Reunion Online

Why haven't I worked through all these issues? Why am I still not healed?

Most of us who are survivors ask ourselves these questions many times. "I've been on this journey for five years. When does it end?"

They are the questions we ask on our worst days.

It's been gratifying to see the Justice Department's recent revisions to the definition used to compile statistics about rape. Language is an important part of any discussion about sexual abuse - for men, filtered through the lens of cultural expectations of males. Words shape, define and categorize experiences. And the shift may have some deeper implications than are immediately apparent.

On September 28, 2011, five weeks before the Penn State story would dominate news and sports pages, NBC’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit aired "Personal Fouls," a groundbreaking episode on sexual abuse of boys in sports. For viewers of the original airing, "Personal Fouls" was a remarkable prelude to, and preparation for, the revelations of November: the detailed charges against Jerry Sandusky, the institutional complicity that allowed it to continue for years, and the individual courage that, when backed by family and community support, can bring such tragedies to an end.

 Tonight is a very important one—for Joyful Heart, the community of survivors we seek to serve and for millions of viewers who will tune in to Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

On December 8, 2011, more than 80 people will come together to talk about domestic violence and sexual assault at Liz Claiborne Inc.’s eighth annual It’s Time to Talk Day.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is due for reauthorization. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) will introduce a bipartisan bill on tomorrow, Wednesday, November 30th to reauthorize and improve VAWA.

Many of you have probably heard of Mashable – it is a widely read online news and trends resource that focuses on business and technology. With 20 million unique visitors each month and 4 million social media followers, Mashable is a really important source on on digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world.

 Last week, our partners at Peace Over Violence (POV) celebrated their many accomplishments and honored those of their community at the 40th Anniversary Humanitarian Awards.

 

Today marks the annual celebration of Women’s Equality Day. This year is the 91st year since the 19th Amendment was adopted in the United States, giving women the right to vote. We have so much to look back on and be proud of—so many achievements to celebrate as women and as those championing women’s equality.