violence against women and girls

Sexual Assault Victim Faces Contempt of Court Charges for Naming Attackers

by Cara July 23, 2012

A 17-year-old sexual assault victim named Savannah Dietrich — who has given permission for her identity to be made public — has been held in contempt of court and faces a potential jail sentence and fine for tweeting the names of her assailants. Dietrich did not make a false allegation, or even an unfounded one; [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Arrested at Hospital for Demanding Medical Care, Woman Dies in Jail Cell

by Cara March 29, 2012

Trigger Warning for medical neglect and abuse, police abuse, and discussions of the child welfare system The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: Anna Brown wasn’t leaving the emergency room quietly. She yelled from a wheelchair at St. Mary’s Health Center security personnel and Richmond Heights police officers that her legs hurt so badly she couldn’t stand. [...]

13 comments Read the full article →

Teacher Who Was Reinstated After Sexual Abuse Allegations Admits to 20 Additional Victims

by Cara January 11, 2012

Trigger Warning for discussions of childhood sexual violence, sexual violence in schools, and rape denialism A story of prolonged sexual abuse against children over 25 years shows the dangers of not believing sexual violence survivors who step forward with their stories. In Alabama, a now-retired elementary school teacher named Danny Acker (left) has been charged [...]

1 comment Read the full article →

A Few Notes on Those New Sexual Assault Statistics

by Cara December 15, 2011

Chances are, this morning, that you’ve seen the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Injury Prevention and Control statistics on sexual violence and domestic violence. Most notably, you’ve probably seen the new statistic that almost 1 in 5 women have experienced rape in their lifetimes. That’s a terrifying statistic, though not [...]

8 comments Read the full article →

Send a Holiday Message to an Incarcerated Survivor of Prison Rape

by Cara December 5, 2011

Currently incarcerated persons are probably already the most isolated individuals in the United States. Those who are not only incarcerated but also the victims of sexual violence while imprisoned face little support, few mental health and recovery services, the ongoing threat of violence, and even retaliation should they speak of the abuse. With their support [...]

1 comment Read the full article →

Trans Woman Transferred to Male Prison After Being Raped by Cis Guard

by Cara August 22, 2011

Trigger Warning for discussions of sexual violence, prison violence, anti-trans violence, rape apologism, and transphobia and misgendering. Recently, a woman was allegedly raped orally by a prison guard at Riverside Correctional Facility. She reported the assault to authorities, and an investigation was begun. During that investigation, officials learned that she was not cis, as they [...]

11 comments Read the full article →

Rape or “Bondage Session Gone Haywire”? Rape Apologists Speculate.

by Cara July 20, 2011

Trigger Warning on post and links for graphic descriptions of sexual violence against sex workers, including sexual torture; rape apologism This past April, a woman who was doing sex work was picked up by one John Hauff and driven to his home to engage in a pre-negotiated sexual encounter. Hauff requested some bondage elements in [...]

13 comments Read the full article →

Omaha Teacher Retained Position After Multiple Student Allegations of Sexual Assault

by Cara May 24, 2011

Eighth-grade teacher Shad Knutson has been charged with three counts of sexual assault against three different female students over three years. He is no longer working for Nathan Hale Middle School, where all of the alleged assaults were committed, but he did remain employed with them for three years after the first allegation was made. [...]

14 comments Read the full article →

New Congo Rape Statistics Inspire Competitive Headlines, Not Much Else

by Cara May 12, 2011

A new study about the ongoing rape epidemic in the Congo has some rather terrifying statistics to offer. According to USA Today, 420,000 women are raped in the DRC every year. Or, if you ask the Boston Globe, 1,152 women are raped every day. The Guardian reports that 48 women are raped every hour. And [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

An Open Letter to the De Anza Rape Victim

by Cara April 7, 2011

Dear Jane Doe, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that they put you through this. Both the ordeal of the rape and the ordeal of having your entire life dragged through the mud, after all of which they refused to provide you with the simple dignity and decency of an acknowledgment of what they did to you. [...]

25 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries