Really, it is.

Change is in the wind. This month has seen incredibly diverse news on sexual assault. As we grapple with the cultural change necessary to eliminate, or at least curb the rampant gender violence, progress is being made in some areas, side by side with continued ambivalence to the issue.

The first article that popped up was from ESPN News with more on the continuing saga of Jerry Sandusky and Penn State. Prosecutors convinced a judge that ex-President Graham Spanier, ex-Vice President Gary Shultz and ex-Athletic Director Tim Curly should stand trial. The three will be charged with perjury, obstruction, endangering the welfare of children, failure to report suspected abuse and conspiracy.

District Judge William Wenner called it “a tragic day for Penn State University.”  From where I sit, it is a grand day for survivors and children. Isn’t it time we hold the secret keepers responsible for what is happening daily, hourly in our communities to children and vulnerable adults? Albert Einstein said, “The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.”

The next news that caught my eye was two different approaches to sexual assault on college campuses. Yale University is reported as being investigated by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. It turns out that at Yale rape is not considered rape, but “nonconsensual sex”. Isn’t that handy…for the rapists. Out of six cases this year at Yale, one was suspended, one is on probation and 4 received the standard “written reprimand.” As with child sex abuse, it’s a little tough to recover and heal from intense sexual violence when the offender is sitting in class with you or across the dining table. Whether you call it victim blaming or culpability, this handling of sexual assault sounds awfully similar to a “no-fault” accident.

Now let’s look at what is going on at Duke University. Duke has recently changed its preferred action on a sexual assault conviction to expulsion. “We’re really confident that this new change is a step in the right direction toward both preventing and addressing sexual assault on campus,” Duke’s student government president, Stefani Jones, explained. Duke also has a mandatory reporting policy for university employees if they become aware of a sexual assault. Demonstrating just how under reported sexual assault is, after this policy was instituted reports jumped from 20 – 30 one year, to over 100 after the new policy went into effect.

And let’s not leave out the U.S. military. The latest statistics indicate that over 26,000 men and women in uniform were victims of sexual assault in 2012. After two high profile news reports in May this year, two Sexual Assault Prevention officers were arrested for, you guessed it, sexual assault. Just last week the U.S. Army suspended 55 soldiers from their duties as sexual assault counselors, recruiters and drill instructors after a review turned up violations ranging from alcohol-related offenses to sexual assault and child abuse. Not much you might say, but it is a step in the right direction.

What does all this add up to for those of us who are concerned about the rape and sexual assault being perpetrated on men, women and our children? Former Penn State President Graham Spanier made this statement to the grand jury when asked why he had not done more when he was given the reports on Jerry Sandusky, “I know better than to jump to conclusions about things like that.”

We are seeing real evidence of the change we seek, in State College, Duke University and yes, even the beginnings in the U.S. military. With the efforts of all of us, hopefully in the future Mr. Spanier’s attitude will be a sad piece of history, and girls and boys, men and women will be safe no matter where they go or what they are wearing or drinking.

What a wonderful day that will be!

- By Randy Ellison

Speaker, author and advocate for victims of child sexual abuse Randy Ellison, himself a victim as a teen, says he works on the issue because “we can’t stop the cycle of abuse unless it is not just acknowledged, but talked about, understood and prevented.” Author of the book Boys Don’t Tell: Ending the Silence of Abuse, Ellison is a child sexual abuse victim’s advocate and an activist promoting cultural change on this issue working with local, state and national organizations addressing abuse prevention and awareness.

Ellison is a founding member and former board president of Oregon Abuse Advocates and Survivors in Service, OAASIS. Working with OAASIS he has helped pass groundbreaking legislation in Oregon on child sex abuse. He is also a member of the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.

The mission of 1in6 is to help men who have had unwanted or abusive sexual experiences in childhood live healthier, happier lives.

1in6′s mission also includes serving family members, friends and partners by providing information and support resources on the web and in the community.

Joyful Heart and 1in6 invite you to visit 1in6.org for info, options and hope, and to learn more about our partnership and Engaging Men initiative at men.joyfulheartfoundation.org.

The views expressed above are not necessarily those of the Joyful Heart Foundation or 1in6.