One alarming fact that Beautifully Made has come to over the past few months is the amount of backlogged rape kits.
It is stated that anywhere between 400,000-500,000 rape kits sit, untouched, untested, in evidence facilities all across the country. This is a fact that goes almost unnoticed in the country today. How come this is a secret that is so well kept?
That is 400,000-500,000 people that never got justice, that went through the process of a rape kit for no reason. That is 400,000-500,000 rape kits that could be influential on finding some serial rapists of today's times.
What are we going to do to help these people get justice? How are we going to ensure that no one ever has to go through the process of a rape kit not no reason? How are we going to change that fact, so one day, we can say that there is no backlog, and that we are up to speed with the rape kits?
These aren't just little things, we're talking about an experience in someones life that was traumatizing, and the process of a rape kit was added on to that trauma.
If we can all spread awareness, and tell people about this backlog, maybe something will be done about it. If we keep everyone aware, we are doing our part in making sure that NO ONE will ever have to experience an injustice.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Beautifully Made
Beautifully Made is an organization that two girls, Kaylie Garcia, and myself, Elisabeth Schwartz created to help advocate and spread awareness against violence. Beautifully Made was created on July 16, 2011. We became an IRS recognized non-profit on August 12, 2012.
Kaylie and I started Beautifully Made when we delved ourselves into working with other outreach programs. We started out with small talk with local women at the women's shelter, and found ourselves in California, listening to people talk about the abuse they had endured. It went from 'Hi, how are you?' To 'Hi, I have been rapped everyday for 5 years' or 'My husband hits me' .
One night, we were sitting at a conference, listening to a woman (who we will call Cathy) talk about how she was rapped repeatedly, and had 4 kids because of it. Then, to support her children, went into prostitution. She ended up loosing custody of them, and hitting rock bottom. Cathy had no one to go to, no one who understood, no one who cared.
We went back the the college dorm we were staying in, and tried to fall asleep. At around midnight, we both got up, and started talking. We shared our stories with each other, we laughed, and cried, and broke down barriers that we had. Making us best friends, and sisters. We also decided to fight back. We knew we could help. We knew that sometimes you just need to know you're not alone, you have someone who understands, someone to listen, and someone to lean on.
We created Beautifully Made right then and there. Right in the spot. We devoted our lives to helping people write a better story for themselves.
Cathy eventually got her kids back, got a real job, got married, and had two kids with her new husband.
...When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go, is up...
Kaylie and I started Beautifully Made when we delved ourselves into working with other outreach programs. We started out with small talk with local women at the women's shelter, and found ourselves in California, listening to people talk about the abuse they had endured. It went from 'Hi, how are you?' To 'Hi, I have been rapped everyday for 5 years' or 'My husband hits me' .
One night, we were sitting at a conference, listening to a woman (who we will call Cathy) talk about how she was rapped repeatedly, and had 4 kids because of it. Then, to support her children, went into prostitution. She ended up loosing custody of them, and hitting rock bottom. Cathy had no one to go to, no one who understood, no one who cared.
We went back the the college dorm we were staying in, and tried to fall asleep. At around midnight, we both got up, and started talking. We shared our stories with each other, we laughed, and cried, and broke down barriers that we had. Making us best friends, and sisters. We also decided to fight back. We knew we could help. We knew that sometimes you just need to know you're not alone, you have someone who understands, someone to listen, and someone to lean on.
We created Beautifully Made right then and there. Right in the spot. We devoted our lives to helping people write a better story for themselves.
Cathy eventually got her kids back, got a real job, got married, and had two kids with her new husband.
...When you hit rock bottom, the only way to go, is up...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)