Editor’s Note: This article contains mentions of sexual assault.
Our Wave is an online platform that aims to facilitate support and healing to survivors of sexual assault. The organization provides a safe space for people to share their own stories, engage in community and receive individualized assistance to ease their trauma.
One in three women and one in five men experience sexual assault within their lifetime, said Kyle Linton, an NC State graduate and executive director and co-founder of Our Wave.
“We created Our Wave to be a place where people can share stories anonymously and to connect with other survivors,” Linton said. “And through these communities find anonymous healing and hope.”
After graduating from Poole College of Management in 2014, Linton had the idea for the platform in 2018 after someone in his life had their own experience with sexual assault. Following a collaboration with Brendan Michaelsen, co-founder and chief technology officer of Our Wave, the online platform for survivors launched September 2020.
“This collective story base that we have together is really exciting for us because it’s one centralized place where all these different individuals are sharing what has happened to them and where we can raise awareness,” Linton said.
Along the way, the team picked up volunteers from all around the world to spread the impact of the organization further than Raleigh. One of these was Alexa DeFalco, an NC State graduate student studying higher education administration, who is now director of development at Our Wave.
“I feel so honored when folks come up and tell us about their own personal experiences,” DeFalco said. “I think that’s a really special opportunity to connect with people and see the impact.”
With stories from over 20 countries and tens of thousands of views on these stories, the impact of Our Wave has reached hundreds of thousands of people from different backgrounds, cultures and locations since the time it was created.
“Having a place where people can go no matter where you are or what language you speak is really exciting for us,” Linton said.
Our Wave also has partnerships with other organizations such as the #MeToo movement to spread the word of their mission and help as many people as possible.
According to DeFalco and Linton, these partnerships, as well as events to raise money and awareness for their cause, have been crucial to the growth of the organization. Since Our Wave is a non-profit organization, volunteers work hard not only for the success of the organization, but also the funds that they raise.
“It’s all volunteer based which I think is really powerful,” DeFalco said. “It’s people who really care about this and who really want to be here.”
Naishadha Peri, a fourth-year studying business management, has been working with the organization since the beginning of the semester and has fond memories of her time so far.
“My favorite part [of volunteering] is knowing that I’m doing a little bit of something in order to help,” Peri said. “Knowing that you can be a part of trying to help and get out information out about sexual assault and things like that has been really impactful in my life.”
Even though Our Wave has already reached across the globe and provided healing for so many people, growth is still in the works to raise more awareness for sexual assault.
“Raising awareness to the issue is the first and foremost [goal] but second to that our goal is to reach and support as many survivors as possible,” Linton said.
To learn more about sexual assault or get involved with the team, visit www.ourwave.org.
If you or someone you know is experiencing relationship violence, sexual violence, stalking or any other form of interpersonal violence and are in need of advocacy services, the NC State Women’s Center has trained advocates available to offer crisis intervention, emotional support, resources and referrals. Students can contact the 24/7 Sexual Assault Helpline at 919-515-4444 or email ncsuadvocate@ncsu.edu to schedule an appointment with an advocate.
Advocacy services through the NC State Women’s Center are available for all students inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations.
For more information on advocacy services, please visit go.ncsu.edu/supportsurvivors. If you would like to talk to a confidential resource, you can also connect with the NC State Counseling Center at 919-515-2423. You may also visit go.ncsu.edu/safe for additional information on resources and reporting options.
