Skip to main content

What We Do


We are creating an ecosystem of respect and support for students and survivors of sexual assault.

Safety Starts with Respect

I Have The Right To is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. 

Our mission is to educate students and their communities, and foster an ecosystem of respect, safety, and support for all students. These core beliefs are the foundation for all our work!

Co-founded by survivor Chessy Prout and her family, the organization has grown to include survivors, advocates, and professionals in the fields of law, psychology, and education.

We have grown from raising awareness to inspiring every member of the community to play an active role in building a safe and respectful environment where students can thrive and attain their full potential.

How We Do It:

Our dedicated team: 

  • Delivers programming for middle and high school students, educators, administrators, and parents.

  • Offers mentorship and internship opportunities that help students develop leadership, empathy, and advocacy skills​.
  • Provides actionable support and tactical resources to survivors of sexual assault, their parents, and communities.

Where we’re headed

We envision a future where every student receives an education free from sexual assault.

In our work to get to this vision, we believe:

  • The well-being of every school is inextricably bound to the well-being of every student and survivor.
  • Every student deserves safety and dignity at school.
  • Transparency and accountability must be the committed norm over silence, blame, or isolation.

Who We Work With:

At I Have The Right To, we believe that safety starts with respect. Until each and every student is treated with the respect they deserve, no student is truly safe.

For this reason, I Have The Right To is committed to building an ecosystem of respect and support for all students and survivors of sexual assault no matter their race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, economic background, school, or student standing. 

We approach this mission aware of the sad reality that students in minority groups are disproportionately affected by sexual violence. They are also least likely to see justice for the wrongs they suffer. 

Protection from sexual assault and the pursuit of justice cannot be limited to any one group. It is for everyone.

Our Values:

We are:

Holistic

We advance a 360-degree approach to supporting survivors of sexual assault and their parents and communities.

Tenacious

We are tireless in our extension of support and in our action for justice.

Visionary

We think big and will stop at nothing short of systemic change.

Where We Started:

I Have The Right To started as a viral social media campaign for young people to call for safety from sexual violence following the “St. Paul’s School Rape Case” (Associated Press).

The case garnered national and international attention  and prompted an important conversation about sexual assault in middle and high school and the secondary victimization of institutional failures, complicity, and survivor-bullying.

From the overwhelming outpouring of young people’s #IHaveTheRightTo declarations, the organization I Have The Right To was born. Its founding principle was that survivors need community, not silence and isolation. 

Community is baked into every fiber of our being, including our logo. Designed by artist Mayuka Thaïs, our logo is based on the belief that one’s heart, soul, and body are sacred. The arms across the heart represent self-protection. The logo also signifies that each of us has the right to our own hearts and that no one can take that away without our consent.

Today, I Have The Right To is the hub for middle and high school students, parents, and educators looking for information, support, and avenues of action against sexual assault.

0
YOUR CART
  • No products in the cart.