from jocelyn: 2-14-2013

I'd like to take this time to write about something I wholeheartedly support.

As I talked about earlier, I have had my own experience with this issue.

This is a cause that anyone can relate to in some way.

Whether or not you or someone you know has been assaulted or abused in some way,

we all know young girls and women whom we would never want to go through anything like this.

The statistics alone are astounding.

1 in 3 women on this planet will be raped or beaten in their lifetime.
One of every seven victims of sexual assault reported to law enforcement agencies were under age 6. (Bureau of Justice Statistics, National Incident-Based Reporting System, based on reports from law enforcement agencies of 12 States from 1991 through 1996)
Studies in the US, Israel, Canada, Australia, and South Africa found that 40-70% of female murder victims were killed by husbands or boyfriends. (World Health Organization)
In Ghana, 1 in 7 (15%) females have been circumcised (Coker-Appiah & Cusack, 1999; Ghana National Study on Violence 1998,survey of 2,069 women and girls supplemented by a five-year review of official records).

I'm rising on 2/14/2013.

I'm rising because I no longer consider myself a victim, but a survivor.

I'm rising for those who will never have the opportunity to share their own story.

I'm rising for those whom have felt the same physical, mental, emotional and spiritual pain that I've felt.

I'm rising because it's time.

Are you?