Tipping Points

Listed are some of the critical events affecting women that have occurred recently in our society. They are documentation for the need for change now. Each article could be the one that inspires you to take action. The tipping point for each person may vary. Refer to this list when someone questions your passion for change. It is not categorized according to outrage, institution or persons involved.

Study Finds Gender Bias

United Nations - Twenty-five years after 189 countries adopted a 150-page road map for achieving equality for women, a new report by U.N. Women says that millions of women still face poverty, discrimination and violence. It notes over 70% of lawmakers and parliamentarians and managers are men, and nearly 500,000 women and girls over the age of 15 are illiterate. (The Dallas Morning News, March 8, 2020)

Child porn runs rampant on big tech platforms despite detection and prevention methods, according to The New York Times.

A new investigation by The New York Times found that the internet’s largest tech platforms are failing to effectively shut down giant portions of online child sexual abuse material found in search engines, social networks, and cloud storage. (BusinessInsider.com, Nov 10, 2019)

A Toxic Place for Women: A new study reveals the scale of abuse on twitter

Amnesty International reported: 1.1 million abusive or problematic tweets sent to 778 women included in a dataset over the course of the year, equalling one every 30 seconds on average. (Time.com, Dec. 8, 2018)

Woman Sexually Assaulted by Man Given Access to Her Hotel Room

Traveling alone for work, she was sexually assaulted when a man got access to her room at an Iowa hotel. The assailant obtained a key to her room from the front desk without having to verify his identity, and entered her room in the middle of night. “All I thought about was surviving.” (CBSNEWS.com, Feb. 25, 2019)

Study: Men, women not equal under U.S. law.

More than 60 other nations score higher in analysis of legal equality. (The Washington Post, Samantha Schmidt, appeared in Dallas Morning News, March, 10, 2019)

She Recorded Her Rapist’s Confession. Now, the Supreme Court Could Hear It.

Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Briggs confessed to raping SSgt. DK in 2005. He was tried by a military judge, found guilt and sentenced to 5 months in prison. (Catherine Valentine, CNN, Aug. 12, 2019)

6 Charts that will change how you think about sexual assault in America

Sexual Assault is a major issue in the United States. FBI, CDC, DOJ, RAINN and other organizations round up statistics on rape and sexual assault. The estimate is staggering.

Using averages from all the reports, and taking into account those crimes which go unreported, roughly 627,700 victims are sexually assaulted every year. (vox.com, Oct. 24, 2016)

Vulgar Video Prompts Outpouring of Abuse

“Women: tweet me your first assaults’ posts brings more than 27 million responses.” Video of Donald Trump engaging in banter about forcing himself on women had a rallying cry for survivors of sexual assault, harassment and other forms of abuse.” This is RAPE CULTURE—the cultural conditioning of men and boys to feel entitled to treat women as objects.” ( The New York Times, Oct. 11, 2016.)

Young girls’ trauma leads Sierra Lione to declare a national emergency over rape

The 56-year-old who raped a 6-year-old was sentenced to a single year in prison. (WashingtonPost.com Feb. 9, 2019)

Sierra Lione’s president declares rape a national emergency

Reported cases of sexual-based and domestic violence have risen in Sierra Lione: 12,209 in 2017, 11362 in 2016 and 10,544 in 2015, according to police figures. (cnn.com, Feb. 8, 2019)

Realities of Sexual Assault on Campus

The United States Department of Justice statistics indicate: one out of every four female undergraduates with be victim to some form of sexual assault before graduation. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) estimates that at least 95% of campus rapes in the U.S. go unreported. RAINN reports that approximately seven out of ten sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. (bestcolleges.com )

Former Frat President Accused of Drugging and Raping Woman

Fined $400 and set free. Former Baylor University student Jacob Walter Anderson was indicted on four counts of sexual assault in 2016. (HuffingPost.com)

Suit: Dartmouth Ignored Misconduct

Professor harassed and raped students for over a decade, women say. For over a decade, the professors — Todd Heatherton, William Kelly and Paul Whatlen—leered at, groped, sexted, intoxicated, and even raped female students, according to court papers, which were filed Thursday in federal court in New Hampshire. (Sarah L. Cook, The New York Times article appeared in Dallas Morning News on Feb. 16, 2018)

Sen. Joni Ernst Says She Was Raped In College

The lawmaker, one of the highest-ranking women in Congress, told Bloomberg News that she was sexually assaulted by someone she was dating while studying at Iowa State University. (HuffingtonPost.com, Jan. 24, 2019)

Robert Kraft’s Arrest Is About Way More Than Just Him

The real story is vulnerable women. Billionaire Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged on Friday with soliciting sex at a massage parlor in Florida. After a six month sex trafficking investigation into southern Florida massage parlors. “The girls can’t leave and they’re performing sex acts.” The federal definition of sex trafficking is soliciting, transporting or harboring someone being forced or coerced into sex acts. (HuffingtonPost.com Feb. 23, 2019)

Federal Prosecutors Broke Law With Plea Deal In Jeffrey Epstein Case, Judge Says

The federal prosecutors referred to in this article include U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta. Epstein, a former hedge fund manager, allegedly helped to operate an international sex ring in which he recruited underage girls in Florida and overseas. He was convicted of soliciting an underage girl for prostitution and served only about a year in an arrangement of jail time and work release that began in 2008. (HuffingtonPost.com, Feb. 22, 2019)

How Snapchat Was Used to Groom and Sell a 17-Year-Old Sex trafficking Victim

Devin Ashford was charged in Lincoln, Nebraska for sex trafficking of a minor and possession of child pornography. Snapchat was used to groom and sell victims. Several cases of sex trafficking are linked to sexual predators lurking on Snapchat. ( EndSexualExploitation.org, Feb. 22, 2019)

The Unimaginable Costs of Sexual Assault

Social and behavioral scientists measure the consequences of sexual assault in terms of mental health, physical health and educational outcomes. Post-traumatic stress symptoms may last for years and even decades. (TheConversation.com, Oct. 31, 2018, by Sarah L. Cook)

How 7 Women Helped Put Sexual Harassment on New York’s Agenda

First public hearing on harassment in almost 30 years since 1992. The women in the group worked in Albany at different times, for different people. (The New York Times, Vivian Wang, Feb. 12, 2019)

Porn is mainstream, free, hardcore and harming our children and youth

Studies indicate: “teen porn” searches was the second most popular search term worldwide. Extreme gangbang searches increased increased 275 percent in recent years. (Cultured Reframed Organization)

There are e-books that include titles such as “A School Girl’s Secrets: My First Porn”

Material promoting sex trafficking of women can be purchased online. One in five tweens — age 11 to 14 are victims of violence. (National Center on Sexual Exploitation)

Ten million or approximately 8 percent teens girls in U S have experienced rape or attempted rape (CDC, Division of Violence Prevention, 2012 report)

This CDC number indicates the approximate number of girls experience violence. Many do not report their incident.

More than 200 colleges and universities are under investigation

Report by the federal government for their handling of sexual violence complaints. (The Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights announced)

University of Texas Rape Study Details Emerge

Study results show that 15 percent of undergraduate female students said they had been raped. (Dallas Morning News, March 25, 2017)

Former Stanford Swimmer Accused of Raping an Unconscious Woman on Campus

Two men riding bikes on campus spotted Brock Turner raping the woman. He ran. He was sentenced to 6 months in jail. He served a few days. (Los Angeles, Jan. 27, 2017)

Athlete Gets 17 Years for Rape

Football player invited teammates to assault unconscious woman. Surveillance video showed Brandon Vandenburg, a former Vanderbilt football player, helping to carry the woman into his dorm room. He handed out condoms to three teammates and egged them on. The 23-year-old took cellphone video of the June 2013 dorm rape. He was convicted and sentenced to 17 years in Jail. Cory Batey, was convicted and sentenced to 15 years. Jaborian McKenzie and Brandon Banks where awaiting disposition of their cases. (DMN, Nov. 5, 2016)

How a Former Indiana University Student Got Probation After Being Charged with 2 Rapes

John Enochs, a former fraternity member and student of Indiana University was given one year of probation as part of deal after facing charges related to rapes of two female students that occurred 18 months apart. The judge ruled it a misdemeanor, even though it is a Level 6 felony in the state. Court records obtained by The Huffington Post of this 2015 case. Many people have compared the outcome to that of Brock Turner a former Stanford University student. (Huffington Post, June 28, 2016)

DARVO (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender) is a term coined by Jennifer Freyd, University of Oregon, psychology professor in 1997

DARVO is the strategy used by sexual offenders.

USA Gymnast doctor Larry Nassar sexually abuses young team members for years.

Larry Nassar sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for decades of sexual abuse. The disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor was sentenced to prison after more than 150 women and girls said in court that he sexually abuse them. (Eric Levenson, CNN, Jan. 24, 2018)

Dr William Strampel, Dean of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University:

Dr William Strampel ignored accusations about Nassar for years and he himself was charged with sexual misconduct

Harvey Weinstein was confronted by Hollywood women for harassment, sexual assault

October 5, 2017, New York Times published a story detailing decades of sexual harassment by Harvey Weinstein. Grand Jury indicts Weinstein of rape and criminal charges of sexual assault. In May, 2019, Weinstein and former studio board members reach a tentative deal with women who accused him of sexual misconduct, as reported by the U S media. (BBC, Timeline of Events, May 24, 2019)

Members of Congress use taxpayer money to hide sexual Scandal

Texas Rep Blake Farenthold resigns from Congress April, 2018 amid sex scandal.

U.N. Finds Alarmingly High Levels of Violence Against Women

The evidence is ubiquitous. The gang rape of a young woman on a bus in New Delhi. In South Sudan, women are assaulted by both sides in the civil war. In Iraq, jihadists enslave women for sex. And American colleges face mounting scrutiny about campus rape. About 35 percent of women worldwide (or one in three) said they had experienced physical violence in their lifetime. Valerie M. Hudson, a professor of politics at Texas A & M University has developed world maps that chart the status of women. (The New YorkTimes, March 9, 2015)

Flier in a college dorm restroom advised students on how to get away with rape

“Top Ten Ways To Get Away With Rape.” School officials did not alert students. That university had 27 reported cases of sexual assault between 2009 and 2011.

Experts say U. S. among 10 most dangerous nations for women

Thomason Reuter Foundation survey of 550 global experts in women’s issues: violence, coerced sex.

Dartmouth College sued following professor misconduct allegations

Former Dartmouth professors Paul Whalen, Bill Kelley and Todd Heatherton created a hostile academic environment and were involved in sexual misconduct, according to a class-action lawsuit. (necn.com, Nov. 15, 2018

Harvard’s Head Diving Coach Resigns

Harvard’s Head Diving Coach sent pictures of his penis to young female athletes. Class action suit. ( Elizabeth Joseph, CNN, Oct. 9, 2018)

Nuns urge reporting sex abuse to police

Global group of sisters condemns culture of silence and secrecy. The International Union of Superiors General, which represents more than 500,000 sisters worldwide, vowed to help nuns who have been abused. (Dallas Morning News, Nov. 25, 2018)

Nuns were sexually abused by priests as church looks the other way (AP, 21, 2019)

Nuns urge reporting sex abuse to police. The Catholic Church Global organization of nuns has denounced the ‘culture of silence and secrecy’ surrounding sexual abuse in the church is urging sisters who have been abused to report the crimes to police and their superiors. (Dallas Morning News, Nov. 22, 2018)

Abuse of Faith. 20 years, 700 victims

Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reforms. (Houston Chronicle. Reports San Antonio Express News, Feb. 10, 2019)

Students sue to Open Yale fraternities to women

Three women who attend Yale University sued the school and nine all-male fraternities seeking to force the social organizations to admit women in response to alleged sexual assault, harassment and discrimination. The class-action lawsuit indicates fraternities are not only breeding a toxic sexual culture but also give undue economic and professional benefits to male fraternity members. (AP News, Feb. 12, 2019)

Catholic Cardinal: Potential Proof of Abuse Destroyed. Rome (CNN)

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx said Saturday that documents that could have contained proof of clergy sexual abuse in the Catholic Church were destroyed or never drawn up. (CNN.com, Feb. 25, 2019)

‘You Were Stupid’ Journalist Robin Westen made shocking revelation of her long-ago rape in our June/July issue.

She kept her silence for 50 years. She brings us up to date on readers’ responses and the blurring effect of the Kavanaugh hearing. Most responses were uplifting, a few were angry. (AARP, The Magazine, 2018)

#MeToo: In Canada, rape myths continue to prevent justice for sexual assault survivors.

New Canadian law intended to empower sexual assault complainants looks good on paper, but is not likely to remove major obstacles for women seeking justice. (TheConversation.com, March 5, 2019)

#StopThisShame, #GirlsAtDhaha, #WhyLoiter and More: women’s fight against sexual harassment didn’t start with #MeToo.

Campaigns in India, Campaigns in Pakistan, and other countries. Recognizing global campaigns. (TheConversation.com, March 8, 2019)

Automation Could Widen Inequality between Women and Men in U.S. Labor Market.

The Institute of Women’s Policy Research detailed report on inequality in U. S. labor market. (March 13, 2019)

Cardinal George Pell, Vatican Treasurer, Convicted of Child Sexual Assault

Pell is the highest-ranking member of the Catholic Church to be convicted of such crimes. He was found guilty of five counts of historical sexual offenses related to the sexual abuse of two choirboys in 1996 and 1997. ( as reported by Huffpost, The Washington Post and The Daily Beast Feb., 2019)