“MAYFIELD HEIGHTS – Six-time gold medalist and activist Aly Raisman spoke in Mayfield Heights on Wednesday about the importance of speaking out about sexual assault.
“She headlined the National Council of Jewish Women of Cleveland’s opening meeting.
“Raisman made headlines when she came forward against Larry Nassar, the gymnastics doctor who sexually abused more than 150 women.
‘I didn’t realize how many people would listen, and how many people would support,’ Raisman said.
“Part of her lecture at Landerhaven included speaking to students from the area, encouraging them to come forward if something does not feel right.
“‘People like Aly are able to speak out, and they are inspiring our younger people. It’s not something that’s kept in the closet. It’s something that is out on the table. We are able to address it together,’ said Elaine Gilbert, the Co-Chair for the NCJW.
“In Ohio, one in five women will be raped in their lifetime according to the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center. Of those women, less than one third will report it.
“Sexual assault is an epidemic, and it’s survivors like Aly keeping the conversation alive that are leading the change, said Sondra Miller, president of the center.
“‘It’s been pushed under the shadows and not talked about for too long,’ Miller said. ‘As a country, we should start believing these survivors and fully investigate their stories.’
“If you need to reach out for support, call the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center at 216-619-6192 or contact them online.”
Continue Reading: U.S. Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman encourages others to speak up about sexual assault
“A high school football player is accused of sexually assaulting a teenaged girl at an alcohol-fueled party.
“It’s not hard to see the parallels between the sexual assault accusations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and the 2012 Steubenville rape case. Three decades apart, there is one central difference: Kavanaugh has denied the allegations, and has never been criminally charged. In the Steubenville case, two star football players were convicted of raping a girl, and sentenced to prison.
“But amid the outrage in both cases, there has been a chorus of ‘boys will be boys,’ the excuse of youth, of teenage brains that can’t control themselves and the victim shaming that accompanies that perception.
“Observers have rationalized Kavanaugh’s actions against Christine Blasey Ford, if true, as youthful indiscretions. In the 2012 Steubenville case, local sports forums justified sexual violence as “how boys are,” said Alexandria Goddard, a blogger who helped bring national attention to Steubenville, where the Big Red football team are town heroes. “It was almost as though the behavior was just accepted.”
“The ‘boys will be boys’ perception remains widespread, even in the era of #MeToo, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center President Sondra Miller said.
“‘I think from a very early age we are socializing boys to think that it’s absolutely normal for them to hurt other people,’ Miller said. ‘We tend to excuse that behavior and even suggest that boys need to exert power over girls in order to show how manly they are.’
“The attitude is problematic on all levels: It assumes the worst of men and boys. It normalizes rape. It minimizes the trauma sexual violence has on victims.
“But the attitude persists even in the 21st century because no one wants to believe their brother, son or friend is guilty of sexual assault.
“‘I think it is really hard for us to accept that people we know love and trust are capable of horrific behaviors like sexual violence,’ Miller said.
“To help change the attitude, parents need to start talking to their children about consent, and healthy relationships in age-appropriate ways, she said. We need to hold men and boys to a higher standard. About 98 percent of sexual violence is committed by men, Miller said. But 98 percent of men that we know would never condone sexual violence.
“Miller said she believes ‘the boys will be boys’ mentality has decreased over the last couple of decades. But it remains a big part of our culture.
“‘I believe the generation that is in their teen years right now will be able to make a radical shift in our culture. We see young people who are just not willing to ignore the problem and they are the first ones to stand up and speak out when they see something.'”
Continue Reading: Why the ‘boys will be boys’ justification of sexual violence doesn’t fly: Compairing Kavanaugh to Steubenville
“Bill Cosby’s sentencing comes just as the case against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh gets even more heated.
“Sondra Miller, president and CEO of Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, tells Cleveland 19 these media headlines have inspired victims to call the center.
“In fact, there’s been about a 15 percent increase in calls over the last week and a half.
“Some are even second time callers from years ago who feel this is part of their healing journey.
“This led to a national conversation about the reliability of past memories. Miller said, ‘I don’t think any two survivors have the exact same story, but we do hear from thousands of people who survive rape or sexual assault who say, ‘I don’t remember it all at once,’ or ‘It’s really fuzzy to me. I remember this certain little detail, but not the next three things that happened.’
“Dr. Ted Huey told ‘CBS This Morning’ that ‘there’s a misconception that emotion and trauma are bad for memory. The way our brain tags what’s important to be remembered is emotion.’
“Huey went on to say in these emotionally charged moments, trauma survivors sometimes have vivid memories of strange details like a sweater the attacker was wearing, but not their face. Miller says the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center gets thousands of calls from victims in similar positions like Cosby’s victims who are unsure what to do.
“‘It’s always a survivor’s choice whether they’re interested in counseling or interested in reporting to law enforcement. It’s not our job to tell them what to do. It’s our job to support survivors,’ said Miller.
“Miller reminds everyone these calls are confidential and the hotline is answered 24/7. The number is 216-619-6192.”
Continue Reading: With Cosby sentencing and Kavanaugh allegations, how are rape victims responding?
“In the weeks since Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court, two women have come forward accusing the judge of sexual assault. In response, some people ask: Why come forward now? Why are the details of the incidents so vague? Why weren’t the incidents reported to the police at the time?
“The alleged incidents occurred decades ago, and Kavanaugh has denied they happened.
“The set of details surrounding the Kavanaugh accusations — the fuzzy accounts, the lack of police reports, the long gap between the 1980s, when the women say they happened, and now — are common characteristics of sexual violence cases, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center CEO Sondra Miller said.
“Only a third of sexual assaults are reported to a formal authority, like law enforcement or child services, Miller said. Even then, it can take decades before a someone feels comfortable telling their story.
“Miller sat down with cleveland.com on Monday to discuss sexual violence and provide insight surrounding the Kavanaugh accusations.
September is National Campus Safety Awareness Month, a campaign that calls attention to safety concerns and violence prevention at colleges and universities. Cleveland Rape Crisis Center is proud to partner with many Northeast Ohio schools to promote safety and support survivors on campus.
Whether you are a student, parent, faculty, or staff, you can help build a safer campus community this fall. Here are four ways to promote safety on campus:
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center provides comprehensive services for survivors of campus sexual assault, available at our many community locations.
Take a few minutes today to learn more about services available for survivors of campus sexual assault. Help us reach even more survivors with comprehensive healing services by speaking about them in your classroom, posting about them on social media, or sharing them with your student organization.
Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in educational institutions that receive federal funding. Under Title IX, discrimination on basis of sex can include sexual violence. Visit Know Your IX’s resource page to learn more about what this federal civil rights law means for college students.
If you are thinking about reporting your assault to your school or to law enforcement, our advocates are here to help. We will explain your rights and your options, and support you through every step of the reporting and investigation processes.
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center collaborates with local campuses in an ongoing effort to improve trauma-informed care and response protocols, raise awareness, and provide educational programs.
If you are a professor, administrator, or student leader who wishes to schedule a presentation for your group, please contact us with your request. To learn more about education opportunities outside of college campuses, visit our Prevention and Education pages.
Everyone can play a role in creating a safer, healthier community. Through bystander intervention, individuals are empowered to recognize and help prevent potentially harmful situations. By learning, using, and sharing the “Three D’s” of bystander intervention (Distract, Delegate, and Direct) you can be a part of the movement to end sexual violence. Read about How to Be a Positive Bystander or watch our recent Facebook Live conversation, Strategies to Prevent Sexual Violence, to learn more.
Thank you for helping Cleveland Rape Crisis Center and schools across the country build safer college communities this fall.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence—on campus or off, yesterday or decades ago—we are here for you. For 24/7 support or information, text or call (216) 619-6192 or (440) 423-2020 or chat on our website.
“College students are back on campus, some for the first time. An important part of getting ready, beyond move-in day and a trip to the bookstore, is a frank conversation about sexual assault and the importance of consent in any relationship and throughout any sexual encounter. How should you talk about it with your student, young women and men, and what are colleges doing, or what should they do, to make campus safer?
“We’ll discuss sexual assault prevention on college campuses and why a change in guidelines for handling allegations is seen as a step back by victims’ advocates. And we’ll cover the importance of talking to our college-bound kids.”
Guests:
– Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau
– Alex Leslie, Senior Director of Educational Services, Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
– Rachel Lutner, Director, Office for Institutional Equity, Title IX Coordinator, Cleveland State University
– Dr. Lisa Damour, Psychologist and Author
See the full story: Sexual Assault on College Campuses; Understanding Consent.
“As students head back to school, there is some important information parents need to know to make sure their children stay safe.”
“…Experts with the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center said parents need to trust their gut.
“‘If something feels wrong, it probably is wrong,’ Alexander Leslie, Senior Director of Educational Services for the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center said.
“According to Leslie, 80% of the general population knows the abuser for cases of sexual assault. With children, that number increases to 95%.
“‘When somebody is in a trusted relationship with a young person, they may be pushing those boundaries about what’s appropriate. Maybe getting the focus more on personal, rather than the professional reason they are working together,’ Leslie explained.
“According to Leslie, the age of social media and technology can make it more difficult for parents to track their kids behaviors. He said, forcing regulations and restrictions on your child can actually push them away.
“‘The single best thing parents can do is get curious about their young persons online life and ask them questions about how much their online life is like their regular life,’ Leslie said. “
Continue Reading: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center teaching parents how to spot signs of sexual abuse in kids
“A recent letter to the editor in The Plain Dealer asked the question: How can we help young boys and decent men who want to learn from the MeToo movement?
“Most men don’t commit acts of violence; yet many of us tolerate behaviors that are harmful against women, children and other men.
“Where to start? Here are three actions men can take to prevent sexual violence:
“Many local organizations are doing great work, including Healthy Fathering Collaborative, Cuyahoga County Fatherhood Initiative, Passages Inc., and Cleveland Rape Crisis Center–all of whom are hosting an upcoming workshop for young men and their mentors on August 25 called Best Foot Forward.
“Our actions create community. Let’s each make a commitment to end sexual harassment and assault.”
Alexander Leslie, Senior Director of Educational Services
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
