“If we can’t name it, we can’t fix it”: KCSARC’s WordWatch with Mary Laskowski

In 2016, KCSARC started “WordWatch,” a project that enlisted the help of volunteers in gathering data about the language that was used to discuss sexual violence in criminal legal cases. From those findings, KCSARC staff created a series of resources and trainings to help professionals and community members alike understand how our conversations about sexual assault impact the way that it is perpetuated and perceived in our society.

Mary Laskowski, formerly of KCSARC, and currently with the Children’s Justice Center of King County, shares the implications of the WordWatch study and why she’s such an advocate for using language that accurately depicts sexual assault: by using accountable language, and not minimizing the impact or implying consent.

Resources Mentioned:

• Claudia J. Bayliff, Esq. "Raped or ‘Seduced’? How Language Helps Shape Our Response to Sexual Violence 
• KCSARC's WordWatch Language Guide