Statement from Raliance on the results of the Alabama Senate election

A critical mass of voters in Alabama have made a powerful statement: Sexual violence and abuse won’t be tolerated from public officials.

Washington, D.C., Dec. 13, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sexual assault is not a partisan issue. As we have seen in recent weeks, there are numerous public officials across the political spectrum who have used their positions of power to exploit and abuse colleagues, staffers, and members of the public. Although some already have left office, this will not be the last election where voters have to consider a candidate's personal conduct and behavior while casting their vote.

We are encouraged to see that voters are standing up and saying, “enough is enough.” Still, the fight to end sexual violence in one generation will not be won in one day or one election. To all the survivors who are disappointed that this race stayed as close as it did and that the victims who have chosen to come forward faced public shaming and discrediting, we say, “we support you.” Your stories matter, your voices matter, and your impact is being felt across society by carrying this vital movement forward.

As a society, we are beginning to realize that the consequences of all forms of sexual violence on survivors, loved ones, and the surrounding community cannot be ignored. We are holding more people who abuse accountable for their actions than ever before. Film releases are being cancelled, political endorsements are being revoked, and many who have perpetrated harm themselves, rather than attack or discredit their victims, are admitting the truth of their actions as they are made public. This increased accountability is the direct result of recent public shifts in favor of believing and supporting survivors, and it is a welcome sign of progress.

­­Despite this progress, there are still too many whose silence cannot be broken across the workforce, in industries where these experiences are regarded as commonplace and business as usual. We are in a watershed moment for sexual violence prevention. It’s time to carry the momentum of #MeToo forward and rally the public around proven solutions to this widespread problem. It’s time to end sexual violence once and for all.

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ABOUT RALIANCE

Raliance is a national collaborative committed to ending sexual violence in one generation. Comprised of the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence (NAESV), the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), and California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA)–PreventConnect, Raliance was founded in 2015 through a multimillion dollar seed investment by the National Football League. We are making prevention possible by awarding grants, advancing research, policymaking and more. Join the movement at Raliance.org

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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/97696ce7-613d-48c1-98fe-b04e4deedea2

Julie Patrick, National Partner Liaison
                    Raliance
                    202-869-8517
                    jpatrick@raliance.org