In light of Bill Cosby recently being sentenced to 10 years in prison, sexual assault survivors are coming out of the shadows to share their stories. Just when we thought there was no one left to accuse, others are being added to the list at a rapid pace. With this in mind, the topic can no longer remain taboo. In Utah alone, rape and sexual assault rates have skyrocketed by 22% since 2016. There have been 370 sex offenses reported by the Provo police department, and it’s predicted that numbers will continue to rise (5).

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In Provo, the Utah Coalition Against Sexual Assault shares the statistics from the Utah Health Department with their citizens (3). 1 in 5 women in the United States will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime, and this winds down to 1 in 3 women in Utah. Think about the three most important women in your life: your mother, your sister, and perhaps, yourself (if applicable). The list goes on. Taking these statistics into account, this is how sexual assault affects us and the ones we love.

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Those who’ve never experienced sexual assault may form their opinions solely based off of the media. Battling sexual assault takes a toll on a survivor for many years following. This explains the flurry of previous accounts rising to the surface. Some would say that this type of accuser doesn’t have enough supporting evidence to prove their claims. This is a plausible argument because many victims are unable to recollect their account (2). Those unfamiliar with sexual assault will find it hard to believe the survivors and are quick to refute their claims. Others, such as myself, simply can’t turn the other cheek. 

 

Let’s put it in a different perspective. Recall a moment when you tried to convince someone of something that you knew was true. You were either a witness, a victim, or you had proof that supported your argument. Despite all of your evidential claims, they still wouldn’t believe you.

You can imagine how frustrating this would be, knowing deep down, that what you’re saying is the truth. You’ve run out of evidence to convince them any further, therefore, leaving you and your argument defeated. This is often how sexual assault victims feel when their cases are being reviewed for months on end. Such a long wait brews a toxic environment for the victim. In no way is this a fact, but it seems that the longer a case is reviewed, the more likely it is to be swept under the rug.

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From this point on, we must be mindful when speaking to and about sexual assault victims. It’s important to affirm their experience as valid and remind them that they are not alone (1). In the past, victims have reaped the benefits of support groups and they’ve exhibited substantial growth. Survivors learn how to self-heal when supporters empower them. This method will help them recover beyond treatment.

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