Project and Itinerary

Thank you for your interest in my project and my journey for the next 365 days! Below you will find a short description of my project, a link to my original proposal, and a description of my tentative itinerary - with a map included so you can visualize my trip around the world. I can't remind you enough, though, that none of this would be possible without the many people supporting me. Make sure to check out the acknowledgments section to find out more about them. As always, please contact me with any questions you have about my project.

Global Dimensions of Aftercare for Victims of Sexual Violence


This year, I will be visiting dozens of facilities dedicated to providing aftercare for women and children who have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime. Unfortunately, this happens in nearly every corner of the world: from underground brothels in India to massage parlors in Nashville, Tennessee; from the commercial sex trade to a family's own home; and from illegal prostitution rings to the red light districts where it is legalized. Sexual violence is everywhere, and the problem isn't necessarily what is on the law books, but whether these laws are enforced for the most vulnerable in the world - usually women and children in poverty.

 A few statistics:
  • The International Labour Organization estimates that the commercial sex trade currently enslaves 4.5 million adults and children. (source)
  • In 2005, the World Health Organization found that in some countries, like Ethiopia and Peru, at least 69% of women have experienced physical and sexual violence within a relationship with an intimate partner. (source)
  • The United Nations reports that one in five women worldwide will be a victim of rape or attempted rape. (source)
  • Though literacy and mortality rates have been improving among women globally during the last few decades, the threat of violence is still a growing problem, according to The World Bank. (source)

The good news, though, is that many organizations have taken up this cause and are working hard to bring justice to victims all over the world. Many make aftercare for these women and children a high priority, because they recognize how sexual violence can be extremely destructive to an individual's growth and development. The organizations I will be visiting provide healing environments, access to mental health services, opportunities to make a living wage, and more to victims of sexual violence.

 My goals for this fellowship are to:
  1. Understand how aftercare is delivered to victims of sexual violence in different contexts.
  2. Develop my ability to communicate respectfully with victims of sexual violence.
  3. Explore the roots of sexual violence around the world and current solutions to this pervasive problem.

I plan to do this by visiting and volunteering with aftercare facilities and talking with people who are providing these types of services. My experiences will be described here in as much detail as possible for the sake of victim and organizational security. I hope that a secondary outcome of this entire experience will be a wider spread awareness about these issues. So, please feel free to share this blog with your friends and family so that the reach can expand!

You can read my full proposal here.

My Itinerary



Click here to view an interactive version of this map. Image courtesy of Scribble Maps.

Since my project involves visiting organizations that provide services to vulnerable populations, I am not making my specific itinerary with dates available to the public. However, I am happy to share this information with individuals I know I can trust. If you would like to access details about my itinerary, please email me. I will then provide you with an decryption password that you will type after clicking on "Show encrypted text" below. A link to my detailed itinerary will then appear. Thank you for understanding. Please also note that all of the information below is subject to change.

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