9781422276075

Introduction

harassment. Men are harassed and assaulted. Women of color are harassed and assaulted at extraordinary rates. So are members of the LGBTQ community. Whoever you may be,

Myth: If you go out, drink alcohol, and go home with someone, you are taking risks; therefore, if an assault happens, it’s your responsibility. Fact: Whatever risks the victimmay have taken do not change the guilt of the

whatever may have happened to you, the most important thing to remember is that it was not your fault. This is discussed in the main text of this book, but it always bears repeating. Nothing you did or did not do absolves the perpetrator from responsibility. The same is true for sexual harassment, whether on campus, at work, or elsewhere. This book will take you from the moments after an assault all the way through to some self-care strategies that may help over the long term. Hopefully, you will pick up some practical tips about how to respond to harassment, how to report incidents to police, and how to start feeling better about yourself and your world. Be sure and explore the many avenues for further information that this book offers. And remember: asking for help doesn’t make you weak, it makes you brave. There are a lot of people out there who want to help—you just need to reach out. ✔ perpetrator. The person who commits the assault is the responsible party, period .

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