By Dr. Laura McGuire
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time when survivors and their allies come together to be seen, heard, and create change for the future. We talk a lot about prevention and crisis, which are both vital parts of the conversation, but rarely do we discuss long–term recovery. Sexual violence isn’t the kind of emotional or physical wound that heals easily. The pain and injury is deep and, even after the trauma has become a distant memory, it is a memory that lingers. Even years later, the memory of sexual violence can still affect our dating lives or how we respond to a lover’s touch. We think that those days of crisis are behind us, but far too often, they continue to create barriers and hurdles of pain not yet explored and trauma that is yet to be faced. It can seem easier to believe that, if we don’t think about trauma, it will all go away. But, as many survivors can attest, that is far from the truth.
In December 2015, I set off in my Fiat 500 from Florida to my new home in Texas. I had just completed my doctorate degree in educational leadership for change and the University of Houston had hired me to develop and manage a brand–new sexual violence prevention program at their campus. I was honored to have the opportunity to start such a program at a university that would serve 43,000 students from every race, religion, creed, and orientation. I created sexual violence prevention programming for students in every demographic, from athletes to fraternity members, to ESL students striving to pass their proficiency exams. I worked with both survivors and students charged with sexual misconduct, as well as students whose interactions with violence were further complicated by a myriad of socioeconomic, cultural, and lifestyle differences. Therefore, I had to figure out how to tailor a sexual violence prevention program for students whose experience levels ranged from that of passionate activists, to those who came from countries with no adult sexual conversations at all, much less conversations about sexual assault—all while making sure these discussions were applicable and approachable.
I quickly came to love my new city, finding my way as an educator, activist, and scholar in the tapestry that is Houston. As a queer woman, I felt especially at home in the local LGBTQ community and wanted to make sure that these conversations around sexual violence and its prevention focused on the inclusion of all genders and sexualities. Far too often, the face and voice of survivors are white, straight, cisgender women. Certainly, that demographic is a large part of the survivor population in the United States, but statistics show that trans individuals, queer folks, and people of color, are the most at-risk to experience sexual and community violence.
Although, after a year of hard work and dedication to the cause, I ultimately left the University of Houston to pursue a sexual violence prevention career opportunity in New York, Houston still has my heart, and I continue to work remotely to help heal survivors in the Bayou City who have experienced all kinds of trauma and pain.
On April 27 and 28, and in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, I will be returning to Houston to lead a two-day workshop on healing from trauma for people of all genders, orientations, and identities at The Jung Center in Houston’s Museum District. We will not only discuss sexual trauma, but trauma in all of its forms: complex, medical, communal, secondary, and more. Participants will be gently guided at their own pace through the steps of healing, reconnecting with their bodies, and finding peace in moving forward in all aspects of their lives. For survivors not able to attend the workshop, I will continue to teach and consult one-on-one and for groups both in and outside of the Houston area. There is so much work yet to be done, from visibility to inclusion and increasing support services. No matter what kind or how long ago you experienced trauma, know that there is hope. You are not alone, you are worthy of healing and all–encompassing love, and I and many other wonderful advocates are here to help you on that journey.
What: Gently Healing from Within: A Trauma Recovery Workshop for All Survivors, led by Dr. Laura McGuire.
When: April 27-28, 2018, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: The Jung Center, 5200 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006
Details: Registration is $125 for Jung Center members, $135 for non-members. Click here to register or for more details.
