Susan Hines-Brigger

Before my oldest daughter, Maddie, was born, I remember spending what seemed like hours washing, folding, and refolding her little outfits before placing them in her tiny laundry basket. I remember holding them close to my face, breathing in their baby-powdered scent. I would then carefully place each of them neatly in her dresser drawer, anxiously awaiting her arrival.

As a parent, there is nothing better than watching your child succeed at something. What mom or dad doesn’t relish the look of pure joy and accomplishment on the face of their child when they tell you that they nailed that exam, made the team, or got the job? Unfortunately, the harsh reality is that there will also be a lot of times when those things might not happen.

Look at any newspaper, magazine, or any type of social media these days, and you would be hard-pressed to not find some story or post about sexual assault or harassment. The floodgates opened last October after The New York Times published allegations of sexual harassment and assault against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein. Soon after, the pool of those being accused quickly widened, ranging from actors to politicians to corporate executives. Every day it seems there’s another headline highlighting yet another allegation.