Catheleen Heyliger

October 17, 2014

Stronger Together: A Community-based Approach to Address Sexual Violence against Women of Color

Outraged by the alarming statistics regarding sexual violence against women, particularly women of color, I decided to make a difference in my community this past summer. During my internship at Kingsborough Community College in Brooklyn, NY, in my capacity as T.A. for Project A.C.E., I helped students put together class presentations, through which they will raise on-campus awareness regarding domestic violence during the fall semester. In addition, I launched a campaign entitled Stronger Together in Brooklyn against sexual violence on women. This presentation argues that sexual violence is still a taboo. Many people are not aware of the pervasiveness of sexual violence in their communities, yet not enough is done to address sexual violence in communities of color. While highlighting the lack of intervention, my work provides a conceptual framework for community-based intervention and implementation of culturally competent services for sexual violence survivors.