Client Stories
“Jen”
Jen was sexually assaulted in a classroom at her school. The client feared severe retaliation from the assailants and their friends if she returned to school, feeling she had no alternative but to drop out. The VRLC successfully argued that under the federal No Child Left Behind Act the client’s school district was required to provide an immediate safety transfer to another area school. She is now continuing her path toward a high school diploma.
"Peter"
Peter was working at a job that he really enjoyed. When a new employee came on, he began sexually harassing Peter and eventually sexually assaulted him at work. Peter did not feel he could report to his manager because his manager and the new employee were friends and he was afraid he would lose his job. Peter felt so unsafe at work that he eventually he left his job. Having no income, Peter applied for unemployment benefits but was denied. The VRLC represented him at his appeal hearing, the decision was reversed, and he is now receiving his benefits.
Anonymous
People still seem to think that women get sexually assaulted by the one abnormal, criminal man, or that it's the victim's fault. Maybe our project will help change these misconceptions. I'd like folks to know, not just cerebrally but viscerally, that sexual assault happens every day, all the time. That it's something as a society, we still seem to allow. Even though it's legally criminal, we still have in place all the things that make sexual assault legitimate. We get assaulted by our friends, family, neighbors, church associates, classmates, strangers, lovers, husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, cousins, uncles, first dates, longtime partners, best friends, acquaintances, and anyone else you can imagine. If all these people think it's ok to hurt us, how can society say that sexual assault is merely an aberration?
Images by Catherine Pedomonti