Safe Before Anyone Else is...

Safe Before Anyone Else...is sexually assaulted, harassed, abused, gaslit, victimized and revictimized, traumatized and retraumatized, violated, and harmed. That's what SafeBAE stands for, and I'm very excited to share that after joining the board of directors for SafeBAE earlier this year, I have recently been asked to serve as one of the co-Chairs of the board. The work is very personal to me, and I hold it very close to my heart to protect all kids and prevent abuse and violence in their lives, because we all deserve a life free of violence, especially children.

But the thing is, SafeBAE's work with middle and high school aged students is vital for the safety of EVERYONE. People don't always make the connection of all the areas that such violence touches our lives, so I wanted to share with you some of the impacts our work has on the younger generations as well as your​ lives.

Here are a few ways that SafeBAE impacts yours and future generations' lives.

• The way Moms Against Drunk Driving created a culture of the “designated driver,” we’re creating a culture of the “designated bystander,” only everyone is an aware and proactive bystander.
  
  
  
• If you’re a parent, there are resources and support to help you know how to create a safe and open line of communication with your children.
  
  
  
• There is also support for parents of children who are victims of intimate partner and/or sexual violence, including how to navigate the system.
  
  
  
• What the kids learn through our trauma-informed programs carries on into their adult lives, home lives, and careers, making workplaces safer and all aspects of our lives safer. If you're a business owner, think of it this way--no more lawsuits and worrying about sexual harassment and assault cases or training, because we'll have already done the work for you. 
  
  
  
• Statistics show that kids who experience intimate partner or sexual violence are at a higher risk of seeing their academic performance tank or even dropout—BUT with the right support, they can learn to heal and excel at school and in their careers.
  
  
  
• Better academic performance = better school ratings = better districts = higher property value.
  
  
  
• Our programs train kids to be leaders and activists--we’re shaping the future. 

• Our programs saves lives.
  

• Our programs teach kids their rights, because often when sexual assault is reported, schools are violating kids' TitleIX rights. Do you know your child's rights?

• We're building a safer world for everyone.

These are just a few reasons SafeBAE's work matters. Help us empower kids to be leaders and activists, and CHANGE THE CULTURE. We are beyond tired and frustrated with seeing a new case each week in which a sexual assault victim, a child, is punished for reporting a crime, while the perpetrator is allowed to continue on with life and even protected by the school. It's not right. It should be the other way around. Schools not only have a legal obligation to protect our kids, but a moral one.

And I cannot say this enough, the work we do, the work that the kids do when they're young, is work that affects all of us and every aspects of our lives. Our work helps end gender-based violence. Our work helps achieve gender equality. Our work helps close the gap on social and economic disparities. This means, that our work is one vital component of achieving sustainability for future generations.

So, as you consider your end-of-year givings, please consider giving to SafeBAE. All of our resources and programs are FREE to kids, because we want to ensure that they are accessible to all kids. So, your contribution allows us to continue what we're doing and grow what we're doing. We won't stop until our organization is no longer needed.

If you got this far, thank you for reading and thank you for your support.