It’s not ok
CEO Lucy Budge joins voices reminding us #ItsNotOkay during Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2023.
Content warning: Discussion of sexual abuse and violence
This week (6-12 February) marks Sexual Abuse and Sexual Violence Awareness Week 2023, a national awareness raising event, enabling us to stand in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence, and providing the space and opportunity for us to discuss the issues of sexual abuse and sexual violence.
An investigation by UN Women UK found that 97% of women aged 18-24 – almost EVERY young woman in the UK - have been sexually harassed.
96% of these women have not reported the harassment, because of a belief that it wouldn’t change anything. (Research finds that 97% of women in the UK have been sexually harassed openaccessgovernment.org)
“The charity Rape Crisis has reported 1 in 4 women being raped or sexually assaulted as an adult... The overall statistics in England and Wales found that 85,000 women experience rape, attempted rape or sexual assault every year.”
Sexual Assault & Rape Statistics - 2023 UK Data | CIH (criminalinjurieshelpline.co.uk)
#ItsNotOK
The theme for this week is #ItsNotOK, and I just wanted to reiterate this sentiment.
Sexual abuse and violence is absolutely not ok.
As women, we are so often conditioned, from childhood, to stay quiet and to be polite; not to take up too much space, and not to complain. I like to hope that things are changing – albeit slowly – but I know that it can be so very hard to speak up about, and against sexual violence. We can fear being met with sexism and misogyny, being seen to ‘make a fuss,’ not being believed, being shamed or re-victimised, experiencing victim blaming.
Rape Crisis found that “5 in 6 women who are raped don’t report it… ONS found the following figures for non-reporting;
40% said it was due to ‘embarrassment’
38% said they didn’t think the police could help
34% said they thought it would be humiliating.”
It affects us all
Sexual abuse (which includes sexual harassment) and sexual violence – and/ or the fear of them – affect so very many of us. We grow up learning tools and techniques that we shouldn’t have to consider, to keep ourselves safe, whilst we go about our daily lives.
So often, this fear and these safety mechanisms become normalised.
So often, sexual abuse and violence are normalised. Women and girls can be at risk from strangers, and from those known to them; partners, family members, friends, colleagues.
Support
The experience of sexual abuse and sexual violence can feel extremely isolating, and yet so many of us experience it, once or multiple times, through our lives. Shining a light on the issues, talking openly about them with trusted people, where we feel safe, can really help survivors to feel less alone, and to move forwards.
Here at MSH, if you call us for support relating to issues of sexual abuse and sexual violence, we can explore whether we are able to offer you this support in-house, or whether we can signpost or refer you to one of our amazing specialist partner agencies.
LifeCentre A Chichester-based charity offering support to people of all ages, genders and backgrounds who have had an unwanted sexual experience.
Survivors network Supporting survivors of sexual violence and abuse in Sussex.
Yada - The Esther Project Specialist support for self-identifying women in the sex industry.
#ItsNotOK, your experiences and voice matter, and you do not have to tolerate sexual violence and abuse.