According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network),
someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted every two minutes, totaling
approximately 207,754 victims each year. Unfortunately, due to fear and shame,
54% of sexual assaults are never reported to authorities; which leads to the
disturbing fact that 97% of rapists will never spend one day in jail. For more
information on a national level, and to understand the many different forms of
sexual abuse and assault, please visit http://www.rainn.org/.
...how are we to eradicate this atrocity? The answer – education.
As a community, and because black women account for 18.8% of all rape victims,
the key is to become stronger – not physically necessarily, but more supportive,
more cohesive, and more determined and vigilant about lowering the numbers
listed above. Our communities are weakened when these crimes are committed.
Oftentimes families are unable or unwilling to discuss the aftermath of being
assaulted, which leaves the victim attempting to process the pain alone. From
personal experience, I can tell you that this takes a very heavy and unnecessary
toll on the emotional well-being of the victim. The unfortunate truth is that
the victim may always view themselves as a victim, which subconsciously opens
the door to the acceptance of future occurrences.
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