By Rebecca Marchiafava, MPP STAR Vice President “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” – Brene Brown In the work that we do at STAR, we witness survivors’ stories. We hear about their pain, trauma, triumph, hope, and healing. Because of the privacy and… Read More
Category: Supporting Survivors
Reflections on SAAM
By Racheal Hebert, LCSW STAR Founder, President & CEO As April comes to a close, we take a look back on how far we’ve come and what is left to be done. April 2019 marks the 18th year that we have collectively honored this month as sexual assault awareness month (SAAM). The purpose of SAAM… Read More
What #StartByBelieving Means To Me
By: Vonnie Hawkins, LCSW, STAR Board of Directors The feeling of being alone in my pain was so paralyzing and dark. I literally felt frozen and stiff, hard-hearted and judging as I walked through my life because that’s what it took to hold it all together. I judged others harshly because I was judging myself… Read More
Black Women, Suffering in Silence
The Mind Set of Sexual Violence Among African American Women By: Javonda Nix “Who knows what the black woman thinks of rape? Who has asked her? Who cares?” – Alice Walker (2004) Broken. Vulnerable. Scared. Depressed. Women who have been sexually assaulted experience all of these emotions. However, due to societal pressures, black women often… Read More
TITLE IX: Proposed Changes and Commenting Process
Title IX was first implemented in 1972 in response to gender discrimination in women’s sports. Since then, it has expanded into a living document that includes prohibiting discrimination based on sex in education. It serves as a guide for K-12 and higher education on protocols for these cases. In November 2018, Besty DeVos, US Secretary… Read More
Barriers to Self-Care: Tips for Survivors
By: Dana Rock, LMSW Self-care can be hard to put into practice. Day to day responsibilities tend to take priority over taking time to relax and recharge. People often tell themselves they will focus on self-care when they have more time, after this one hard test, or when their next vacation rolls around. This can… Read More
Silence is Self-protection
By Racheal Hebert, LCSW Founder, President & CEO of STAR The recent flurry of news targeting Brett Kavanaugh’s accuser as being exploitative, politically motivated, or even an outright liar reminds us that we live in an oppressive culture of disbelief and judgment towards survivors of sexual violence. We simply cannot accept that those we love,… Read More
Agents of Change: Jordan Gonzales
“It is incredibly rewarding for me to see even the smallest of changes with clients. To be there as clients learn one new way of coping, or experience one tiny change in the way they see themselves, is a huge honor.” – Jordan Gonzales 1. What is your position at STAR? I’ve been a counselor… Read More
In Mixed Company: Surviving Beyond Gender
Written by Dana Rock, LMSW, Jordan Gonzales, PLPC, NCC, and Sarah Baniahmad Many people see sexual assault as a women’s issue. When men are included in the conversation, it normally centers on what they can do to protect or support women. With 1 in 5 women being raped in their lifetime, it is easy to… Read More
The Difference Between Self-Defense and Rape Prevention
The idea of having girls and women participate in self-defense classes to reduce their risk of rape is highly debated. “Teach men not to rape” is a common response from survivors and advocates who feel that the burden of rape prevention is unfairly placed on the victims. Writing in The Guardian, Jessica Valenti echoed this… Read More
