue facing communities affected by disasters. Concerns about injuries, infectious diseases and the provision of basic needs often take precedence over the surveillance of violence in…