Part of our responsibility and opportunity as a spiritual community is to nurture health and wholeness for our congregation and our community. All of us are individuals who live with considerable challenges of all kinds. And as well, the resiliency of each of us is enhanced when we know we are not alone in the struggles. I think of the “I’ll Go With You” allies who go into restrooms and other spaces with transgender people who may be afraid or concerned about their safety. Such an ally may wear a button to designate a safe presence that will offer support, buffering, and nonviolent assistance when asked. We can help each other in ways that seem small but are actually quite significant, bringing hope and reducing stigma and loneliness–support groups, respite centers, recovery programs, a kind listening ear, a safe hug, a voice that says, “You are not alone.”

Recently, I’ve learned of the significant work of www.unshame.org here in Gainesville (a grassroots advocacy organization started by UCG member, Gretchen Casey) to help reduce the pain of those who are survivors of sexual assault. As April is Sexual Assault Awareness month, I am particularly grateful for their work and share it with you as another example of a way that resiliency is enhanced. We may accompany one another in the struggles in this life and as spiritual companions, it is a privilege to do so.

I share the following quotation from the Unshame website:  “Sexual assault statistics are both significant and invisible. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before they turn 18 years old. While in college, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 16 men are sexually assaulted in college. Many survivors never report their assault. With so many hidden survivors, bringing attention to the real impacts of this crime—the numbers of boys and girls, men and women who have experienced rape — is a difficult task. . .Unshame proposes a courageous means to address the shame that too often accompanies the trauma of sexual assault. UnShame is not an attempt to replace crisis centers and victim services. Rather we want to reach the ones who have never called a rape crisis hotline. We aim to catch the attention of someone who may otherwise never set foot in a counseling office. We want to give victim/survivors-in-hiding the opportunity to acknowledge what happened to them and realize that life continues.

We hope that our website encourages you to use the resources that are available to you and to embrace those around you who want to help.

          Unshame  (www.unshame.org) invites individuals to boldly participate and become part of a campaign to bring visibility to the people behind the statistics. Every sexual assault survivor –whether their assault was ever reported, prosecuted, or not—is invited to wear a Me too wristband, button, or temporary tattoo. Unshame understands that many survivors might want to participate, but may not want to share the circumstances of their assault.  Wearing a button or wristband does not require a detailed response. If asked “what does your button/tattoo stand for?” the organizers suggest the following responses:

1. I’m wearing this button because it is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
2. It’s a way of making visible the numbers of people directly impacted by sexual assault.
3. Go to unshame.org or (a participating rape Crisis program website) for a great explanation.
4. I wear this button because I am a voice/face for sexual assault survivors

We have some Me too buttons and temporary tattoos in the foyer of the sanctuary. If you need to know you are not surviving alone, and/or if you want to be a more-aware advocate, wear a button and check out the website for local resources. We can help each other in so many ways. Thank you for being a people who do that!