The amount of misinformation out there on sex trafficking recently has reached a level that I’m not sure we can even come back from. People are truly, fully convinced that sex trafficking = random women and children getting kidnapped off the street at random. And I see a lot of “why does it matter if we’re 100% accurate as long as we’re raising awareness?”

Because you’re NOT raising awareness. Not for victims of stranger abductions, and not for victims of human trafficking. You are simply making up stories and spreading rumors.

Hi Minneapolis! TW for sexual assault.

Patricia Neal, mother of Alec Neal, who is currently in prison for breaking into his ex girlfriend’s apartment, raping her, and slashing her with a knife, is now apparently also working with my rapist, who is a violent serial offender. Not only that, but she’s allowing him to hide his full name - which is Daniel Drill-Mellum - on video calls. He’s going just by “Dan”, or “Dan Drill”. Everyone in this call had their full name listed, except for the man who was convicted of hunting and raping girls.

Thread:

One of the most common questions I get from fellow survivors of sexual assault or abuse is how to get through visits to the OB/GYN or other medical exams that feel triggering and invasive (like the dentist or proctologist). Here are my best tips: 1. The most important thing is to communicate to your medical providers. This can be easier said than done, so bringing a loved one with you to advocate can be helpful if it’s possible.

I’m going to share something I never have. Partly because the Chauvin trial itself is incredibly triggering, but mostly because of how triggering it is to see people defending him and Minneapolis Police everywhere I look. I talked to a civil attorney once about suing Minneapolis Police. He got all the information I had before telling me that I was a liar, out to ruin a “good man’s” reputation. Clearly, they had a personal connection. The next morning, I started getting followed by police.

THREAD:

Minnesota, I know so many of you have been outraged by the recent Supreme Court ruling. I know you want to help make a difference. I need you to read this and act now, because unfortunately, the clock is ticking on this year’s legislative session. Minnesota’s Supreme Court cannot fix this. Minnesota’s state legislature is responsible. The law has been backwards and terrible for many years, and a working group has been working on rewriting the statutes for the last two years.

The average person has no idea the lengths that most victims of abuse go to to hide the abuse from everyone. The reason you don’t see abuse isn’t because it isn’t happening - it’s because both the abuser and the victim are often heavily invested in hiding it. It makes sense why an abuser would hide their behavior. But most people can’t wrap their minds around why victims cover for their abusers. First & most importantly: this is often someone that they love. Someone who loved was good to them once.

THREAD:

I asked twitter yesterday for resources on prison/police abolition that address sexual violence & domestic violence, and I’m going to share everything in a thread. These resources range from personal narratives to books to academic articles - it’s a wide range. Survivors: if the mere idea of abolition (or analyzing our punishment for violence in general) makes you anxious, you do not need to grapple with this. It is not your responsibility to figure out how to heal the brokenness that has already heavily impacted you.

I’ve been holding back from commenting on Title IX issues for the last couple years, because I am far from an expert. But today, I’m setting aside trying to be an expert and just talking about why, personally as a rape survivor, I’m seriously concerned about the new guidelines. TW: sexual assault for a lot of this thread.

In 2014, I was raped. It happened in broad daylight during a tailgate party by a fellow student. It was extremely violent. When I ran onto the street, a fellow student told me I needed to go to the hospital. I called 911.

TW: sexual violence & reporting

In 2014, a serial rapist/fellow college student raped me. I don’t want to go into details (but feel free to google if you are curious). I escaped around 12 pm onto a street full of people. I was pretty incoherent, but someone told me to call 911. I hadn’t necessarily had fun experiences with law enforcement before (which is maybe expected, given my teenage activities). But I never would’ve predicted that I would be treated badly as a crime victim. Almost as soon as I was in the back of the ambulance, things went sideways.

I’ve seen a lot of talk about suicide this weekend, and a lot of “call a hotline”. Which is absolutely one good solution. But as someone who has been down this road many times myself, I know it’s not that simple. So here’s a thread for folks struggling with suicidal thoughts: First off: wait. Press pause on whatever plan you’re making. Promise yourself each time that you have suicidal thoughts that you’ll wait at least 3 days (or a week, or a month, or a year - whatever feels manageable) before taking any action.

Every once in a while, sexual assault hits the media in a big way. And yet we hardly ever elevate the work of advocates for victims of sexual violence, who work day in and day out to make a better world & are rarely heard. There are lots of constructive things you can do to help. Did you know that most rapes reported to law enforcement are pretty much ignored? Rape kits not tested, witnesses not interviewed, reports not even written. Do you know what this looks like locally for you?