We Gotta Start Talking About Sexual Assault

Whenever I tell people that I am a sex crimes prosecutor, people say, "Eeewww, how can you do that?" And while I can understand that spending one's day talking to kids about the most invasive abuse on their private parts can seem uncomfortable, it shouldn't give people the heebie-jeebies.

As a society, we can talk about all kinds of crimes, including murderers, gangs, and domestic violence, with no problem. We don't think twice about preparing kids about what to do in a fire, earthquake, or tornado. We observe and discuss how the media over-sexualizes teenagers. We go to the movies and laugh at slapstick, dark, and inappropriate humor; we even watch horror and thriller movies with a sense of enjoyment. As to CSI, Law and Order--piece of cake! And we barely flinch at Dr. 90210 as he works away at the human body in search of perfection.

Yet despite all of this, people are constantly telling me they are scared to talk to their kids or even each other about protecting ourselves and our children from sexual abuse. Well, it's time. Just as it was time about 10 years ago to make breast cancer a focus of national concern, it is time for us to feel just as comfortable talking about keeping our bodies and those of our children safe.

The first thing we must do is acknowledge that yes, there is an epidemic of sexual abuse in our society. And even if you don't buy into the statistics put out by organizations or even the government, I can tell you from my own caseload, working in the trenches of Los Angeles County, that sexual assault is rampant. It is rampant amongst whites, blacks, Hispanics, men, women, children, and crosses all socio-economic boundaries. And while we may prefer to think that sexual abuse occurs in dark alleys by random strangers, the fact is that at least 85% (if not more) is perpetrated by someone the victim knows.

We have to recognize that there is an issue--a massive one!--and start talking about it. As soon as we have conversations with each other and our kids, we will be able to do more to prevent it, as well as help victims to come forward and make their way towards short-term healing and long-term survival.

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The Let Go...Let Peace Come In Foundation is a newly formed nonprofit with a mission to help heal and support adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse worldwide. We are actively seeking adult survivors who would be willing to post a childhood photo and caption, their story, or their creative expressions to our website www.letgoletpeacecomein.org. By uniting survivors from across the globe we can help provide a stronger and more powerful voice to those survivors who have not yet found the courage to speak out. Together we can; together we should; together we NEED to stand up and be counted. Please visit our site for more details on how you can send us your submissions.

Thank you for everything you do!

Gretchen Paules
Administrative Director
Let Go...Let Peace Come In Foundation
111 Presidential Blvd., Suite 212
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004