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Study on Campus Sexual Violence and Restorative Justice
If you are 18+ and would like to participate in a study on restorative justice, follow the link below. The goal of the study is to establish the best practices in restorative justice and learn how to improve implementation for this type of harm at the university level going forward.
Complete a 10-minute survey, after which you will be contacted about a formal research interview.
SURVEY LINK: www.tinyurl.com/campusrj
Lessons from Anita Hill
Her story was shot down by Senators and pundits in her 1991 testimony. Today, she remains a figurehead in the fight against sexual harassment and violence.
How far have we come since Anita Hill’s groundbreaking testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee? Not far at all, says Hill, whose new book, Believing: Our Thirty Year Journey to End Gender Violence, explores our unfinished work. Hill, in a discussion with Dean Rachel Rebouché of the Beasley School of Law, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, shared that she has never once regretted her 1991 testimony against then Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas for his persistent workplace sexual harassment. The conversation, held October 3, explored themes from Hill’s book, musings on her career, and the current state of gender violence in the workplace. Hill discussed at length the role of language in the fight against workplace sexual discrimination, ramifications on youth, and implications for the future. During Hill’s testimony, Senator Arlen Specter (R- Pennsylvania), in his line of questioning, stated that Hill’s account of the comments made towards her by Thomas were “not too bad.” Hill explained the damage of reductionist language: it diminishes victims’ experiences, takes away victims’ autonomy, and denies them the authority to control the construction of their own narrative. In commenting on the role of the next generation, Hill described a two pronged reality: one, that reductionist language now will result in further reductionist language later, and two, that young people on the right side of this battle, the side of women’s liberation, are being brought up in institutions that continue to uphold standards of sexual harassment and violence. She questioned how we expect young people to make change when they are working under systems that actively refuse and combat change. The bulk of her talk discussed the role of institutions. With there having been much research and discussion in the interim between her testimony and today, Hill posited that there must be a renewal in the way we approach sexual violence. Reforms and policies still lack experiential context from survivors. In schools, hierarchical systems instill an endemic fear of repercussion and retaliation that limit victims’ abilities to come forward. Intersectionality is also inadequately understood, Hill said. In understanding sexual violence in communities of color, for example, Hill noted that 86 percent of women of color in prison have experienced sexual violence at some point in their life. This is clear indication of the dually oppressive effects of the carceral state and sexual violence on women of color. Despite the uphill battle, Hill does have a vision: a society without sexual harassment and violence. This can only happen, she said, with a widespread adoption by both the public and institutions. The public, having witnessed the high profile testimonies of herself and, more recently, Christine Blasey Ford, has a greater understanding of these issues now than they did thirty years ago. Institutions need to catch up. Hill ended her talk with a powerful statement: “We need to push our political leaders to solve this issue… that is the responsibility of everyone in this room.” Ben Wilcox Communications Chair
The Hunting Ground screening was a massive success! On October 7, we hosted our first movie screening. We chose The Hunting Ground, which exposes the horrific, negligent habits of higher education institutions and their role in perpetuating sexual violence. Stay tuned for more screenings in the future!
Clothesline Project This semester's Clothesline Project was incredible! The Clothesline Project is intended to give survivors a chance to verbalize their experiences and traumas through t-shirt decorations. Symbolic displays like this are a crucial aspect of normalizing discussions about sexual violence, so thank you to everyone who participated! Be on the look out for more of these kinds of events!
SAASA representative delivered a powerful speech advocating for reproductive rights Temple University for Autonomy and Reproductive Rights (TUFARR), a new and exciting organization on campus, invited us to speak in support of women's right to choose. Alena, one of our incredible project managers, delivered a powerful speech highlighted the interconnectedness of women's right to choose and sexual violence prevention. "Lawmakers in 13 states have enacted trigger laws to reverse abortion protections after Roe v. Wade was overturned [and] of these states, nine do not have any protections for victims of rape or incest," she said. We thank TUFARR for the wonderful opportunity to speak on such an important issue. Follow them on Instagram: @tu.farr
New resource! - How to really 'be a man' Men are often told from a young age to 'be a man.' This emphasis on masculinity from a young age has helped cause a society wide normalization of misogyny. resulting in the pervasion of rape culture. The new resource educates readers on combatting misogyny and helps men understand media representations of women, men, relationships and sexual violence. It also defines consent and offers options for breaking the bystander effect. You can read the resource here. Check out our other resources below: Resource center Know Your Title IX Rights
Pumpkin Painting for Domestic/Sexual Violence Awareness On October 24th, survivors and allies alike painted mini pumpkins in solidarity with their peers. Teal pumpkins represented sexual assault awareness and prevention while purple pumpkins represented domestic violence awareness and prevention. Thank you to everyone who participated, they all turned out great!
Stick to Positivity event Participants posted affirmations and other positive messages on our posterboard in the Student Center on October 25th. The poster was yet another powerful visual of the scope of sexual assault on campus, but also the support network that is ever-growing here at Temple. Thank you for helping uplift and empower your classmates! Here are some highlights: "It's not your fault" "You are worthy" "I have been you. You will survive." "You are worth real love!"
Tuesday 11/1 1pm-3pm: Consent Mad Libs! Fill in the blanks on large white board outside Student Center. Each person who volunteers gets candy and a sticker for participating. Wednesday 11/2 12pm-2pm: Students on the Street Be on the lookout for our team, who will be out interviewing random students about red flags in relationships, consent and more! Thursday 11/3 - 12pm-2pm: Guess Who? Guess which pop culture figure did the toxic behavior listed, using an Answer Bank for different people you can guess. Friday 11/4 - Paint the Town Teal Show out for SAASA in your teal / blue clothes! Don't worry if you don't have any- we've got you covered. Stop by our table outside the Student Center to grab a teal ribbon you can wear or put on your backpack!
SEPTA Sexual Assaults: arrest made, other suspect still at large On Friday, Oct. 21, two female minors, aged 13 and 15 were sexually assaulted on their ways to school in two separate incidents. Quadir Jones, 23, has been arrested and charged with rape, robbery, and aggravated assault, among other charges for the incident occurring in a parking garage near 18th and Cherry Streets. Police have not identified a suspect in the other incident, but "are not ruling out" that Jones could be connected. (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Singer Rex Orange County charged with six counts of sexual assault Singer Rex Orange County was charged with six counts of sexual assault. The 24-year old star allegedly assault the woman in, among other locations, a taxi and three times in his home in the June 1, 2022 incident. While the woman has remained anonymous, it is understood that she is not a minor. The singer has denied the allegations. A trial date has been set for January 3, 2023. (The Guardian)
Utah's clergy-penitent privilege defended by Catholic, Mormon churches Clergy-penitent privilege, a Utah statute, exempts clergy from mandatory reporting requirements of child abuse disclosed in confession. Similar legislation exists across the nation, including Pennsylvania, which left the privilege in its updated 2014 child abuse code. In one instance, the privilege allowed one church member to "repeatedly rape his two daughters and allegedly abuse one of his four sons for many years." (AP)
Constance Wu harassment claims expose unfortunate reality women of color face Actress Constance Wu recently came forward about sexual harassment she experienced from a producer on the set of the hit TV show "Fresh Off the Boat." She initially withheld detailing her experience because she "did not want to sully the reputation of the one show we had representing us," said Wu. (NBC News, image courtesy of Emily Berl/The New York Times)
Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt involved in lawsuits over abuse, assets Angelina Jolie, on October 4, filed a lawsuit against ex husband Brad Pitt for what she recounts as physically abusive behavior towards her and the pairs' children in 2016. The suit was filed as part of an ongoing "legal battle" over assets the two once jointly owned. Jolie's lawyers wrote in a statement that Pitt's suit was an attempt to "reassert control over Jolie's financial life." (The New York Times, image courtesy of Associated Press)
ACLU files federal complaint to Departments of Justice and Education about Central Bucks School District
The American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, on October 6, released a 72-page report outlining how they allege Central Bucks School District has created a "hostile environment" for LGBTQ+ students. The report and formal complaint highlights some of the offenses, which include the removal of pride flags, instructions to ignore preferred pronouns, and promoting the "pervasive and often serious harassment and bullying of LGBTQ students." (Philadelphia Inquirer, image courtesy Tom Gralish)
Luckiest Girl Alive
Movie Review by Valerie Torres
Luckiest Girl Alive is a suspenseful drama that is based on novel of the same name written by Jessica Knoll. The movie stars Mila Kunis who plays the main character, Ani, a woman who appears to have a perfect life with her fiancée, while having a successful career as an editor in The Woman's Bible. Ani is asked by an independent filmmaker to share her story about being a survivor of a brutal school shooting in the past.
Throughout the film we see flashbacks of Ani’s high school experiences, where she not only survived the shooting but also became a victim of gang rape by boys she believed to be her friends, which is all too common. The film shows how Ani cannot continue the persona she’s kept on throughout the years and explains how she decides to share her side of the story to the world.
The film is captivating. It explores a perspective of sexual assault that I personally haven’t seen in the media. The main character tries her best to be resilient throughout the film but scene by scene you see how her persona begins to break down and shatter completely at the end of the movie. My personal favorite attribute of the film was the representation of anxiety. It shows that seemingly little things can trigger a victim of SA and make it difficult to breathe or focus because they are reliving the events. One thing I would revise in this film was the rape scene itself, since Hollywood always paints rape culture as very graphic and violent, when the reality of most sexual assaults is much different. Most sexual assaults are committed by people the victim knows, and in a familiar place, not by strangers in a back alley. While these experiences all do happen, it is important for media to accurately represent lived experiences and not sensationalize trauma. Overall, I enjoyed watching this film, it made me feel empowered and I would most definitely recommend for everyone to watch, especially those who feel closeted to share their story.
Thanks for reading this issue!
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