16 Impacts of Sexual Assault

One in five Australian women will be the victim of sexual assault in their lifetime. In 2010, I became one of those women. It has devastated me and changed my life in ways I could never have understood before it happened to me. The realities of being a victim of violent crime are so little understood, and victims are given so little space to articulate their experience. The media, the law-enforcement and justice systems and most people see the crime but not the impact. Inspired by the "16 Days of Activism to End Gendered Violence" campaign I decided to create this site to tell something of my experience of the impacts of sexual assault. Until we understand - all of us, not just those immediately affected - how rape, assault and all forms of violence devastate lives not only will we be unable to prevent these crimes from happening, but we will also be unable to help and heal those who have been affected. Violence is never acceptable and its impact is always devastating. Say NO to violence and be part of a better world. -- Kate Ravenscroft katerav@gmail.com