ABOUT START BY BELIEVING
START BY BELIEVING IS THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO TRANSFORM THE WAY WE RESPOND TO SEXUAL ASSAULT
It was created by End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI), America’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving criminal justice responses to sexual assault.
Paving The Road To Justice And Healing
Most victims of sexual assault never report the crime to law enforcement, often because of the responses they receive from friends and family members. Our Start by Believing campaign is designed to change this. By preparing both professionals and loved ones to respond appropriately to sexual assault disclosures, we help to improve outcomes for victims – one response at a time.
Knowing how to respond is critical, because a negative response can worsen the trauma and foster an environment where perpetrators face no consequences for their crimes. What’s worse, this means a victory for the perpetrator, who remains free to rape again. And statistics show that rapists don’t just attack once – many re-offend, often multiple times. It’s a frightening equation: One failed response can mean additional victims. Start by Believing stops this cycle of silence by improving our personal and professional responses.
My name is Erica. I am a survivor, and the mother of an amazing young woman who trusted me enough to disclose her abuse to me last year. I am so proud of her! When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Neo. I am a member of the United States Air Force, a victim advocate and a friend. I will always be there to support victims of sexual violence. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Ryan. I am a Criminal Investigator of sex crimes – as a Husband, Father, and male role model, I strive to become better for the people involved. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Yolanda. I am a strong advocate for survivors of sexual violence. I have family and friends who are deeply impacted. I especially care about the Navajo children. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Maurice. I am a Security supervisor at the University of Michigan Department of Public Safety, Ann Arbor campus. What better way to remove barriers? When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Tina. I am victim advocate with South Salt Lake Police Department and I care about how we all respond to victims who have been raped or sexually assaulted. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Lucia. I am emergency room nurse at Good Shepherd Emergency Department in Barrington, Illinois. In my career I helped a lot of victims of sexual assault. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
My name is Melissa. I am a prosecutor, a mother, and a believer. I am invested personally and professionally in helping victims be heard and in bringing offenders to justice. When someone tells me they were raped or sexually assaulted, I
Start by Believing.
More Than A Few Words
Start by Believing was launched during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April 2011 in conjunction with the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence and Stalking hosted by EVAWI in Chicago, Illinois.
Yet Start by Believing is more than a few words. It is not simply a pledge that an individual might take, or a public awareness campaign that an agency or community might adopt. It is not a specific phrase that needs to be said to victims.
Rather, Start by Believing is a philosophy that should guide our responses to sexual assault. It “flips the script” on the message victims have historically received from professionals and support people, which is: “How do I know you’re not lying?”
To truly implement a Start by Believing approach, this should have profound implications for every aspect of a community’s response to sexual assault. The philosophy should carry over into policies, daily practices, and multidisciplinary protocols of all the agencies that serve the needs of victims.
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