What Do “Certificates of Purity” Communicate to Sexual Assault Survivors?

What Brelyn Bowman and Pastor Mike Freeman are communicating to sexual assault survivors is nothing short of cruel.

I Am Learning To Love Myself: Mara’s Story, Part Three

“I had grown up very sheltered — I hadn’t been around an addict or drunk before. Unless they had a bottle in their hand, I had to be told when someone was drunk. I didn’t know what a bong was, I didn’t know what a pipe was. Nursing school and the internet had taught me what sex was and I used urban dictionary to pick look up references my friends or patients made.”

When Home Is Worse Than Rape: Cora’s Story

“My first memories are from when I was 3 or 4. We were living in Little Rock, Arkansas. I remember every detail about that house. We had a cocker spaniel named Lacey. She was the only person/animal that I was ever emotionally attached to for many, many years.”

My Body, My Temple: Beth’s Story

“My first experience with sexual education was that American Girl book, ‘The Care and Keeping of You.’ My mom stapled together the pages that showed how to put in a tampon, because the illustration shows a girl’s vulva.”

Crosspost: Dear Sister, On Your Thirteenth Birthday

“I know what thirteen means. Dad will take you out to dinner and give you a ring. You will put it on your finger and promise him that you will not have sex until the day you marry. I know you will because I did too. And when you say it, you will mean it. I know that. So did I. But I want you to know something, my sweet little sister. You are worth so much more.”

Let’s Talk About Christian Culture and Consent

“in all of the years of growing up in the Church, of getting lectures about abstinence in Sunday school and youth group and True Love Waits, I cannot remember a single mention of consent… For all of the talk about what you couldn’t do, the only talk about saying ‘no’ was about not sinning.”