Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
An essay about personality
An essay about personality
An essay about personality
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Every 98 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. Every year, over 300,000 victims are raped and sexually assaulted in the United States. Each one of these victims face emotional distraught for many years to come, including Melinda, the main character of Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel, Speak. However, at the end of the novel, Melinda resolves her internal conflict by speaking about her problems. Unfortunately, not enough people speak up about sexual abuse, however, victims of sexual assault can find the emotional and mental support they need just by stepping out of their comfort zone to speak up about their condition. Undoubtedly, speaking up helps people overcome difficult situations
There are those who believe speaking up does not help
…show more content…
to overcome difficult situations. For example, some claim that speaking up can negatively influence current relationships. This idea is supported in Barton Goldsmith’s article, “Talk About Your Problems, Please”, when he states, “...you may be embarrassed to share what’s really going on for you. That's why it’s so important to talk with someone who is comforting and nonjudgmental” (Text 2). This quote expresses how talking to people who are not comforting and judgmental can create embarrassment, which can worsen the situation. It proves the point true because it suggests that speaking to the wrong people about personal problems can escalate the victim’s problem, which makes speaking up counterproductive. However, there is more evidence to show that speaking up does help to overcome difficulties. For example, letting someone know about a difficult situation can allow them to help. In Goldsmith’s article, he states, “You may find that brainstorming with another person or even a group will help you find new ideas to help you move forward. When you know someone has your back, that emotional support can make all the difference” (Text 2). This quote expresses that talking to someone can reassure us that things will be alright, and spark new solutions. It proves the point true as these new solutions would be steps towards the final goal of overcoming the difficulties, and that we can be encouraged to move forward by simply knowing that those around us are aware, and will be there for us with their constant support and ideas. In addition, speaking up also helps people open their eyes to people who share the same views as them. In the novel Speak, it states, “There’s more. Different pens, different handwriting, conversations between some writers, arrows to longer paragraphs. It’s better than taking out a billboard“ (Anderson 186). This quote explains that to Melinda’s surprise, others also shared her opinion about Andy, and voiced their opinions about him on the bathroom stall. This supports the point because by her speaking up, she finds out that she is not alone in her fight against Andy, and that if she ever rallied against him, she would have the support of many other girls. Finally, history has shown that those who have spoken up for what they believe is right have resulted in tremendous success.
For example, during Frederick Douglass’s speech on women’s suffrage, she states, “They are seen in the steady growth and onward march of the movement, and they will be seen in the final triumph of woman’s cause, not only in this country, but throughout the world” (Text 3). This quote explains that during the Women’s Rights Movement in the U.S., women stepped up and voiced their complaints about the lack of women’s rights, and it has resulted in significant reforms to better balance gender equality. This supports the point because as the voices of several women resulted in a major change in American society for the better.
In conclusion, speaking up helps people overcome difficult situations. Even though speaking up to the wrong people can make things worse, it can be avoided by choosing your friends carefully. Additionally, the benefits of speaking up greatly outweigh the risks of speaking, as it allows others to help, and to see that there are others who are in the same situation as you. In addition, it has been shown in history that speaking up works. If no one spoke up, we would have less freedom in a country with unequal
laws.
Throughout the passages, Laurie Halse Anderson establishes the Central Idea through the use of Characteristics and Imagery, revealing that the loudest words are the ones that aren’t spoken.
Although these women did not live to cast their votes in an election, their hard work did pay off by obtaining women the right to own property and fight for custody of their children in a court of law. In this day women cannot imagine being thrown out of their homes because their husband had died or being forced to leave their children in order to escape an abusive relationship.
However, the writers of the Constitution had omitted women in that pivotal statement which left women to be denied these “unalienable” rights given to every countryman. Gaining the support of many, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, the leader of the Women’s Rights Movement declared at Seneca Falls that women had the same rights as men including the right to vote and be a part of government. The Women’s Rights movement gained support due to the years of abuse women endured. For years, men had “the power to chastise and imprison his wife…” and they were tired of suffering (Doc I). The new concept of the cult of domesticity supported women’s roles in society but created greater divisions between men and women.
The plot of the book, Speak is that Melinda Sordino, a freshman at Merryweather High went to an end of the summer party with some of her friends. Things take a turn for the worst when a senior named Andy Evans sexually assaults her at the party without her friends knowing about it. Melinda is frightened, afraid, and does not know what to do so she calls 911 busting the party, and causing her friends and everyone at that school to hate her, even if they don’t know her.
For many years people fought and struggled for change to make the world a better place. People struggle for change to feel equal by actively fighting for human rights, they urge people to abide by the rule of law to accomplish these equal rights, and they fight for a change in the future to ensure that the work they have done is not destroyed by the younger generations. Thanks to the hard work of our ancestors, the freedom that we are granted benefits many people around the world today. If it were not for their struggle we would not have some of the privileges we have today, such as the right to vote. Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells are both exemplary examples of advocates for the women’s suffrage. They marched and protested for the right to vote which eventually led to the 19th amendment. It took a very strong leader to accomplish this goal, a person that believed in the rule of law and a change for the future. These women are just two examples of people who were self motivated for a change. Many other people struggled for a change in what they believed in,and if they fought hard enough their efforts
Suffrage leaders adopted new arguments to gain support, emphasizing the special moral and material instincts that women could bring to the table, rather than insisting solely on the justice of women's suffrage or equal rights. Thanks to these women who pushed boundaries and took leaps, they are now a significant part of America's government and how our country operates.
After many years of battling for equality among the sexes, people today have no idea of the trails that women went through so that women of future generations could have the same privileges and treatment as men. Several generations have come since the women’s rights movement and the women of these generations have different opportunities in family life, religion, government, employment, and education that women fought for. The Women’s Rights Movement began with a small group of people that questioned why human lives, especially those of women, were unfairly confined. Many women, like Sojourner Truth and Fanny Fern, worked consciously to create a better world by bringing awareness to these inequalities. Sojourner Truth, prominent slave and advocate
Women’s rights pioneer, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, in her speech, The Destructive Male, expresses her feelings about Women's suffrage in 1868, and brought to light the misconception that women are not equal to man and imply that men bring more destruction than restoration.
Everyone has had that one moment, or maybe a couple. The moment when their life changes forever, the moments when they know they will never be the same person they were yesterday. These moments are turning points that play a large role in a person’s identity.
“Often it isn’t the initiating trauma that creates seemingly insurmountable pain, but the lack of support after.” (Harrell) There is a lot of trauma a victim of sexual assault goes through. This trauma can last years if not dealt with properly, in fact, ninety-four percent of women who are raped experience post-traumatic stress disorder and seventy percent of victims experience moderate to severe distress. Melinda Sordino is also a victim of sexual assault, she’s seen going through the life of a grade nine girl trying to fit into a new environment, make new friends, and find herself, all while coping with her past. Melinda’s distant relationship with her parents leads to her lack of confidence to ask for support and becomes one of the major
Since the birth of our nation, all citizens trying to obtain a goal had to do something to attain it. Citizens of colonized countries had to organize themselves and fight by means of revolution to attain freedom. Slaves who longed for equality had to fight for their freedom. Employees who aspired for better terms and conditions had to form unions that went on strikes and picketed before their rights were recognized. The fight for equal rights caused decades of struggle and massive publicity caused by and in favor of the leaders and its members so that their goal would finally be achieved. The Woman’s Suffrage movement also would not have succeeded had they not woke up and realized that their rights were being violated. One of the first and perhaps most important woman to start the fire of Woman's Rights was Ms. Lucy Stone.
Women began standing up for more rights and realizing that they could be treated better. 1840 the World Anti-slavery Convention in London showed a great example of inferiority of women. Women were denied a seat at the convention because they were women. Women like Elizabeth C. Stanton and Lucretia C. Mott were enraged and inspired to launch the women’s rights movement. Elizabeth Stanton promoted women’s right to vote. “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to forment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.
Sexual assault is an under-reported crime. It is difficult for women to report sexual abuse but it is far more difficult for men. For males, it is exponentially more difficult to report such crimes, thus making it more difficult for victim advocates to present an environment where victims feel comfortable coming forward to report sex crimes. To this end, according to RAINN (2009) male victims of sex related crimes may find it easier to make a first report anonymously, giving them the opportunity to speak to an objective list, specifically trained to address specific and complex emotional issues related to this crime.
The sacrifices, suffering, and criticism that the women activist made would be so that the future generations would benefit the future generations. The oppression and discrimination the women felt in this era launched the women into create the women’s right movement. The women fought so zealously for their rights it would be impossible for them not to achieve their goals. Women soon realized that in order to make sure that they were not treated as second-class status they would need to have the right to vote.
Sexual assault is an offense that plagues many U.S. citizens. Although some studies show that rape is on the decline, other studies report that the phenomena actually occuring is that less rape victims are reporting the crime. In fact, approximately 68% of sexual assaults go unreported to the police according to the U.S. Department of Justice in a National Crime Victimization Survey from 2008-2012. It is common knowledge that rape victims are usually severely traumatized after the event, which leaves them susceptible to various emotions such as shame, anxiety, numbness, fear, denial, and guilt. Because of this, many rape victims decide to repress their experience and let it go unheard. However, not only does this prevent them from healing emotionally,