48 Days of Feminism: A Subtle Way to Support Victims of Violence

If you're a regular reader, then you know earlier this week I published a post about my sister being assaulted by a classmate. When I hear about all the other horrible things that other women have been through, I almost feel guilty. When compared with broken bones, repeated sexual assaults, and women living their lives in an endless cycle of violence, her story seems like small potatoes. Yet I know how hard it was for her, even with all the support. However, she has told me that the support she got made it easier.

The statistics are against us. Here are some statistics from safehorizons.org:

• 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence sometime in her lifetime. 
• More than 4 million women will experience either physical or sexual assault at the hands of their partner. 
• Women ages 20-24 are at the greatest risk.
• Most incidents are NEVER reported. 

There was very little I could do for my sister when she was dealing with the aftermath of her attack. She was more than 5,000 miles away in Poland. She wasn't set to be home for another two months. I couldn't hop a plane, at least not practically, since I had limited funds, no passport and a job. And there was only so much I could post online since it was an ongoing hearing process. Daily Facebook messages were an option, but they didn't feel like enough.

When this happened, Ally was 48 days from coming home. So every day I would post the count, and a girl power quote. I never tagged her and kept it very vague. But she knew to look for it, and I'd like to believe it helped her.

What if every woman in her situation or a similar situation got that level of support. Whether it was how long her assailant went to trial or until she could stop being near him or come home, what if every day until she felt safe, her friends and family sent her a tiny dose of empowerment? Would more incidents get reported? Would more women have the courage to leave their situations and stand up to their abusers? I don't know for sure, but would it hurt anything to try? I challenge you. If you know someone currently facing violence or dealing with the aftermath, you can do something.