I am Jane Doe.
I am a part of the club no one wants to be in. When I was assaulted in my youth, I didn't say or do anything. When I was later assaulted as an adult, I filed a police report—and surprisingly they believed me.
But that experience showed me how traumatic it is for victims in the court system. The lack of trauma-informed care. The unrealistic expectations in navigating the judicial system. The little to no protections for survivors coming forward will make any woman question the worth of trying to prevent their predator from going after the next person.
The rage has been building for generations as women are dismissed and predators walk free to target the next person. My grandmother feels it. My mother feels it. And I feel it.
The latest group attacks on young women at colleges across the US combined with lack of care by men with microphones has escalated this rage to new levels.
Our daughters feel it too.
Enough is enough.
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Allies, survivors, friends... we need everyone to raise their voice and get loud in advocating for change.
At least one assault in the US happens every minute or every day.
This is a public health and human rights crisis.
Wear any form or fashion of "I am Jane Doe" and make an invisible problem visible together.
Change Is Happening, But Not Fast Enough.
Progress is being made because of people like you, who have been raising their voices and demanding better policies, laws, support, and care. We must keep the pressure up to make change happen more quickly so that the next generations are protected.
Laws to criminalize domestic assaults began to pass in the late 1800s, though marital rape remained largely unprosecutable under common law for decades.
In the United States, the women's rights and early anti-sexual assault movement was intertwined with civil rights because of the racist undertones of many cases. For example, anti-lynching activists like Ida B. Wells spoke out against how false allegations of rape were often used to justify the lynching of Black men.
In the early 1970s, the anti-rape movement gained momentum through "Speak Outs," where survivors shared their stories publicly to dismantle rape culture and challenge victim-blaming. The first Rape Crisis Center was established in California. In the same time period, women employees at Cornell coined the term 'sexual harassment' after a Cornell employee resigned due to sexual harassment by her boss.
National Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCASA) helped unify advocacy efforts across the country. NCASA pushed for legislative reforms and increased support for survivors.
The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) was passed, which provided funding for victim assistance programs, including those that help survivors of sexual violence.
The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), introduced by Senator Joe Biden (D – Delaware), was a landmark piece of legislation that provided federal funding for investigation and prosecution of violent crimes against women, including sexual assault. It also created legal protections for survivors.
#MeToo goes viral, sparking a global movement of survivors coming forward to share their stories of sexual harassment and assault.
Our children can't wait another hundred years to feel safe. We have to break the cycle now.
Boys and girls are counting on us to make it stop. Not only do victims of all ages need therapy provided to be supported in healing, but kids especially need guidance to understand that behavior is NOT normal or acceptable.
We need harsher punishments to deter people from preying on others and actual fair trials when victims come forward. We have not forgotten about the Epstein Files.
I am Jane Doe and I'll See You On October 29th!
