so…
april is sexual assaul awareness month. it has been a hard one.
i have been a crisis liner for 3 years at a domestic and sexual violence shelter, and an on scene advocate for 2.
but these credentials do not matter so much as the fact that gender violence has affected me throughout my life, and i see it affecting women ( and men) around me every day. it’s hard to put it in a few words, how important this is to me.
i think gender violence and discrimination is one of the pivotal axes of the fucked up and skewed power structures enabling some people to be hurtful and cruel while believing their actions are justified.
the more i educate myself and the more experience i have with gender violence work, the more i cannot escape the fact that it is a cultural phenomenon that won’t change without rethinking and questioning gender roles and norms.
so, it’s been frustrating to try to organize for sexual awareness month and be part of an organization that decided to bypass discussions and action for sidewalk chalk slogans and handing out pamphlets and water at the bars.
i don’t even know how to feel about the whole ” BLANK- month” thing. it’s just becoming a gimmick. each month is dedicated to a different niche, but instead of bringing the issues to te front, it relegates them to a safe space adorned with a different color ribbon.
i really don’t like to hate, i am sure someone out there is doing something awesome with april being sexual assault prevention month. if you are, send it my way. i am in need of some serious inspiration.
