Understanding Your Trauma
“PAVE has given me the language I needed to describe the harm I’ve faced.”
After experiencing violence or abuse, many victim-survivors doubt themselves, or wonder if their experience “counted.” They may have trouble understanding or putting what happened into words. Education can serve as a form of validation, and it is one place to start the healing journey.
We’re here to tell you that what you went through is valid, and you are not the only person who has been there.
Understanding sexual violence
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What is Consent?
Consent is essential in all of our interactions, not just sexual activity. When it comes to sexual acts, the presence of consent is what…
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Can I Consent When I’m Not Sober?
Consensual sex can happen after using substances. So, why do we state that consent is sober? When we say that consent is sober, we…
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Digital Consent: Sending Nudes
An incredibly common way to express one’s sexuality online is by exchanging nude, semi-nude, or suggestive images of oneself, sometimes referred to as sexting…
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What Is Sexual Violence?
Sexual violence is an umbrella term for any kind of non-consensual sexual contact, behavior, or aggression. While often used interchangeably with the term sexual…
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What is Sexual Coercion?
Sexual coercion is the act of using pressure, threats, alcohol or drugs, or force to engage in sexual activity with someone. This type of…
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What is Image-based Sexual Abuse?
Image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) is a form of sexual abuse where the perpetrator creates and/or shares sexually explicit images, videos, or audio of a…
Understanding Relationship Violence
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The Cycle of Abuse
The cycle of abuse is a behavioral pattern that abusive individuals use (consciously or unconsciously) to maintain control and power over another person. First…
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What Do I Do When Someone I Know is in an Abusive Relationship?
Recognizing that someone you care about may be in an abusive relationship is painful and often overwhelming. It’s our instinct to want to help…
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Emotional Abuse
Abuse is the act of causing harm or distress, in an attempt to exert control, especially for one’s own advantage or pleasure. Emotional abuse…
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Verbal Abuse
Abuse is the act of causing harm or distress, in an attempt to exert control, especially for one’s own advantage or pleasure.Verbal abuse is…
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Physical Abuse
Abuse is the act of causing harm or distress, in an attempt to exert control, especially for one’s own advantage or pleasure. Physical abuse…
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Financial Abuse
Abuse is the act of causing harm or distress, in an attempt to exert control, especially for one’s own advantage or pleasure. Financial and…
Check Out Our Resource Library
Learn more about sexual violence, relationship violence, mental health, and more by looking at our collection of articles, videos, podcasts, and other resources.