According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men will be raped at some point in their lives. In 8 out of 10 cases, the victim will know their attacker. These statistics may be shocking, but they represent the harsh realities of sexual assault. Many victims are afraid to speak up or afraid to get help from others because fear embarrassment and shaming. The following organizations have shown there is nothing for victims to be ashamed of. These online corporations are educating the public on rape culture, all while giving sexual assault victims their life back.
The Line Campaign is a non-profit organization that encourages young leaders to create a world without sexual violence. They create influential videos involving sexuality, relationships, consent, and sexual violence that relate to younger audiences. In comparison, they conduct public conversations online and take full advantage of social media to build up sexual assault awareness. This organization is using provocative images and swear words to gain the attention of younger audiences and it seems to be working. After seeing one of the campaign’s videos, most students talk about it for months after viewing. A comment on their webpage states, “When I saw The Line, it hit me in that very way. It haunted me for awhile, what happened to you…what happens to people everyday…to people in the military. I want to be part of the solution.” The Line Campaign is taking big steps to end sexual assault. Join them by donating, buying a DVD, or attending one of their film festivals.
Named the nation’s leading victim assistance organization is Safe Horizon. Their mission is to give support and justice to victims of sexual assault. Safe Horizon provides 24 hour hotlines where people can get counseling, get assistance in finding shelter, or get in contact with the police. These hotlines are open seven days a week and operators are multilingual, meaning they can help callers who don’t speak English. This organization is also responsible for the #PutTheNailinit campaign where people paint their ring fingernail purple to support the end to domestic violence. Overall, Safe Horizon has helped people come to terms with their past and has even helped them take legal action. Because of their impact on the fight to end sexual assault, adults, teens, children, and elders can call Safe Horizon their safe haven.
One of the most influential organizations to date is called, “It’s On Us”. As stated on their website, their goal is “To RECOGNIZE that non-consensual sex is sexual assault. To IDENTIFY situations in which sexual assault may occur. To INTERVENE in situations where consent has not or cannot be given. To CREATE an environment in which sexual assault is unacceptable and survivors are supported.” This campaign is more for generating sexual assault awareness rather than providing shelter, a hotline, or legal help for victims. They are targeting bystanders more than they are targeting victims. To them, bystanders are the ones that need to help keep men and women safe from sexual assault. The people witnessing the assault or letting it happen may just be the solution to ending this terrible phenomenon. Join many companies like Snapchat, MTV, Bing, the Olympic Committee, and many more in the fight to end sexual assault.
To get a better idea of what “It’s On Us” is all about, watch this video.
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