My Birthday wish is that survivors of sexual violence are called anything but victims

This post is dedicated to anyone that has survived or has been affected by trauma. ******* I belong to a club. This club is called the trauma club. Trauma survivors share an unspeakable bond. In their face I recognize the familiar pain that can easily go unnoticed by non-survivors. We…

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Silencing the Past by Speaking in the Present – Part 1

Originally published on AReturntoYourGenuineSelf on July 5, 2016 By Jodie Ortega Folks — we are in for a real treat this month! I first heard our guest blogger this month, Jodie Ortega, spit rhymes at a fundraiser here in San Francisco. I was immediately taken by her grit, humor, and…

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Health Care and Human Trafficking

Originally published in Polaris Network Newsletter on June 23, 2106 By Bradley Myles A few years ago, a 19-year-old girl named Jolene walked into a Boston emergency room late at night. She had an infection after a botched ear piercing. When the doctors and nurses examined her, they asked Jolene…

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How People are Reacting to the Stanford Rape Case

Originally published on change.org on June 17, 2016 By Kate Davey It’s been two weeks since “Emily Doe” — a victim of sexual assault — published a statement directed to Brock Turner, the Stanford athlete who was convicted of sexually assaulting her, but only got a six-month jail sentence. Since…

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