Raleigh, NC– In recent months, growing national and worldwide conversations have brought the prevalence and pervasiveness of sexual violence and harassment to the forefront. From the outcry of those violated by people in positions of power in Hollywood and beyond to survivors using the hashtag #MeToo, people continue to courageously speak out. It is time to support survivors by creating communities of encouragement and belief. This moment is not an “upswing” in reporting of sexual violence; rather, it is the result of survivors who have continued to bravely tell their stories and who have together exposed patterns and a culture of violence and harassment.
And yet, we must examine who is coming forward and ask: what would happen if survivors believed they mattered in communities across North Carolina? In moving forward, the North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA) encourages ALL communities to believe and center survivor stories, examine true accountability and create solutions that work toward healing and rehabilitation.
Monika Johnson Hostler, the Executive Director of the NCCASA, believes that we must “center poor and marginalized communities. We cannot change the pervasiveness of sexual violence unless we change it for all workplaces, all industries, all pay rates, all neighborhoods, all communities, and all people.” She adds, “we must acknowledge that all of us have much learning and un-learning to do about interacting with respect, compassion, and kindness.” Johnson Hostler concludes by relaying that “each of us must commit to interrupting when we see instances of sexism, discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence.”
NCCASA, along with rape crisis centers and partners across NC, will hold a press conference to relay our commitment to building a world without violence by challenging the systems and social conditions that enable sexual violence to exist, and we invite you to join us in that work.
Who: North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault
What: Press Conference to discuss recent sexual assault and harassment reports
When: Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 10:00am
Where: Interact, 1012 Oberlin Rd., Raleigh, NC 27605
ABOUT THE NORTH CAROLINA COALITION AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT
The North Carolina Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NCCASA) is a statewide alliance working to end sexual violence through education, advocacy and legislation. NCCASA provides prevention education, intervention resources, and public policy to end all forms of sexual assault. Our dedicated staff works with almost 80 rape crisis centers across the state in addition to the military, law enforcement, college campuses, attorneys and allied professions to create a coordinated response to sexual assault. For more information visit www.nccasa.org
For Immediate Release
December 4, 2017
Contact: Monika Johnson-Hostler, [email protected] (919) 871-1015 or Christina Brewer, [email protected], (919)706-9755