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It’s no secret Texas Governor Rick Perry is running for President and the First Lady’s work with TAASA has been the focus of several news articles. Mica Mosbacher responds to those reports with a genuine and personal account of how she became an avid supporter of TAASA. Below please read Mica’s courageous editorial in defense of Anita Perry’s work on behalf of sexual assault survivors.
(Published Austin American Statesman: 6:32 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, 2011)
_______________________________________
I survived sexual assault at the innocent age of 19. It occurred in London while on a holiday during the summer break before my junior year at the University of Texas.

I had been out to dinner with a large group of friends at a respectable restaurant. This guy came to our table and bought me a drink, but I did not ask him to join us. I did sip on the drink, and feeling quite drunk, I took a cab back to the hotel. I barely made it to my room. Soon someone knocked on the door and I opened it. That’s all I remember until I woke up.

I did not report it to British authorities. I was ashamed, humiliated and too afraid of being judged or labeled to tell anyone about the attack.

I cut my European tour short and refused to meet my dad as planned in France. Upon returning home, I became despondent. Still, I tried to soldier on. My studies were affected and I was suddenly world weary — but I functioned well on the surface.

I kept this secret for 30 years, until I was introduced to first lady Anita Perry and the fine work she was doing to help assault victims through Texas Association against Sexual Assault.

She was so compassionate and understanding when I quietly admitted that I was a survivor. I agreed to host an inaugural luncheon in Houston to help raise money for the association. It would mean that I would have to step forward and tell my story. I wasn’t sure I could do so, but I was moved by the first lady’s advocacy and willingness to work for a non-glamorous charity that I agreed to help others and perhaps help myself.

I believe there are no coincidences. While planning the lunch, my son’s girlfriend, now wife, told me about a friend who had been raped while on a trip to New Braunfels. I took the risk of being vulnerable and shared with Lauren my experience. Lauren was looking for a way to tell her story to others and to offer hope and a path for healing. Lauren went on to speak at the luncheon and to tell her compelling story in front of a large audience of classmates, family members, school officials and strangers. She went on to be part of the association’s “Speak Up, Speak Out Campaign,” whereby survivors share their stories in ads for TV, radio and Read more

Featuring a blog post by Corey Seldon – Structured Education Coordinator with Hope Alliance, in Round Rock,TX.

Volunteers play a vital role in the survival and function of any non- profit agency. Training volunteers is always a challenge. The amount of information to cover, how much is too much or too little, will the information prepare for the volunteer for the challenges ahead? The list of potential content is exhausting and the decision on what to include is never easy. The issue of cultural awareness, although recognized by agencies as very important, very seldom makes the cut. Hope Alliance in Round Rock, Texas incorporated a diversity portion to their volunteer training and has experienced great feedback from the volunteer to be.
Check out Blogging for Hope featuring “Cultural Competency? Really?”

Emiliano is a Primary Prevention Specialist with TAASA
As kids, we said that “sticks and stones may break our bones, but words will never hurt us.” As adults, we know better. Words can shake us to our very core. One word in particular – SLUT – has shaken people across our country into action.

Since January 2011, SlutWalks have been organized internationally, each one garnering both praise and criticism, forcing men and women alike to engage in a difficult dialogue in order to confront the rape-culture that has permeated our communities. Regardless of people’s views of the use of the word “slut,” most can agree that SlutWalks have been effective in bringing attention to the issue of sexual violence. The organizers of each walk have been able to mobilize hundreds and, in some cases, thousands to take to the streets to demand an end to victim-blaming.

Similar to many of the other walks, SlutWalk Austin began as a buzz in social networks and culminated with a diverse group of people joining together to let their voices be heard, their presence be felt, and their demands be known. On Saturday, June 11, 2011 SlutWalk Austin got off to a shaky start with a few technical difficulties, but the message of each speaker remained clear – a woman’s clothing does NOT determine her worth and does NOT justify an attack. Victim-blaming will not be tolerated in the state of Texas, and in order to bring this message to others, the hundreds of participants from around Central Texas who had gathered marched down Congress with their signs and protest clothing, reclaiming their bodies and their streets.

SlutWalk Austin, like those before it, continues to peak interest and spark both conversation and action. A SlutWalk is scheduled for next month in Houston and more are being organized globally in small and large communities alike. Do you want to help put an end to victim-blaming? Think about joining this movement and organizing a SlutWalk in your community.
Check out video footage from the Slut Walk event in Austin:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/p0eWDtkG-i4

It is the morning of the Texas Peace Project and I am already inspired. The Texas Peace Project is a project of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault to engage youth as agents of change through peer education. This year’s summit will take place this weekend (June 10-12) at Trinity University in San Antonio. Youth from across the state of Texas will attend. Youth leaders (titled Youth Advisory Board members) have partnered with adult facilitators in creating the workshops featured at this year’s summit. The overarching premise throughout the weekend is Racism, Adultism, Homophobia and Sexism. The aim is to address the underlying sources enabling violence inhibiting equality. If the discussions out of workshop preparations are an indicator of success, this weekend’s summit is sure to inspire peer-led social change in the state of Texas. Today is registration, welcome address and talent showcase. Workshops begin tomorrow morning. Let the learning begin!!!

In recent months, SlutWalks held in various locations have garnered national attention. Recently called the “most successful feminist action of the past 20 years”, they started in early April 2011 and are still happening all across the country. As a result, your agency may see an increase in calls and media activity. In response to that, we have prepared the attached talking points to help you and your staff not only know a bit more about the event, but also have a consistent message to share in support of both survivors and sexual assault activists.
History
On January 4, 2011 a member of Toronto’s law enforcement commented on a sexual assault incident with the following quote “women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized”.
In response to the comment, enraged community members organized an event titled “slut walk” to highlight the term that both enraged and inspired them to join together with a message that victims are never to blame for their sexual assault.
Currently
TAASA works on behalf of sexual assault victims in many capacities. The blatant comment by the officer is a stark reminder of the societal views most often associated with victims of sexual assault . Confronting victim blaming statements is a vital component of TAASA’s mission.
SLUT Walk has taken the world by storm. Since the initial walk in Toronto other walks have occurred across the globe including here in Texas.
Consequences and Benefits
The term “slut” carries with it many negative connotations and may incite judgment and/or anger from an unassuming community member. Connecting the message to its original intent may proactively neutralize reactions.
SLUT Walk can be used as an opportunity to engage the public, create new local partnerships and create awareness about rape myths ubiquitous in our communities. The enthusiasm behind the movement has successfully activated communities around the world to unite in support of sexual assault victims while challenging the negative stereotypes that hinder justice for victims of sexual assault here in Texas and around the world.
SLUT walks are working to draw attention to societal norms about women and about sexuality that create an environment where sexual violence is more likely to occur. By bringing awareness to these norms and starting community conversations around them, we can all work to change these same norms and ultimately prevent violence from happening in the first place.

Congratulations to Oralia Jaure of the Family Crisis Center in Harlingen, Texas, for 18 years of service to survivors and the community.  Listen as Oralia shares valuable insights 18 years of serving victims brings.

Most girls are immediately trusting of others—especially those in authority. Usually, this is the right choice. Usually, people are not bad, are not violent and are not rapists. Unfortunately, the definition of usually is “not always”.
For one teenage girl in Italy, her trust in others was ruined by her 45-year-old driving instructor. During her very first driving lesson he asked the young woman to drive further and further from her town into the country. I imagine she might have begun to feel nervous, but she trusted this man, he was her driving instructor, an authority figure, and her parent s trusted him. Why would she question him?
Once out of town he asked her to pull over into a wooded area. He threatened to kill her and her family as he forced one of her legs out of her jeans and brutally raped her.
She was a smart young woman, and she trusted her parents and the police to do the right thing—and they did. They supported her, arrested the man; he was convicted of rape and sentenced to prison.
Eventually, through the appeals process, his lawyers came up with the often used defense that it was consensual sex. She was dressed provocatively, she was driving the car herself…and because her jeans were tight she had to help him remove them.
The case made its way through the system to the Italian Supreme Court where it was finally overturned. The chief justice said, “Since the victim wore very, very tight jeans; she had to help him remove them, and by removing the jeans, it was no longer rape but consensual sex.”
Within hours of the verdict, women of the Italian Parliament rushed home to change into jeans in protest, standing in support of this girl, and all girls and women who are blamed every day for something someone else did to them.

In 1999, Peace Over Violence, an anti-violence organization in Las Angeles, began the Denim Day campaign to show a unified front in support of survivors. Anti-violence and sexual assault centers across the United States and the World have followed suit. In 2008, SafePlace brought the campaign to Austin. Other organizations, including TAASA have joined in the movement.
Now, when someone hears the story behind Denim Day, they are outraged. They tell friends and co-workers and want to sign up immediately to support survivors and to show their outrage that anyone –women, girls, boys and men– are ever to blame for an assault against them.
The blame hasn’t ended. The brutal gang rape of the 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, Texas brings this point home. She was a little girl, and she didn’t know not to trust.

Griffin and Meredith Perry hosted a luncheon event highlighting the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month at The Belo Mansion in Dallas, TX.  The event honored the W.W. Caruth, Jr. Foundation and featured guest speaker Marcus Luttrell.  Hear Griffin’s thoughts on the importance of TAASA and local rape crisis centers. 

We had a friend visiting this past weekend.  He was on the sofa flipping through cable channels.  I’m focused on enjoying a Blue Bell/Coke float—paying no attention to what’s on the screen.

But my attention perked up when he said, “I just read ‘one in five females is sexually assaulted.’ (long pause)  Is that true?”

“Yes, hard to imagine, but it is. Estimates depend on what study is used.”

Then I added, “and one in six men.”  (l-o-n-g-e-r  pause)

Silence.  End of conversation.  The TV screen had moved on to something else and neither of us said more.

I’ve thought about that exchange several times since – especially about the silence, about what felt like an abrupt end of conversation.  It’s not usual for me to just let that sort of conversation drop (I’ve been having those conversations for a long time).  But this was different. It was with someone close to me, about a subject close to me… I said no more.  And neither did he.

Thankfully, the silence about male sexual abuse is broken more and more often.  Today on the Oprah Winfrey show 200 men will step forward to speak about their own childhood sexual abuse.  It’s the first of two episodes.

The first episode on Friday, Nov. 5, begins as each member of the audience holds a photo of himself at the age at which he says he was first abused. Then, joined by Oprah, Tyler [Perry] and Dr. Howard Fradkin, a psychologist who specializes in working with male survivors of sexual abuse and assault, the men come forward to share their stories and experiences.

In the second episode on Friday, Nov. 12, the men are joined by their spouses, partners and girlfriends to talk about the affects abuse has had on their relationships.

You can read Oprah and Tyler Perry Raise Awareness about Male Sexual Abuse on RAINN’s website to learn more about  male sexual abuse, the program and some of the participants.

I plan to watch and celebrate the breaking of silence as each man speaks.

And I commit to doing more than just bring up the subject of male sexual abuse and  sexual assault.  I will try to provide an opening for the men I know to ask questions, to tell a friend’s experience – or their own – if they choose.

Resources: www.1in6.org;  www.malesurvivor.org; www.rainn.org

Why do I think about writing a blog mostly when something causes me to feel frustrated or sad?  Or sometimes just left me puzzled, usually with questions that aren’t even answerable…in my lifetime at least?

So, I’ve been on the lookout for something I consider positive to write about.  I found it.

“Rape in the United States: The Chronic Failure to Report and Investigate Rape Cases.”  I know.  I know.  If that sounds positive to me, you don’t want to read about anything I’d consider negative.  But wait.  Recently the Senate Judiciary Committee held a Crime and Drugs Subcommittee hearing to “draw attention to how the crime of rape is treated in our country.”

That’s how Susan Carbon, Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, described the hearing’s purpose.  Reading her testimony gave me that first inkling I’d found something positive.  She didn’t sugarcoat the failure of reporting and investigating sexual assault. Though plenty of her testimony sets off alarms, she acknowledged years of activism that “began to transform the way that sexual violence was viewed and addressed in our society.” That made me proud to be part of this work.

I’d read CNN’s Feds undercounting rape victims, advocates warn highlighting the glut of problems with using Uniform Crime Report (UCR) data.

Advocates question the rape statistics because, they note, the federal government is using a 1929 definition of the crime that excludes male victims, statutory rapes and those committed without force.

Using such an antiquated, narrow definition is a harmful disservice to countless victims, according to Carol Tracy, executive director of the Philadelphia-based Women’s Law Project.

Not much here to ring positive bells. Oh, except when Senator Arlen Spector says, “I think we can get the FBI to change its definition.”  So let’s get that done!

Breaking the “let’s look for what’s wrong” habit is difficult for me.  Though I agree totally with Carol Tracy’s statement that using UCR stats “is a harmful disservice to countless victims,” I’m thinking, “Yes, and it’s a don’t-even-think-about-going-to-jail card for more perpetrators than I care to imagine.  Why doesn’t somebody testify about that?  Why doesn’t somebody put the spotlight on perpetrators?”

Then I read Scott Berkowitz’ testimony.  Yes, he puts the spotlight on perpetrators.

The Justice Department estimates that 60% of victims never report their rape to police. And since many reports don’t lead to an arrest, and many arrests don’t lead to a conviction or prison time, the bottom line is that only one out of every 16 rapists will ever spend even a single day in jail. One.

Let me put that another way: 15 out of every 16 rapists in America will walk free. Even after all the progress we’ve made — and we have made significant strides in getting more victims to report and improving policing and prosecution — even after years of effort, 15 out of 16 rapists face no consequences for their actions. Not only do they escape any punishment for the crime they’ve just committed, they’re emboldened to commit another rape, and many more after that.

And then with a “well, duh” he adds, “Not surprisingly, rapists have figured this out.”

Knowing that the truth is spoken aloud–by fierce advocates to people who have the power to make needed changes should they have the guts to do it–qualifies as positive, and hopeful, to me.

What do you think?  What positives do you see in the anti-sexual assault movement? What makes you proud to be part of this work?

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