Dear survivors of sexual violence, In a world where sexual violence often goes unrecognized and stories of survival are misrepresented by mainstream media, many survivors choose to keep their stories hidden. Take Back the News invites you to share your story of survival in a public forum. By sharing your story, you confront the stigma associated with sexual violence and release the shame that many survivors carry. A sense of empowerment can be achieved through the public sharing of your experience. By adding your voice, your story, you will also help others understand what rape is and how it affects real people. The stories on our site are organized into specific areas of experiences with the intention of providing a writing focus for survivors who choose to share their stories and a resource for those who may have had similar experiences. As you share your story, you may re-live traumatic details of your experience. We encourage you to take care of yourself and to seek support during this process. Take Back the News provides links to resources that may also be of help. Please take this opportunity to add your voice to the voices already breaking the silence. You will help create a culture of responsibility and ultimately a culture of change. Please help all of us take back the news. Respectfully, Emily, Maria, Laura, Julia and Julia Board of Directors Note to Survivors Who’ve Already Shared their Stories: Take Back The News has made the effort to contact every survivor who has submitted her/his story in the past in order to allow you to select the area of experience that your story should be published under. Some of our contact information may have been outdated, so you may not have heard from us. If you would like to see your story published under a different area of experience, please contact Emily.