5 Unexpected Benefits of “Coming Out” as a Sexual Assault Survivor
“It’s been almost a year since my ‘coming out’ as a survivor of rape and sexual assault. The changes I’ve experienced have been remarkable.” For Wear Your Voice Mag, April 2017.
Tag: sexual abuse
Serial Abuser/Sexual Predator Bikram Choudhury Loses “Hot Yoga” Empire to One of His Victims
“As if taking an ancient Indian spiritual and meditative practice and turning it into a capitalist and exhibitionist project pre-packaged for western consumption isn’t bad enough, the founder of so-called “hot yoga,” Bikram Choudhury, is a serial sexual predator to boot and has finally lost his entire yoga empire — and his fleet of luxury cars — to one of his victims, former legal counsel Minakshi Jafa-Bodden. While Jafa-Bodden’s $6.7 million lawsuit win was announced in January of 2016, the case has continued to be tied up in the courts, where Choudhury’s appeals have been rejected. At last report, Choudhury fled the United States — some say to his native India but these reports are unconfirmed — and his luxury cars are missing.” For Wear Your Voice Mag, Jan 2017.
Shame is on the Other Side: The 10 Stages of “Coming Out” as an Abuse Survivor
“After the Stanford rape survivor released her powerful and detailed victim impact statement, I was inspired to write my own open letter in which I discussed my experiences with sexual and partner violence. In the months since my “coming out” as a survivor — a decision that I did not make or take lightly — I’ve been actively reflecting on my myriad emotions and identifying distinct stages to the process. As with the five stages of grief, this isn’t a linear evolution; I found myself cycling through some of these stages multiple times before the emotion passed. Here’s what to expect.” For Wear Your Voice Mag, October 2016.
“It’s Not Your Fault”: Netflix’s Jessica Jones and the Outward Ripples of Domestic Violence
“Jessica Jones — played with strength and haunted panache by Gilmore Girls alum Krysten Ritter — is a ‘hard-drinking, short-fused, mess of a woman’ with a minimalist fashion sense, private gumshoe leanings, and superpowered strength.” My 23rd article for HuffPost published in January 2016, and the first time I publicly spoke about being a survivor of domestic violence.