This blog is an update on LiveYourDream.org’s “Dear Survivor” campaign! Keep reading for a free downloadable wallpaper to infuse your day with love and encouragement.
“Empowerment” is a word we hear often, but what exactly does it mean? We are empowered when we are free to act in our own best interest. When someone violates our space — body, mind, or spirit — they violate our freedom.
In January of 2015, 22-year-old “Emily’s” freedom was violated when a Stanford University freshman found her unconscious body behind a dumpster and sexually assaulted her. Brock Turner, her rapist, faced trial and was convicted of felony sexual assault. But instead of the 14 years in prison his crime should have carried, Turner received just 6 months in county jail — a disturbingly lenient sentence (of which he only ended up serving 3 months). Public outrage was enormous. Emily’s open letter to her attacker went viral online, igniting conversations all over the world about campus rape, privilege, and violence against women.
The Stanford case and most instances of sexual violence prove that rape culture still dominates the conversation, perpetuating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety.
The LiveYourDream.org community wants to help change the conversation. We want to amplify compassionate voices calling for an end to sexual violence. We want to create headlines that overflow with love and support for brave survivors who are ready to speak their truth.
We’ve taken some of the 3,000+ messages of encouragement submitted by survivors and supporters during our “Dear Survivor” campaign and published a book called We Are With You: A Love Note to the Stanford Survivor and Every Woman.
We plan to mail a copy of the book to the survivor herself as a token of our gratitude and, hopefully, as a reminder that people all over the world continue to stand in solidarity with her.