In February of 2014, a rape accusation of one of the great patriarchs of the 1980’s resurfaced. News casters and reporters were revisiting Bill Cosby, otherwise known as Heathcliff Huxtable’s past accusations of sexual assault against multiple women. Since 2005, women have come forth alleging that Mr. Cosby violated them. Some of the events stemmed as far back as 1970’s but weren’t brought to light until 2005. Mr. Cosby, a man that many perceive as a jovial, loving, fun father figure has recently been characterized as a “monster” who admittedly gave Quaaludes to women with the intent to have sex with them.
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The words “rape” and “sexual assault” are powerful under any circumstances. When the alleged victim is a patient in a nursing home suffering through the late stages Alzheimer’s disease, the apparent crime takes on a certain kind of perverse nature. Add to this picture a perpetrator who is a former state senator, and even the most open-minded of us is ready to abandon the tenet “innocent until proven guilty.”
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December 7, 2014
by Marti Wormuth, MA
What do you think of when you hear the words "sexual assault?" What comes to your mind when you are talking about the issue? Is it something that comes up in conversation at all, or do you try to avoid it on a regular basis because it's such an uncomfortable topic to explore? Have you or a loved one experienced sexual assault? Sadly, many people in the United States and around the world have been affected by sexual assault, either because it has happened to them or because it has happened to someone that they love and care about.
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April 21, 2014
by LuAnn Pierce, LCSW
For many women, sexual assault is the most frightening experience they can imagine. Sexual assault is being forced or coerced to engage in any unwanted sex act, whether physical, verbal or visual. Sexual assault aka sexual violence includes all forms of rape, incest and sexual abuse of children or teens, domestic violence, stalking, sexual harassment and hate crimes. The statistics are staggering.
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