October is a time of both fun and gore. The buildup to Halloween entails stores brimming with spooky masks, big rubber snakes and spiders (if you happen to fear those things), thousands of calories of chocolate piled into small bags, and oversexualized costumes for children. Some of these are fun; some are not. Either way, [...]
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8 Minutes to Make a Difference – The Red Zone of Halloween
This past Wednesday marked the beginning of the Red Zone, which will last a full 8 days. For the duration of that time, GW Students Against Sexual Assault (SASA) is hosting their 2nd annual awareness campaign. This year, it’s all about 8 critical minutes. SASA’s campaign focuses on the fact that every 8 minutes, a [...]
The Ides of March and the Myth of Female Sex Objects in Politics
There she was – pretty and flirty and blonde and sexy and damn cute. Like all female political interns, of course. Because both I and the guy are former political staffers and current young professionals living in our nation’s capital, I wasn’t surprised at all when his idea for a first date was to go [...]
Fighting Domestic Violence as Law Enforcement
For much of our history, domestic violence was viewed not as a matter for law enforcement but as a personal or family matter. Because of that communities often stood by while women and men were being hurt or murdered. Finally, those laws have changed. Today, my former police department in Orlando has a zero tolerance [...]
Part II Sex Trafficking in America: A Survivor’s Story
I was 14 years old when I was forced into prostitution. Like many teens at that age, finding my own identity and defying my parents were top on my list. Consequently, when a man came into my life and showered me with attention and listened to me when I complained about my parents, I did [...]
What Steven Greenstreet Doesn’t Understand About Space, Gender, and Occupying Wall Street
I haven’t followed the #Occupy protests very carefully. Maybe that’s because I am one of the few people left in the country who still has full time employment. Maybe it’s because I also go to school at night. Maybe it’s because I’m simply tired. For whatever reason, I haven’t been involved in it. However, it [...]
Pimped Out: Child Prostitution in America
When most Americans hear the words “sex trafficking,” we think oversees. We have all heard of sex trafficking issues in countries like Thailand, Africa, and Eastern Europe, and our hearts go out to those people. When we hear stories about American children being trafficked right here in United States, we are incredulous. No one believes [...]
Limitations Without Representation
As the recent tragedy of Alecia Wheeler has shown in the District of Columbia, legal representation is incredibly important for survivors of domestic violence to be sure they receive the remedy they deserve; in most jurisdictions, a civil protection order. During domestic violence awareness month, we must keep in mind the significant hurdles that still [...]
Making a Domestic Violence Advocate
Whenever I shared with people that I work with victims of domestic violence and am heavily interested in the issue, I used to constantly get strange looks. Why would I want to surround myself with such a depressing issue? It is just that which has made me realize that this type of crime should never [...]
Mary Robinson and The Elders Make Child Marriage Prevention a Top Priority
When the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations convened in New York City in mid-September, those striving to get attention for specific agendas presented their causes at satellite conferences around Manhattan. Members of The Elders, a contingent of independent global leaders focusing on “peace and human rights,” made appearances at the Clinton Global Initiative [...]