Forgetting trauma: doomed to repeat?

October 22

Today is the 13 year anniversary of my first rape. Technically, it was on October 25th, but it was on a Saturday—and this Saturday morning, October 22nd 2016 ,is when my body chose to remember it. I’ve written before of “anniversary reactions” in people with PTSD, and I woke up this morning thinking “holy shit, the […]

»»

Does listening to Bowie support rape culture?

January 23

When I heard the news that David Bowie passed away last week, I posted this status to my Facebook: Throughout the morning, I shared updates of what Bowie album I was currently listening to, posted my favorite classic Bowie photos, and enjoyed seeing the same from others in my circle…until the news hit in mid-afternoon […]

»»

Before and After: A Life Shaped by Abuse

August 30

I started therapy in 2012 for…well, for a lot of things. For those of you new to the blog (welcome!), please feel free to peruse the site for the backstory. The major turning point in my ability, or rather lack of ability, to function was my rape as a 17-year-old. In order to determine the […]

»»

Should campus rapists remain in the university system?

August 13

Part 1 of this blog stemmed from an article interviewing, Hanna Stotland, a college admissions consultant and lawyer who “gets students accused of rape back into school.”   When questioned about campus sexual assault, people tend to fall into two camps regarding their opinion of perpetrators: either they’re monsters who can never be redeemed and […]

»»

Who are campus rapists and what should we do with them?

August 01

Part 1 of 2.   In the past two weeks, the media has focused a flood of attention on the perpetrators of sexual misconduct on college campuses. Who are these people? Why do they assault? What happens to them if they get caught? A long-held belief is that most sexual assailants are repeat-offenders—that a vast […]

»»

A Commentary

May 31

I share a lot of current news articles about sexual violence, especially those on campus rape, and I almost always include a caveat to “not read the comments.” As usual, however, I don’t always follow my own advice, and I’ve found myself posting a slew of responses to certain…uninformed…comments on these articles lately. I’ve included […]

»»

Where the Sidewalk Ends

April 28

When I graduated high school eleven years ago, I vowed to never step into a high school again. Especially not one with the same mascot as mine—TROJANS. And definitely not to talk about how I was raped in high school. But I did just that at the East Lansing High School board meeting tonight.   […]

»»

Sex-Ed Op-Ed

March 24

Michigan college students are organizing to fight for a sustainable and equitable future in our state—not because we want to fight, but because we have to fight. If we want to save Michigan from crushing the labor force, disenfranchising voters, marginalizing identities, oppressing low-income communities, destroying the environment, and undermining public safety, health, and education, […]

»»

To Poo in Peace

January 18

Everyone poops. Since the late-70s children have been learning this reality of life with a particularly insightful book. I have no idea how people found out about poop before then, but I’m sure it wasn’t as colorful. For me, pooping is a highlight of my day—a cherished moment of peace usually followed by what my […]

»»

The politics of rape and the science of statistics

December 16

There is a media frenzy that the 1-in-5 rape statistic is a “hoax” and there is no “rape culture.” I never expected rape to suffer from such a disgusting political twist, but many reports attempting to debunk this 1-in-5 statistic claim that the “rape epidemic” is a liberal ploy to make conservatives look like rape apologists. […]

»»