#MeToo
It may not be widely appreciated that one in six men has experienced sexual assault. The #MeToo movement has fortunately raised awareness of the prevalence of sexual assault experienced by women (roughly one in three women), but the high rate among male survivors also calls for greater attention. These statistics imply that so many members of our physics community, not to mention folks in worshipping communities, are sexual assault survivors. To this day, the reality of sexual assault and its consequences for the mental, physical, and spiritual health of aspiring and practicing scientists are not discussed within the physics community. The same goes for members of the Episcopal Church and the wider Anglican Communion.
I am a survivor of early childhood sexual assault at the hands of my biological father. The experience was violent, leaving me with deep emotional and physical scars and a resulting mental disability, which I live with and, thankfully, have learned to manage. My intrinsic personal strength and resilience, faith, and support network have enabled me to overcome the significant challenges created by childhood sexual assault and the resulting impact this trauma inflicted on my body, brain circuitry, and mental function. As my healing journey continues, I am acutely aware that I have had access to critical support resources that many victims of childhood sexual assault do not because of race, socioeconomic location, educational opportunities, and other factors. This state of injustice must be addressed.
As with sexual and gender identity, a key barrier to full participation by sexual assault survivors in particular, and for people living with mental disabilities in general, is the stigma of silence. This silence implies that whatever cannot be spoken must be shrouded in shame. I believe that there is no shame in being openly gay, no shame in being a survivor of sexual assault, and no shame in living with a mental disability. I hope that my openness about who I am and what I have experienced will provide hope and encouragement to others in my communities who may otherwise feel that they don’t belong.
For support resources please refer to the 1in6 website.