Us, too.

Women and Girls is one of POINT’s core causes.

We believe that all girls have the right to education, safety, and the pursuit of success in their field. We love to see women in science, business, engineering, and other typically male-dominated fields that have no need for a gender barrier. But education and career choice is only one part of the empowerment equation. 

safe·ty: the state of being safe; freedom from the occurrence or risk of injury, danger, or loss

It’s a basic human need. 

For many women, safety is not guaranteed. Not in the home, not in the classroom, and not in the workplace. These past few weeks, many women have been sharing their stories of sexual assault by using #metoo in light of the numerous cases that have sprung up against Harvey Weinstein and other various industry leaders. The goal is to show what a widespread problem sexual assault is – and survivors, we hear you. And we stand by you. 

UNICEF shared stories of women who can’t speak out for themselves with #HerToo. 

Let’s stop the sexual exploitation of girls who can’t speak out. #MeToo #HerToo https://t.co/VsMVoRK2u3 pic.twitter.com/fQs4ydPsKi

— UNICEF USA (@UNICEFUSA) November 1, 2017

Men – we need you to join us by speaking up when you witness other men harassing or talking about assaulting women.

Staying silent allows the harassment to continue. And we must remember, not all sexual assault victims are women. If you hear a boy or a man talking about feeling uncomfortable with something that was said or done to them, take it seriously. 

You can donate to help end violence against girls across the globe, so others will never have to share in those experiences. 

Help empower the women in your community by getting involved in organizations that support them. 

If you are in college, check out the resources available – many have women’s centers or other organizations to support female students and empower them to be safe and successful. 

If you live in Columbus, you could volunteer with the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio, who advocate for justice through collaboration and conversation. Or CORRC, which mobilizes the Central Ohio community against sex trafficking. Or volunteer at a shelter for survivors of domestic violence. 

If you live elsewhere, there are plenty of national women’s organizations – the National Organization of Women, and the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network are good places to start. 

But no matter where you are, everyone can do their part to stop sexual assault from happening. If you see it, speak up. Not sure if it was assault? Ask whoever it happened to if it made them feel uncomfortable or unsafe and go from there. If you’re afraid of “accidentally” sexually harassing someone then there’s a nifty rule you can implement. You can also help expose more men who abuse their power by dropping tips at BuzzFeed. 

If someone in your life has been sexually assaulted and you don’t know what to do, just listen. Tell them you’re there for them, and try to put yourself in their shoes. Use their experience to spur you to act if you see something happening that you think is wrong. And connect them to the resources above that exist to help women.