KONY 2012
My high school was visited in 2006 or 2007 by Invisible Children to talk about the problems that are happening in this part of the world. Now they have come back to finally stop the man in charge of the invisible children that have become child soldiers. I have heard the speculations about this organization and I don't necessarily want to give them money. I don't believe in cash donations, but I do believe in donations of time and of physical goods. I do believe in having this man stopped and the oblivious people of the world need to know that there is something terrible happening to these children. Knowledge is the first step to change, and I am willing to share that knowledge so someone that has more power than I can make a change for the better.
Rape and Sexual Abuse
As a survivor of sexual abuse, I know that I have looked for help in many places. I have been disappointed with how little people know what to do for someone who has gone through these issues. Out of the 5 or 6 closest friends that I reached out to for help, only one person helped me, and that's because some of his family members had gone through similar situations.
If your friend or someone close to you has been assaulted sexually or raped, please help. Here's how.
- Create a safe environment for the "survivor." In order to heal, the person has to feel that they have control again. Rape is a complete shattering of boundaries and a loss of control of those boundaries. If they want to trust you, you have to go at their pace.
- Remember the four universal truths about rape:
- It is never the victim's fault.
- Submission is not consent.
- An assault is an act of violence. It is not a lack of sexual self-control or misunderstanding.
- A survivor heals at their own pace. There is no right or wrong to how a person heals from abuse.
- Help your friend get in contact with the police and a local advocate for abuse. It will be the hardest thing to go to the police, no matter how recent the abuse happened. Rape is a criminal act, and if the police are contacted within the first 24 hours of an assault, the chances of catching the attacker increase tenfold. The Center for Women and Children is my local organization that gives free counseling for abused persons. A local center is easy to find online.
