As i have seen a lot of victim blaming lately, i thought i would share this. It is desperately hard to come forward, but please remember when we do not come forward we continue the silence.

 I regret that i did not press charges, i let the fact that it would be an inconvience to my friends, that it was an uncomfortable truth, that i was not sure i could deal with the process, i took bad advice, i let it go. i should not have.

Sexual Assault Statistics in Canada ( from Statistics Canada)

A Numerical Representation of the Truth

Of every 100 incidents of sexual assault, only 6 are reported to the police

1 - 2% of "date rape" sexual assaults are reported to the police
1 in 4 North American women will be sexually assaulted during their lifetime
11% of women have physical injury resulting for sexual assault
Only 2 - 4% of all sexual assaults reported are false reports
60% of sexual abuse/assault victims are under the age of 17
over 80% of sex crime victims are women
80% of sexual assault incidents occur in the home
17% of girls under 16 have experienced some form of incest
83% of disabled women will be sexual assaulted during their lifetime
15% of sexual assault victims are boys under 16
half of all sexual offenders are married or in long term relationships
57% of aboriginal women have been sexually abused
1/5th of all sexual assaults involve a weapon of some sort
80% of assailants are friends and family of the victim

You know how i know rape culture is a thing? Because a staggering percentage of teenage boys do not know what rape is. They think 'no' is an invitation to try harder. Because married women are not told that they CAN say no to their husbands. Because we tell teenage boys that they are not responsible for their thoughts or actions if their fellow students wear shorts that are too short, or because their bra strap is visible.

We need to acknowledge that there is a problem, and understand that our sons cannot learn about respecting women and their right to say not if we don't talk to them about it.