I am a survivor. I have endured years of physical and sexual violence at the hands of my own father. This is a harsh reality that I, and many others, live with. What's more maddening is the often failing justice system. My father, the criminal, is facing a maximum of only one year in jail for his grave crimes. This clearly highlights the need for a broader conversation and legal reform concerning cases like mine.

Thousands of sexual assault cases are reported annually in our country, yet the conviction rate is shamefully low. There is a surge of underreported cases, and thousands of survivors are denied justice due to biased and ineffective legal processes (RAINN). Our collective pain demands a radical change in the way our system handles these cases.

The direction of this change relies on our nation recognizing survivors' experiences and the need for lasting justice. We demand stricter laws and harsher punishments for perpetrators of domestic and sexual violence. We ask our legislators to review and rectify the injustices suffered by survivors in the justice system. Above all, we need our society to believe and support us.

Only then can we work towards a system where one year for a lifetime of pain will not be considered justice.

Join me in standing up against a system that failed us. Demand justice for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Sign this petition.

[Source: Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)]