A conversation with Mercedes Molloy from the Survivor Coalition Project
It's no secret that domestic abuse has been on the rise since the coronavirus pandemic. See: countless reports. So Editorial Team member Brielle Young talked with SafeSquad founder Mercedes Molloy about the Survivor Coalition Project (SCP), which works to support survivors of sexual assault.
Before you get started reading, be sure to visit SCP's website to see how you can help and get involved.
Brielle: What is your cause called and what is it about?
Mercedes: As a result of the stay at home orders being implemented all over the world, rates of domestic violence and sexual assault are rising at an alarming rate. It is more critical than ever to raise the voices and stories of survivors everywhere as we collectively face this public health emergency. We recognize that this is not a political issue, this is a human issue.
We are The Survivor Coalition Project (SCP), established to stand in solidarity with and support survivors of sexual violence. We wholeheartedly believe that no one should have to live in fear of violence or abuse and that each and every survivor’s story is both valid and different, being shaped by their personal history, identity, context, and culture.
The SCP – Safe Squad Mobile App, Space to Speak, Cat Calls of NYC, GenZ Girl Gang, Global Girlhood, and the Phoenix Project
What is most rewarding for you being a part of this cause?
The most rewarding part has been to raise both awareness and secure micro-grants of $250 each for survivors. We have partnered with FreeFrom, a nonprofit that works to create pathways to financial security and long-term safety for survivors of gender-based violence. These microgrants help with rent, groceries, medicine, and other critical needs. Often, a deciding factor that leads a survivor to stay in an abusive relationship is a lack of financial security. Providing survivors with financial independence can be a life-changing opportunity for them.
Please consider visiting our website: https://survivorcoalitionproject.org to sign our letter and make a tax-deductible donation today.
Who/what is your biggest inspiration?
The Me Too Movement’s open letter served as inspiration. To my knowledge, this has yet to be done in regards to Survivors and COVID. As a survivor I understand the complexities of what one goes through. Safety should never come at a cost to anyone and no one should ever have to feel endangered. But sadly, we live in a world where travesties can happen daily amidst a Global Pandemic. CDC reports that more than 1 in 3 women and nearly 1 in 4 men have experienced sexual violence involving physical contact at some point in their lives with nearly 80% of rapes and sexual assaults going underreported. This just shows how violence against both women and men are extremely common and the urgency to stand up against this to not only prevent and fight this but get the justice needed.