Welcome to Say Something! We’re Really Glad You’re Here

A large, resounding, concept has always seemed true to me: everyone benefits from a violence-free world. This would be a world where everyone is safe to be who they are, truly connects with others and themselves, and lives without fear. Just think about that for a second- what would that really mean for you, personally?

But for some reason, that’s not the world we all live in. For whatever reason, our world can be unsafe, scary, and dangerous at times, and — more specifically — for specific people.

I would argue that there are names for these reasons; names like sexism, racism, transphobia and homophobia, classism, religious intolerance, fear of immigrants, and the list can go on. But basically, the concept is: there are huge inequalities within our society and culture that create unsafe environments within our communities.

When that realization sinks in (and trust me, it can definitely take some time to digest it all), it can be a really daunting, overwhelming reality. Don’t you think? It sometimes leads many of us to think — including those of us who have been working for years to fight symptoms of an unjust world, like domestic and sexual violence — “I am just one person? How could I ever make change in the face of these huge problems?”

Then there is a second piece of the puzzle, and this is an important one:

When we dial back all the giant inequalities infiltrating our systems, we see that they are supported by perhaps smaller, less egregious acts of violence and discrimination — acts that we see on a daily basis. Because we are all raised in this culture, there are things ingrained in us and our communities that contribute to the reasons listed above. Things like bias, prejudice, and stereotypes that make their way into our normal day-to-day interactions in the form of jokes, language, social media, and personal thoughts and beliefs. Sometimes they happen subconsciously, sometimes they happen without notice, and sometimes they happen intentionally and hurtfully.

But here’s the good news. Because these things happen around us every day, there are tons of opportunities for us to take action and make a difference. That is what the Say Something Prevention Program is all about. We believe that no matter who you are, whatever roles you play in the community, and whoever you come in contact with, you have the ability to Say Something to prevent interpersonal violence. And, at Say Something, we are here to help give you the skills, language, and encouragement to Say Something in your everyday life when you see or hear one of these little things. Whether it be a friend making a joke about stalking, someone in your family rigidly enforcing stereotypical gender roles, a co-worker making a racist or homophobic comment, or any other acts of prejudice you encounter — we’re here to help you Say Something.

Our program operates around the motto: Learn. Act. Be. Our goal is to help you know more, build skills, and become a prevention superhero in your communities. In this moment, you may not feel comfortable having the difficult conversations that this work entails. And that’s okay. We hope that we can help you to have a little more confidence and skills, so the next time you hear or see something that’s not right, you will Say Something.

Visit our website www.saysomethingnow.org for more information on the many ways to get involved with preventing domestic, sexual and interpersonal violence. You can also "like" us on Facebook, "follow" us on Twitter, and subscribe to this blog.

We are excited to hear you Say Something!


Laura Penney is the Community Engagement Coordinator at Safe Passage and the project director of the Say Something Prevention Initiative.