Current Events
Movie "Precious" May Cause Survivors to Relive Their Childhood Sexual Assault
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2009
Contact: Sopheak Tek
tek@sisterslead.org
MOVIE “PRECIOUS” MAY CAUSE SURVIVORS TO RELIVE THEIR CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ASSAULT
Recently, there has been a lot of buzz around the new movie “Precious”, which opened across the country late-November and is already being mentioned as an Oscar contender. The story centers on a young Black woman who is a victim of many forms of abuse, including incest; finding her own strength in a society that offers little support, she works to become the person nobody thought she could be.
The National Organization of Sisters of Color Ending Sexual Assault (SCESA) wants to remind our communities that survivors of incest and other forms of sexual abuse may have a complex range of emotions about this film.
“We encourage survivors to take care of themselves and remind family and friends to be sensitive to the fact that seeing the film, or even talking about it in some cases, could be traumatic for survivors”, says Condencia Brade, SCESA Executive Director.
“The gift of “Precious” is that it exposes and provides opportunities for dialogue around odious issues of abuse that we do not talk about in our communities,” says Oliver Williams, Executive Director of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community. “The consequences for those who have suffered abuse is that it can trigger memories of painful events and experiences of past abuse,” he adds.
Additionally, the timing of the movie may create stressors for abuse victims. “Traditionally, the holiday season is filled with family gatherings which can be difficult for many survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Coming face-to-face with their abusers, who may be family members and others who may have turned a blind eye to their abuse situation is often difficult and sometimes unavoidable during this time of year. The stress of family gatherings, combined with the viewing of the movie “Precious”, could cause a survivor to relive their own story of abuse or may trigger traumatic memories for that survivor,” says Andrea Garwood, Licensed Mental Health Therapist/Executive Director of Living Well, Inc,
If you are a survivor of incest or other forms of sexual assault, please know that:
You are not to blame – no matter what the situation.
You are not alone – there are people who care and want to help.
You are precious and deserve to be happy.
We remind survivors to take care of themselves, talk to someone – a friend, co-worker – or call their local sexual assault hotline. (It’s free, confidential and no one needs to know who you are.)
If someone tells you of their abuse story, please just listen, don’t judge or make this about your disbelief and anger. Remember that this person is sharing a precious gift with you – they are trusting you when they have often lost trust in everyone else.
SCESA urges our communities to be sensitive to the needs of survivors of sexual assault and incest as well as their loved ones.
To find your local sexual assault crisis center or hotline, you can follow this link or contact SCESA at 860-693 2031.
For teens, please contact: www.loveisrespect.org or call their national hotline at 866-331-9474.
Please know that some of these crisis services may not have culturally specific programs. If you are interested in culturally specific services, please contact us.
Safe Scanning: New TSA Body Imaging Pacifies Modest Travelers
Article posted on the newest version of body imaging technology tested by the TSA. New Technology Features stick-figure-like images in an effort to help travelers feel more secure while traveling.
See the full article.
MTV LAUNCHES MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE “A THIN LINE” TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO STOP SPREAD OF DIGITAL ABUSE
MTV LAUNCHES MULTI-YEAR INITIATIVE “A THIN LINE” TO EMPOWER YOUTH TO STOP SPREAD OF DIGITAL ABUSE
New AP/MTV Study Finds 50% of 14-24 Year Olds Have Experienced Digital Abuse,
3 in 10 Have Sent or Received Nude ‘Sext’ Messages
Network to Air MTV News ‘Sexting’ Special; $75,000 ‘Redraw the Line Challenge’ Calls on Audience to Imagine Digital Solutions
Best-in-Class Partners Include Facebook, MySpace, The Family Violence Prevention Fund, Anti-Defamation League, and More
New York, NY, December 3rd, 2009 -- MTV today unveiled “A THIN LINE,” a new multi-year initiative to empower America’s youth to identify, respond to and stop the spread of digital abuse. Digital abuse is an emerging issue that includes behaviors like “sexting,” cyberbullying and digital dating abuse. According to a new study released today by MTV and The Associated Press exploring the full scope of digital abuse, 50 percent of 14 – 24 year olds have been the target of some form of digital abuse, and 30 percent have sent or received nude photos of other young people on their cell phones or online. Full survey findings are available at research.ATHINLINE.org.
MTV’s “A THIN LINE” will address digital abuse issues through a series of on-air, online and real world initiatives including integration in MTV’s top-rated programming, an MTV News special focused on Sexting, True Life: I have Digital Drama, thought-provoking PSAs, innovative online and mobile tools and the “Redraw the Line Challenge” -- which calls on young people to submit innovative digital antidotes to digital abuse. Today, MTV also launched www.ATHINLINE.org where young people can access information, resources and support on issues related to digital abuse.
“Our audience lives online, and while every generation deals with their own set of abuse issues, the digital sphere exponentially increases opportunities for misuse,” said Stephen Friedman, General Manager of MTV. “There is a very thin line between private and public, this moment and forever, love and abuse, and words and wounds. ‘A THIN LINE,’ is built to empower our audience to draw their own line between digital use and digital abuse. “
MTV’s partners on “A THIN LINE” include a coalition of the foremost authorities on all facets of digital abuse, including Facebook, MySpace, The Family Violence Prevention Fund, WiredSafety, Anti-Defamation League, Blue Shield of California Foundation, loveisrespect.org, The National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline, National Network to End Domestic Violence, The Liz Claiborne Inc., DoSomething.org, Break the Cycle, Ruder Finn, Teenangels and PBS’ FRONTLINE. “A THIN LINE” kicked off today in tandem with Liz Claiborne Inc.’s It’s Time To Talk Day, an annual day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up and raise national attention around domestic violence including teen dating violence and intimate partner abuse.
Elements of “A THIN LINE” include:
· Associated Press / MTV Digital Abuse Study: The study, released today, offers an in-depth look at the pervasiveness of digital abuse, how it’s affecting America’s youth, how they’re responding to it, their concerns and much more. Key findings from the report show that 3 in 10 young people have sent or received nude pictures of other young people on their cell or online, and 61 percent who have “sexted” report being pressured to do so at least once. Beyond significant others, 29 percent of respondents who have shared naked images of themselves did so with someone they only knew online and never met in person, and 24 percent shared the images with someone they were interested in dating or hooking up with.
Additionally, 12 percent of those who have “sexted” have contemplated suicide, four times more likely than those who haven’t (12% vs. 3%, respectively). Further, targets of digital abuse are almost three times as likely to contemplate suicide as those who haven’t encountered it (8% vs. 3%), and nearly three times more likely to have considered dropping out of school.
When it comes to online behavior, only half think their actions could come back to haunt them, and 1 in 4 believe that their digital actions could have legal consequences. To view the full study, please head to research.ATHINLINE.org.
· MTV News Special Report: Sexting: MTV News will take a deeper look at a developing trend affecting teens across the nation: sexting. By speaking directly to young people who have been personally impacted by digital abuse, the 30 minute special, set to premiere timed to Valentine’s Day 2010, will examine how this trend is impacting youth culture and relationships, the stakes involved – from legal to emotional to reputational – and how “sexting” is becoming a new frontier for teen dating abuse.
· “True Life: I Have Digital Drama”: MTV’s Emmy-Award winning, ground-breaking documentary series will take a close look at how digital platforms are creating trust, privacy and harassment issues for two young couples.
· Redraw the Line Challenge: Young people are disproportionally affected by digital abuse – and they are best equipped to truly address its viral spread. With support from Blue Shield of California Foundation, MTV is asking America’s youth to imagine high-potential digital antidotes -- such as new mobile or Web-based services, social games or viral content -- that help stop the spread of digital abuse. The winning individual or team will be rewarded with $10K, plus a chance to work with MTV – and a development budget of up to $75K – to see their idea actualized. For more details, head to challenge.ATHINLINE.org.
· PSAs: The backbone of the campaign is a suite of thought-provoking PSAs that address a wide range of digital behaviors including coerced sexting, textual harassment, digital prejudice, threatening messages, ganging up and much more. The first wave of campaign PSAs were directed by acclaimed director Joel Schumacher, and include spots like “Public Nudity” and “Tattoo.”
· Online and Mobile Tools: “A THIN LINE” gives young people one-click access to digital abuse information, resources and support systems online or on their cell phones at ATHINLINE.org. The online hub helps teens understand the hallmarks of healthy relationships, while providing suggested responses and help if they or their friends are encountering abuse, and will host a vibrant conversation on the issue. Users can also access the campaign’s resources by texting “line” to 66333.
· MTV’S “A THIN LINE” Advisory Board: MTV has built a coalition of the foremost authorities on digital abuse, including leading experts in cyber-crime, teen dating violence, adolescent psychology, and other teen issues. Advisory board members include Parry Aftab, Executive Director of Wired Safety and StopCyberbullying.org; Esta Soler, Founder and President, Family Violence Prevention Fund; Jane Randel, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc.; Virginia Witt, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Blue Shield of California Foundation; Dr. Jill Murray, psychologist and internationally-recognized expert on teen dating abuse; Cindy Southworth, Founder and Director or the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence; and Casi Lumbra, a teen online security expert, who has addressed audiences at the United Nations and Harvard Law School.
· Liz Claiborne Inc.’s It’s Time To Talk Day: “A THIN LINE” kicked off today in tandem with Liz Claiborne Inc’s It’s Time To Talk Day, an annual day dedicated to ensuring that Americans speak-up and raise national attention around domestic violence including teen dating violence and intimate partner abuse. This year, the day will include a specific focus on digital abuse, as the company announces that it is updating its Love Is Not Abuse curriculum to include a lesson specifically on digital dating abuse for schools across America. As of August 2009, the curriculum, which aims to raise awareness of dating abuse and provide resources for help, has been distributed to approximately 6,000 schools and organizations across all 50 states. The Love Is Not Abuse curriculum is offered free of charge at www.loveisnotabuse.com.
· Educational Curriculums: MTV is working to make the campaign’s assets available as teaching tools, as part of existing curriculums on cyber bullying and dating abuse from Liz Claiborne, Hazelden, WiredSafety’s StopCyberbullying and the Anti-Defamation League – currently taught in thousands of high and middle schools nationwide.
For more information on MTV’s “A THIN LINE” campaign, or details on how to get involved, please visit AThinLine.org or head to the campaign’s Facebook, MySpace or Twitter pages.
Partner and Advisory Board Quotes:
“The safety of our users is paramount to us, and only by working together can we seek to educate young people about the dangers of digital abuse and cyberbullying,” said Tim Sparapani, Director of Public Policy at Facebook. “We applaud and support MTV for all of the work it has done to launch ‘A Thin Line,’ and are pleased to be a part of this important initiative which both empowers and educates.”
“With today’s teens living their lives online, we must all work together to empower teens with the know how they need to live their lives online and off—with courage, strength, and dignity,” said Hemanshu Nigam, Chief Security Officer of MySpace and News Corporation. “MySpace is proud to partner with MTV for the ‘A Thin Line campaign’ to give our youth the knowledge they can use now and tomorrow to be well-balanced and well-protected digital citizens.”
“We are very proud to collaborate with MTV on this important work to help stop digital abuse,” said Esta Soler, President of the Family Violence Prevention Fund. “By raising awareness of digital abuse in an innovative and relevant way, ‘A Thin Line’ will shine a spotlight on a problem that is affecting our young people in countless schools and communities across the country.”
“Digital abuse is so pervasive today that many young people consider standard online behavior,” said Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafety and StopCyberbullying.org. “‘A THIN LINE’ is a vehicle for change that should spark a national conversation and hopefully awaken young people to a better understanding of how to protect themselves digitally.”
"It's encouraging that MTV is taking a youth empowerment approach with this exciting new campaign,” said Virginia Witt, Director of Public Affairs and Policy at Blue Shield of California Foundation. “Youth should lead the way in dialing down their relationship drama."
"’A Thin Line’ is one of the most ambitious and well executed projects I've had the pleasure to be involved with,” said Dr. Jill Murray. “The fact that MTV is addressing it's audience in such an important and thoughtful manner will do so much to stem the tide of digital technology abuses."
“Teen dating violence and abuse is pervasive and made all the more dangerous by the very technology intended to help us stay more connected,” said Jane Randel, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Liz Claiborne Inc. “Parents and schools need to recognize that their kids are dealing with these issues regularly and learn how to address both dating abuse and the digital abuse that can go along with it. It is only through education – annually in middle and high schools and at home – that we can start to break the cycle of violence that is gripping our nation.”
“Dating abusers will misuse any technology device, from spoofing caller ID and text messages to terrorize a victim to remotely installing SpyWare to monitor the victims every computer move,” said Cindy Southworth, Founder and Director of the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence. “MTV's innovative digital abuse campaign will reach millions and help keep technology from being misused to harm and abuse. “
About MTV:
MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 28 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24. Online, MTV.com averaged 8.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2009 -- up +6% from Q4/2008 and up +6% year-over-year. Total video streams for the first quarter of 2009 increased 21% over the same time period last year. And MTV’s successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in… www.mtvpress.com
NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, 2009 PROCLAMATION
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 8, 2009
NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH, 2009
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE
A PROCLAMATION
Sexual assault scars the lives of millions in the
Sexual assault is pervasive in the
Victims of all ages suffer from both the physical and emotional consequences of the attack. Sexual assault can lead to long-term health problems including chronic pain, stomach problems, and sexually transmitted diseases. It can also cause severe emotional harm that may be even more painful than the assault itself and resulting physical injuries. The effects of sexual assault go well beyond the direct victim: sexual assault also has a profound impact on a victim's family, friends, neighbors, and workplace.
Victims need an array of services to heal from the trauma of sexual assault, including crisis intervention, 24-hour sexual assault hotlines, medical and criminal justice accompaniment, advocacy, and counseling. Victim service providers are essential to this effort and work tirelessly to help victims cope with the trauma of sexual assault and transition from "victim" to "survivor."
Landmark legislation has helped fund these critical services. The Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA, Public Law 98-473) established the Crime Victims Fund to fund services such as forensic sexual assault examinations and compensation claims for both adult and child victims. For example, since 1997, VOCA funding has supported the development of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs and multi-disciplinary Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART). The Violence Against Women Act of 2005 (VAWA, Public Law 109-162) authorized the Sexual Assault Services Program, the first Federal funding dedicated exclusively to sexual assault services. The Program includes funding for culturally specific programs that serve victims who face unique cultural and linguistic barriers.
In addition to helping victims, offenders must be held accountable for their crimes. Sexual assault forensic examinations and trained examiners can ensure that victims are treated with requisite sensitivity and that critical evidence is collected to facilitate a successful prosecution. To this end, VAWA mandates that all States that accept Federal grants to combat violence against women ensure that sexual assault victims receive forensic examinations free of charge, even if the victim chooses not to report the crime to the police.
To make continued progress, my Administration supports efforts to help Americans better understand this issue. Working together, we can reduce the incidence of sexual assault and help all who have experienced this heinous crime.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the
BARACK OBAMA
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