At The Blue Bench, we believe all survivors.
The renewed attention on the Jeffrey Epstein cases has stirred pain, anger, and grief for many people, especially those who have lived through sexual violence themselves. Survivors tell us every day about the ways their experiences were dismissed or minimized. Adult survivors of child sexual abuse describe how their childhoods or teenage years were taken from them by someone they trusted who abused their power. They are left with confusion, guilt and shame, along with the heavy burden of carrying their trauma alone because they feared they would not be believed. Unfortunately, these are not rare stories.
In Colorado, 70 percent of all sexual assaults reported to law enforcement involve children ages 17 and under. Nationally, research shows that nearly one in nine girls and one in twenty boys experience sexual abuse before turning 18.
It is easy to become absorbed in the intensity of media coverage and forget that what we see reported represents only a small fraction of what happens in our communities every day. Sexual violence has long been allowed to fade into the background of our culture, treated as inevitable, minimized, and ignored. But we must remember this: adults using power and influence to target and exploit young people is not normal. Unwanted sexual advances are not normal. Sexual violence is not normal and it is not acceptable.
Ending sexual violence starts with refusing to treat it as “normal.” Every one of us can help challenge this harmful normalization by addressing friends who laugh at inappropriate comments about someone’s body, speaking up against sexual harassment at work, and teaching children about consent, healthy boundaries, and respectful relationships. It’s not only those who commit harm who shape our culture, but also those who stay silent. Let’s work together to build a safer culture for everyone, where our voices and actions stop violence before it begins.
To every survivor who is hurting, who feels triggered, or who feels forgotten during moments like this, we see you. We believe you. It was not your fault. We are here to help.
The Blue Bench remains committed to prevention, education, and survivor-centered care. We refuse to accept a culture where abuse is expected, excused, or overlooked. Our community deserves better, our youth deserve better, and we will continue working until safety, accountability, and belief are the norm.
If you or someone you know needs support, we are here.
24/7 Support Line: 303-322-7273 (English) (Español)
