“The congressional hearings on alleged sexual assault involving Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are having an impact on some Cleveland area survivors.
“The Cleveland Rape Crisis Center has seen an uptick in activity this week, said the agency’s president and CEO Sondra Miller.
“The average number of daily calls to the Cleveland rape crisis and support hotline in 2017 was 17 calls or texts per day. This week, there has been an increase in calls and text messages above that, Miller said.
“‘In the last three days we had 24, and then 34 in a day, and 19 yesterday. So we are definitely above average in terms of volume,’ she said.
“People can reach the hotline counselors by phone, text messages or through online web chat.”
Listen or Continue Reading: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center Sees Uptick During Kavanaugh Hearing
“We’re hearing from people who are trying to understand how their friends and family members can say things that are not supportive of survivors. Sometimes they say, ‘They don’t know I’m a survivor, but I’m hearing what they’re saying, and it’s really hurtful.'” – Sondra Miller, President & CEO
Watch: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center handling surge of reports in wake of Kavanaugh scandal
Dear Survivors:
We believe you. We hear you. We see you. We support you.
We support Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, and all survivors of rape and sexual abuse. Your voices matter, and your experiences matter.
In a nation consumed with a lot of “talk” about sexual assault, please know that we are listening. Advocates on our 24/7 crisis and support hotline are here for you. Our role is to listen. To you.
Meanwhile, we are doing everything we can to change the conversation and the culture that makes it so hard for you to come forward, to speak your truth and to recover, heal and thrive. Even more importantly, we are working to prevent sexual violence from ever happening in the first place.
You didn’t deserve what happened to you. But you do deserve compassion, empathy and support. At Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, we commit to continuing our work to ensure that every survivor is believed, supported, and can recover, heal and live a healthy life.
Sondra Miller
President & CEO
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center
“We begin with a conversation with Sondra Miller, CEO and President of the Cleveland Rape Crisis Center, to help answer some of the questions that have arisen this past week, such as why many people choose not to report sexual misconduct to authorities — or why some people don’t come forward with their experience right away, or at all.”
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“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.
