The shadow epidemic

In 1979, during an episode of the soap opera “General Hospital,” Luke Spencer raped Laura Webber at a disco where they worked. The incident was originally portrayed as rape, and showed Laura receiving counseling to deal with the aftermath. But the idea of Luke and Laura as a couple became so popular with viewers, the writers and producers reimaged the incident as a “seduction” or “rape-seduction,” creating a romance between Luke and Laura, which led to their iconic wedding in 1981.

One of the most striking aspects of this scenario is that according to the author of The Survival of Soap Opera, Abigail De Kosnik, the rape storyline was a last-ditch effort to save “General Hospital” from cancellation. The executive producer of the show at that time, Gloria Monty, was told that she had two weeks or ABC was going to axe it. And it did save the show, which speaks volumes to how normal and even sensationalized violence against women and girls (VAWG) is. 

Due to its prevalence, and public health consequences, VAWG is described as a global epidemic or a shadow pandemic. To shed light on the crisis, Nov. 25 has been dubbed International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. 

Though the Island is a beautiful and popular vacation destination, VAWG is a part of our landscape as well. “People are surprised to learn that there is an abuse crisis center on the Island. But we aren’t immune to it,” Connect to End Violence Programming Manager Emily Medeiros said. “We are impacted by issues like domestic violence and sexual assault and other social issues, similar to the rest of the country.”

Meideros shared that from July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025, Connect to End Violence saw 190 female-identifying clients through its counseling and advocacy services. Twenty-six of those clients were under the age of 18, and 213 hotline calls were from female-identifying callers.

VAWG remains one of the most pervasive human rights violations in the world. Though femicide is often perceived as something that primarily occurs in low-and middle-income countries, the U.S. ranks 34th in femicide out of over 150 countries. A 2025 Ms. Magazine article reports that the U.S. accounts for 70 percent of all femicides in high income countries. 

Easy access to guns in the U.S. adds to the crisis. Abusers with firearms are five times more likely to kill their female victims, and an average of more than 70 women are shot and killed by an intimate partner each month.

The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network reports that one in six American women have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime, and the National Library of Science reports that one in four women in the U.S. have experienced intimate partner violence.

When we hear the word “violence,” we often think of physicality. But Susan Mercier, division director for domestic and sexual violence services at Connect to End Violence, explains that gender-based violence manifests in many ways, including “a partner who is consistently jealous of their partner’s coworkers and shows up at their workplace repeatedly to make sure they’re not talking to anyone. This could lead to that person losing their job and becoming financially dependent on the abusive partner, and becoming more isolated; an abusive partner holding onto their spouse’s important documents, like passport and I.D., limiting their ability to travel to see family or make an escape plan, is also a form of abuse. Immigration status can also be used as a threat by an abusive person, and coercive control, which can involve technology –– like demanding a partner give access to their phone, tracking location, controlling the family finances, and threats to pets.”

Though all women and girls are susceptible to violence, indigenous women, African American women, Hispanic women, Alaska native women, women with disabilities, and people in the LGBTQ community are disproportionately impacted. 

The Northeast Native Network of Kinship and Healing, Kinship Heals, with a primary location on the Island, are women of the Wampanoag nation working to end domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and sex trafficking in their communities. In an article previously published in The MV Times, Kinship Heals founder Jennifer Randolph stated that more than 84 percent of native women will experience violence in their life, and 56 percent will experience sexual assault or rape.

“There has been so much violence against us for so long that, in a way, it has become rooted in the community. Lateral violence and nonphysical violence have been normalized, and are even used in our everyday communications,” Randoph said. 

Though its presence isn’t always visible to the people living and working in the communities where it’s happening, human trafficking is another large-scale problem that predominantly impacts women and girls. According to the National Library of Medicine, approximately 800,000 people are trafficked annually, and 80 percent are female. And the Vineyard isn’t immune to this issue, either.

A 2024 article in The MV Times reported that the local district attorney’s office is expanding resources devoted to human trafficking in the region, which it says is active on the Cape and Islands. District Attorney Rob Galibois reported that there’s been a more than 30 percent increase in cases since his 2023 swearing-in, and that there have been nearly 60 human-trafficking cases on the Cape and Islands over the past three years.

Human rights lawyer, director of antitrafficking policy for Sanctuary for Families, and part-time Island resident Alexi Ashe Meyers explains more: “The major characteristics of sex trafficking include people of privilege, mainly men with economic resources, abusing their power to sexually exploit those in a position of vulnerability, almost invariably young women and girls of color living in conditions of poverty, and often with prior histories of abuse.”

Though there are laws designated to address sex trafficking and VAWG, we aren’t there yet. U.N. Stats reports that for every 1,000 sexual assaults, 50 reports lead to arrests, 28 cases lead to felony convictions, and only 25 perpetrators are sentenced to prison. 

Ashe Meyers says that every state in the U.S. should pass the equality model law, also called the Nordic or Abolitionist model: “This is an approach pioneered in Scandinavia that decriminalizes those bought and sold for sexual services while holding the buyers (johns) and sellers (pimps, brothel owners, and traffickers) criminally and civilly liable. This approach is the only one globally that has been proven to deter sex trafficking.” 

Despite the pervasive and widespread impacts of VAWG, many services designed to help survivors are struggling. The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) reports that the release of President Trump’s fiscal year 2026 “skinny budget” is deeply concerning for advocates and survivors of VAWG. The recommended cuts would impact domestic violence programs, and reduce or eliminate a wide range of federal programs that millions of Americans, including survivors, rely on.

These proposed cuts come at a time when women are more vulnerable than ever. “We have seen an uptick in domestic violence and sexual assault since the pandemic, and an increase in intimate partner homicide,” Ashe Meyers says. “Advances in technology have also made it far easier for traffickers and sex buyers to seek out, groom, and exploit vulnerable young people.” 

What can be done? Ashe Meyers says that a coordinated community response that brings law enforcement into partnership with service providers can make an enormous difference in strengthening the response to violence against women and girls. She also suggests that people volunteer, join advocacy efforts, and donate to organizations in their communities. 

“And speak up whenever you encounter victim-blaming myths that encourage gender-based violence,” she continues. “Find out whether your legislators prioritize laws against gender-based violence, and support them at the ballot box and through donations. Never has an informed electorate been so crucially important in effecting positive change to prevent gender-based violence and empower survivors.”

Services available on the Island: Connect to End Violence Services: 24/7 crisis hotline 508-696-7233 (SAFE), mvcommunityservices.org; Northeast Native Network of Kinship and Healing, Kinship Heals: 508-663-3874, toll-free 888-439-1047, kinshipheals.org. Additionally: M.V. Sexual Wellness: mvswell.org, info@mvswell.org; Health Imperatives: 508-693-1208, healthimperatives.org.