It's Time to Say NO MORE

Wednesday in Washington DC history was made. A ground breaking movement was launched. A movement called NO MORE, symbolized by the light blue vanishing point, is an amazing movement that unifies organizations working to end Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault. It encourages everyone to start talking about it, because this kind of violence thrives in darkness and silence. If we don't talk about it, the perpetrators keep on going, because they know that the shame won't be on them even if their secret does come out.

How awful is it that a female survivor of Sexual Assault gets asked questions like, "What were you wearing?" "How late were you out?" "Why were you dancing like that?" "How much did you have to drink?" and male survivors get asked, "Why couldn't you overpower her? Don't you go to a gym?" "Are you gay?" "Why didn't you defend yourself?"

To quote Vice President Biden, "If a woman is running through a field naked, you can arrest her for indecent exposure, but it doesn't give you the right to rape her."

It's time we talk about these issues at work, with our friends and families, and yes, even our children, we need to educate ourselves about the statistics and the signs of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and we need to be active bystanders, and not just look the other way when we see something happening. We need to start speaking up and saying NO MORE.

For more information on the NO MORE movement visit: www.nomore.org