Happy Birthday PAVE!

Today marks PAVE's 8 year anniversary. As PAVE and other organizations like it continue to raise awareness and "shatter the silence", we have slowly seen more incidents reported, more support from society and less tolerance for sexual violence. We have learned that sexual violence doesn't discriminate between men and women, age, race, social class or any other factor. PAVE has come a long way, but sexual violence is still a major problem. As much work that has been done to bring awareness to this issue, there is always more to do, more to say, more to fight for.

It used to be a more "private" matter that wasn't talked about with the public, or sometimes even family. Now, we ask that you speak out and stand up for yourself and what is right. We want to know what happened, and how we can try to prevent it from happening again. We want other survivors of sexual assault to know that they are not alone, and that someone understands. We want to see perpetrators punished for their crimes and not be allowed to make someone else their next victim. We want the legal system to do their part and protect the ones who are not at fault. We ask that the media reports its' stories in a fair manner, using appropriate language and terms that aren't victim blaming. These are all things we hope to accomplish with organizations like PAVE.

The unfortunate thing is that when I am looking for stories for this blog, I am never at a loss. There is always an abundance of stories in the news from the entire United States, and around the world. Even when I am not looking for something new, someone emails me a disturbing story or video. I am not sure how to sort through all of these sometimes, and try to find stories with the most information, or even one with an aspect of sexual violence that hasn't been discussed or brought up in a while. Even in my personal life, I am still amazed at how many people I know or who I have met who have been victims of sexual violence. I meet others who have been affected because they are close to a victim or even a perpetrator. I believe this makes them a victim also, just in a differnt sense. I hope that with the support of the public, continued donataions, and the hard work of PAVE leadership and friends, PAVE can continue to be the voice for victims of sexual violence. Happy birthday to PAVE. It can help take you from victim to survivor.

Sad but true. When I said I am never at a loss for stories, look at what I found in an hour....

Police: Suspect Has Molested Children For Decades
Jeffersonville police have arrested a 50-year-old man who they said has been molesting children for decades.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28801100/from/ET/

Former HCSO Detective Accused Of Molesting Child
A former detective is in custody, accused of assaulting a girl multiple times, KPRC Local 2 reports.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28814555/from/ET/

Deputy Accused Of Child Sex Assault Warned To Stay Away
A former detective accused of sexually assaulting a child is told by a judge to not have any contact with the girl, KPRC Local 2 reports.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28814562/from/ET/

Port St. Lucie Father Arrested In Sex Sting
A Port St. Lucie father is accused of trying to trade his 2-year-old daughter for sex.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28794803/from/ET/

Roseburg man convicted in 2001 sex attacks
An Oregon man has been convicted of sexually assaulting two teenage girls in an Orange County home eight years ago.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28794448/from/ET/

Child Sex Convict Won't Be Called "Predator"
71-year-old Eugene W. Vahlenkamp, from Waukesha, was convicted in state and federal court in the early 1990s of sexually assaulting two brothers from the Green Bay area. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28815478/from/ET/