If you have a daughter, a sister, or even a friend who’s a girl, two local authors want you to know there’s something you can do to help them combat instances of sexual harassment.
As Time Magazine unveiled its “2017 Person of the Year” it recognized “The Silence Breakers,” those who sparked the #MeToo movement and came forward about the sexual misconduct they said they’ve endured.
Suzy Weibel, a local author, remembered her “me too” moment when she was 10 years old and moments later, when she told her mom what happened.
“But it was the moment in which I realized that my mom was my safe place, that she was going to place my value above anything else,” Weibel said.
Today, she’s a friend and co-author with Dannah Gresh.
Together they write books to empower girls ages 9-12 and open communication about important issues “from body image issues to eating disorders to even sexual abuse,” Gresh said.
Gresh is also the creator of The Secret Keeper Girl, which combines her books and live events to send a message about self-worth.
She said instilling the importance of value in a young girl’s mind will better prepare them for any situation involving harassment in their future.
“And we believe that when a girl understands her worth, she is more likely to react in a healthy way when these things happen,” Gresh said.
And from there, other lessons surface.
“I think right now our culture is ripe for moms to have conversations with their daughters about refusal skills,” Gresh said.
Ultimately Gresh hopes her initiative to create open dialogue and a safe space can prevent victimization or long-term negative effects.
“It can stop something from happening, but it can also when something has happened, it can arrest the long term impact of the experience,” Gresh said.
A new Secret Keeper Girl event is touring nationwide beginning in February.