Was she asking for it?

April is Sexual Abuse Awareness month. Many of you who know my story know that sexual abuse was a major component of my life as a child. I know all too well what that type of trauma can do. What is absolutely astounding to me is that someone can look at a young girl and believe that she was asking for it.

There was a recent case in the news about an 11-year-old girl who was gang raped, and the first defense by the young men who raped her was that she was asking for it. What makes that even worth reporting is the fact that so many people seem ready to buy into that lame excuse for violent behavior.

I’ve written a blog in The Huffington Post that discusses some of the beliefs we hold as a society that foster this kind of irrational and dangerous thinking. It’s so important that we examine our cultural beliefs so we can all help to eliminate the milieu that promotes sexual assault. You can read and comment on the blog at https://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-king/was-she-asking-for-it_b_850153.html