Love shouldn’t hurt-ever

Are You At Risk?
by Teresia Smith

Some may not fully understand what constitutes sexual assault. Many believe in order for one to be sexually assaulted you must be attacked and raped in a dark alley by a stranger.

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Love shouldn’t hurt-ever

Abusive Relationship
by Christina Hayes

When someone leaves an abusive relationship, it can lead to some of the hardest times in that person’s life. Leaving someone you love and have hoped would change is extremely hard.

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Love shouldn’t hurt-ever

After Abuse
by Teresia Smith

Sexual abuse, especially early in life, makes trusting others very difficult. If you were abused at a young age, relationships have not ever felt safe or reliable. You may have believed there was no one you could count on. And whoever abused you certainly betrayed you. You may have sensed that something wasn’t right, but you wondered if it was your fault. Maybe you were forced to keep it a secret. Possibly you did tell someone, but perhaps they didn’t believe you, or blamed you, or told you not to tell.

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Love shouldn’t hurt-ever

Keep the Conversation Going
by Teresia Smith

Every year as we close out Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I find myself wondering if we’ve succeeded in reaching more people and given them knowledge and information to make a difference. It is very important to know how to react when someone confides in you that they have been assaulted. And it is very important that you know your community resources so you can help them reach out. Beyond that, there is another thing that is very important — continue the conversation.

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Love shouldn’t hurt-ever

Sexual Assault is More Than Rape
by Teresia Smith

There’s often a misunderstanding that sexual assault is simply another way to describe rape or attempted rape. Sexual abuse is not limited to physical contact.

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