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This Sunday is National Coming Out Day. Show people it’s safe to be themselves

With the Supreme Court ruling in favor of marriage equality and Caitlyn Jenner’s iconic Vanity Fair cover, issues faced by the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer) community dominated headlines this summer. As we celebrate these victories and the headlines fade, activists continue to rightfully point out the work that remains. We know that […]

Maine elders are victims of abuse, too. Here are 5 ways you can help

It’s hard to miss headlines about Maine’s aging population and what it means for the future of our state. What we don’t hear about as often is the domestic and sexual violence that many of Maine’s older residents experience. The research is difficult to come by because, whereas elder abuse is already significantly underreported, domestic […]

After Josh Duggar revelations, 19 facts about child sexual abuse

News reports, blog posts, TV interviews, social media posts and more have covered recent reports of Josh Duggar, oldest of the Duggars to appear in their reality TV show “19 Kids and Counting,” admitting that as a juvenile he repeatedly sexually abused his sisters. When high profile cases like these surface and more people become […]

‘But what if they’re lying?’ How Maine serves rape victims in jail

“But what if they’re lying? Aren’t you ever worried about that? What if they’re just trying to get attention?” As Maine’s sexual assault support centers are increasingly serving incarcerated survivors in the state’s correctional facilities, several people have asked me these questions. By and large, however, I know that incarcerated survivors are telling the truth. […]

3 big ways technology can help prevent domestic and sexual violence

We live in a world that is increasingly driven by technology. Our lives are more connected than ever through the web, and we rely on devices and apps to communicate and conduct our daily business. For many of us, this near-constant interconnectedness is the new normal. Unfortunately, for survivors of domestic and sexual violence this […]

What we can do about teen dating violence

Hooking up. Hanging out. Facebook official. Regardless of what teens call their romantic and/or sexual relationships, teens deserve to be happy, healthy and safe. Teen dating violence is a significant problem in Maine communities, and everyone has a role to play in its prevention and intervention. Approximately 9 percent of high school students have been […]

On Rolling Stone’s retraction of gang rape story: The devil has enough advocates

Recently a story about a University of Virginia student named Jackie and the brutal gang rape she suffered was published in Rolling Stone Magazine. Today, Rolling Stone issued a statement saying it was sorry that it mislead readers and that “there now appear to be discrepancies in Jackie’s account, and we have come to the conclusion […]

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