Photo by freestocks The issue of rape-related pregnancies is a crucial yet often-overlooked aspect of the broader debate surrounding abortion access. As more states implement strict abortion bans, the implications for survivors of sexual violence become increasingly severe and far-reaching. When Hadley Duvall was just 12 years old, she was raped and impregnated by her stepfather. […]
So That Shame Changes Sides: Gisèle Pelicot’s Forceful Resistance
Photo by Delia Giandeini Gisèle Pelicot demands to be heard in a system that stifles the voices of sexual violence victims. Now garnering attention from the world, Pelicot, 72, has become a hero and a symbol of resistance for many women, young and old, who see themselves in her. In Avignon, France, Pelicot insists she receives […]
Sexual Assault Awareness Month: Silenced No More
VA NOW President Lisa Sales stands for survivors at the SAAM press conference. On Wednesday, April 24th, survivors and activists gathered outside the Alexandria Federal Courthouse for a press conference organized by Lisa Sales, President of Virginia NOW, to raise awareness about the continued prevalence of sexual violence during Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Speakers included […]
U.S. Gymnasts Testify at Senate Hearing, Revealing How the FBI Mishandled the Larry Nassar Abuse Investigation
Four top U.S. gymnasts, Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols, testified at a Senate hearing Wednesday on how the FBI botched the investigation into sexual abuse allegations made against former USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar. Nassar is currently serving a life sentence for molesting hundreds of women and girls during his time […]
Military Sexual Assault Bill Gains Bipartisan Support in the Senate
A new bill that would change the way sexual assault cases are handled in the military is gaining bipartisan support in the Senate and could soon become law. The Military Justice Improvement and Increasing Prevention Act was introduced last month by New York Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and would “professionalize how the military prosecutes serious crimes by moving […]
LSU Staff & Administration Mishandle Sexual Assault
CW: sexual assault, rape A USA Today investigation that was released yesterday indicates that Louisiana State University has mishandled numerous sexual assault complaints against students, many of which are athletes. A large number of these sexual misconduct complaints have been about the football team’s running back, Derrius Guice. A member of the diving team told […]
U.S. Court Ruling Defines “Fairness” in Title IX Cases
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court decided on May 29 that “fairness” defined in several colleges’s investigations of sexual harassment means that students must be given a live hearing and cross-examination process. The decision, written by Judge David Porter, stated that if a college’s policy under Title IX of the Education […]
Immigrant Woman Sues Over Sexual Assault in Detention Center
On Wednesday, an immigrant woman formerly in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Houston sued a private prison company, CoreCivic, after she was raped in 2018 in a dark, isolated cell along with two other women the day before she was deported to Mexico. The woman, Jane Doe, became pregnant as a result of […]
Women in Kashmir Avoid Community Bunkers Fearing Sexual Assault
Even as cross-border shelling intensifies in Kashmir, women and girls stay away from bunkers where sexual assault is prevalent. While the Kashmir region between India and Pakistan has long been disputed, conflict along the de facto border has escalated in recent months. When alarms sound, many people rush to privately owned community bunkers. However, some […]
ACLU and Other Groups File Lawsuit to Block New Title IX Rules
Survivor advocacy groups filed a suit yesterday to block Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos’s new Title IX rules that weaken protections for survivors. The plaintiffs, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and another law firm, argue that the new rules make it harder for survivors to report sexual assault and harassment. The plaintiffs […]
Democrats and Civil Rights Groups Demand Delay of New Title IX Rule
The Education Department’s new proposed Title IX rules have already been cleared by the White House and are scheduled to be implemented in the coming weeks. Three senators signed on to a letter—along with multiple civil rights’ and human rights’ organizations—calling for the delay of these rules until the COVID-19 crisis is under control. The […]
UN Report: Women Face Barriers When Consenting to Sex, Accessing Healthcare
According to the United Nations, only around half of the world’s women are able to make their own decisions regarding sexual consent and healthcare, limiting gender equality for millions. A study by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reported that women’s rights are actually on the decline in some countries, and one in four women […]
Education Department Sanctions Penn State Again for Sexual Misconduct Procedures
On Thursday, the Department of Education announced that after a recent investigation, it is ordering Pennsylvania State University to implement significant changes to the way the school handles complaints of sexual misconduct. The released investigation finds that the university persistently mishandled cases after the Sandusky scandal. A federal investigation released Thursday identified “serious deficiencies” in […]
Harvey Weinstein Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison
Harvey Weinstein was sentenced to 23 years in prison on Wednesday morning. The sentencing comes after a jury found him guilty of rape and a criminal sexual act on February 24. He was acquitted of two counts of predatory sexual assault and first-degree rape. Justice James A. Burke of the New York State Supreme Court […]
Draft of Spain’s New Sex Crimes Bill Makes Consent Key
On Tuesday March 3, the Spanish government approved a new draft bill, the “Only Yes is Yes” bill, that focuses on sex crimes and makes consent a key factor in determining if a crime was committed, rather than putting pressure on victims to prove the use of violence or intimidation. According to a release from […]
Actor David Schwimmer Says ‘There Was A Lot of Overreacting’ in #MeToo Movement
Actor David Schwimmer said in a recent interview that the #MeToo movement created an atmosphere of “terror” for all men. David Schwimmer credits his social activism with having grown up in a strong female household, citing both his mother-a feminist activist and lawyer-and sister as examples of women who have shaped his perspective. Schwimmer, in […]
Director Roman Polanski Accused of 1975 Rape by French Actress
Valentine Monnier, a 62 year old French actress, revealed in an interview with Le Parisien that director Roman Polanski violently raped her in 1975 at his skiing chalet in Gstaad, Switzerland. At the time, Monnier was 18 years old while Polanski was 42. She told Le Parisien that she went to Polanski’s skiing chalet with […]
Actor Dakota Johnson Launches New Podcast To Share Sexual Assault Stories
Actor Dakota Johnson launched her new podcast, The Left Ear, where she shares sexual assault survivor’s stories. The initiative began when Johnson posted her cell phone number on social media asking followers to leave her voicemails of their sexual assault, harassment, and gender-based inequality stories. Johnson, one year later, has now taken these stories and […]
When a Woman’s First Sexual Experience is Non-Consensual Long-Term Health Problems Follow, Study Shows
According to a study published Monday, which surveyed women ages 18 to 44 in the United States, more than 3 million women experienced rape as their first sexual experience, resulting in long-term health consequences. The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, found that most respondents were adolescents when they were raped, and that these women […]
Lyft Announces Safety Updates to its Policies Amid Sexual Assault Concerns
Lyft has announced changes to its safety policies following a lawsuit filed by 14 women saying the company didn’t do enough to protect them from sexual assault by drivers or to support them through the process of reporting. The lawsuit against Lyft alleged that the company allowed known sexual predators to work as drivers and adopted […]
