Perspectives on survivor speech

What I would suggest is, being new in North America, it’s easier for us to open up about this here rather than in our own country, if you’re coming from our cultural background. So, I…

In countries in Southeast Asia, the victims are not protected well when they report sexual violence. That is the fact. So, when any person in CBU [supports] the victims from Southeast Asia, I think I…

So, before I give my advice to [a friend who has been sexually assaulted, I would] ask myself: Can the action described be seen as a sexual violence, as defined in the new policy? And…

When the committee wants to let students know about the existence of the sexual assault policy, they might come up with a number of cases they have dealt with, like, how many cases have been…

Participant 1: It’s just that we are used to sexual assault. We don’t really talk about it back home, right? Participant 2: Right, like it happens but it’s not something that is talked about that…

Facilitator: Yeah, cause like, in Africa, if it happens, then it was your fault. Most times in Africa, they tell you [the person] raped you because, “I told you not to wear that short skirt.”…

We need to raise more awareness about problems like these, because I think in our culture, more than western culture, this type of stuff is slept upon. It’s not talked about enough, or it’s even…

In our culture, sexual assault is considered one of the taboo subjects. It is never talked about. Victims have to suffer through [it] alone, in silence, which makes it much harder. So, I think it…

A question I would have with the policy is the question of anonymity? ‘Cause, you know, like, another participant mentioned, she had a friend that eventually had to take back her complaint, or whatever, ’cause…

If [a friend disclosed sexual assault] I just think that you would have to understand the sensitivity that the situation entails […] and also understand whether or how proveable it is. Because, so many times,…