--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poor women suffer terrible sexual…" description: "\"“Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes unreported. Because of their social class, these women do not have access to therapy or other met..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg" --- # Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes… ![“Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes unreported. Because of their social class, these women do not have access to therapy or other methods of healing. Their repeated abuse ultimately eats away at their self-esteem, driving them to drugs, prostitution, AIDS, and in many cases, death.” quote by Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg) > ““Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes unreported. Because of their social class, these women do not have access to therapy or other methods of healing. Their repeated abuse ultimately eats away at their self-esteem, driving them to drugs, prostitution, AIDS, and in many cases, death.”” [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Systemic gender inequality leads to unaddressed sexual violence, eroding self‑worth and pushing victims toward harmful coping mechanisms. **In simple terms:** Violence and poverty trap women in cycles of harm. Key Takeaway Break the silence, provide support. Themes gender inequality violence mental health poverty health crises Mood empathetic urgent Type advocacy social justice When to use this quote - community outreach - policy reform - access to counseling - education programs Key Concepts intersectionality trauma social determinants of health Questions to Reflect On - How can societies dismantle barriers to reporting? - What support systems most effectively restore dignity? A Different Perspective Limited resources and cultural stigma often block help‑seeking. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Addiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/addiction/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Prostitution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prostitution/) [Rape](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rape/) [Self esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-esteem/) [Social class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-class/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/) [Violence against women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence-against-women/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/) ## Related quotes > [“It’s estimated that $55 million dollars is spent on aftercare in Kenya alone every year. This model is not practical or sustainable and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-cole/it-s-estimated-that-55-million-dollars-is-spent-on-aftercare-in-kenya/) Lisa Cole > [CARE is participating in a groundbreaking summit to end sexual violence in conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/care-is-participating-in-a-groundbreaking-summit-to-end-sexual/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, believed to have one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world, girls and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-democratic-republic-of-the-congo-believed-to-have-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The effect of legalised prostitution on women outside prostitution is to lower the status of all women. Women are recognised by the state in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/the-effect-of-legalised-prostitution-on-women-outside-prostitution-is/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [Dancing insists we take up space, and though it has no set direction, we go there together. Dance is dangerous, joyous, sexual, holy, disruptive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/dancing-insists-we-take-up-space-and-though-it-has-no-set-direction/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [We have not yet made violence against women abnormal, extraordinary, unacceptable. We have not yet come to see it as a pathological issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/we-have-not-yet-made-violence-against-women-abnormal-extraordinary/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I think violence against women in America has become ordinary - it's been made absolutely acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-think-violence-against-women-in-america-has-become-ordinary-it-s/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Unless men are active allies, we'll never end violence against women and girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/unless-men-are-active-allies-we-ll-never-end-violence-against-women/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [We have to bridge and join our struggles and understand how we can't fight violence against women without looking at racism, we can't fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/we-have-to-bridge-and-join-our-struggles-and-understand-how-we-can-t/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“Slowly, it dawned on me that nothing was more important than stopping violence toward women—that the desecration of women indicated the failure of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/slowly-it-dawned-on-me-that-nothing-was-more-important-than-stopping/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The devastation of neoliberalism is so multi-fold, whether it's violence against women or desperate economic inequality or the destruction of the planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-devastation-of-neoliberalism-is-so-multi-fold-whether-it-s/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I honestly never understood how violence against women became a women's issue. 95 percent of the violence men are doing to women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-honestly-never-understood-how-violence-against-women-became-a-women/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [We often seem to be swimming through such a miasma of sexual violence - in advertising, television programming, heavy metal, rap, films, and worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-ivins/we-often-seem-to-be-swimming-through-such-a-miasma-of-sexual-violence/) [Molly Ivins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-ivins/) > [At Ohio State University, to avoid being guilty of 'sexual assault' or 'sexual violence,' you and your partner now apparently have to agree on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/at-ohio-state-university-to-avoid-being-guilty-of-sexual-assault-or/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/there-is-no-shame-in-being-a-survivor-of-sexual-violence-the-shame-is/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) ## More by Eve Ensler > [I have been struggling to find my way back into my body my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-have-been-struggling-to-find-my-way-back-into-my-body-my-whole-life/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [When I wrote 'The Good Body,' I turned 40 and suddenly had this stomach. It seemed like the end of the world. Because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-wrote-the-good-body-i-turned-40-and-suddenly-had-this-stomach/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cherish your solitude. Take trains by yourself to places you have never been. Sleep out alone under the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cherish-your-solitude-take-trains-by-yourself-to-places-you-have/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Why are women immobile? Because so many feel like they're waiting for someone to say, 'You're good, you're pretty, I give you permission'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/why-are-women-immobile-because-so-many-feel-like-they-re-waiting-for/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Terence McKenna says, "The culture is not your friend." I am not sure we can change this culture. But I think we can rise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/terence-mckenna-says-the-culture-is-not-your-friend-i-am-not-sure-we/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [What neo-capitalism does so brilliantly is that it's always subdividing and dividing, so that people are never able to be joined in their numbers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/what-neo-capitalism-does-so-brilliantly-is-that-it-s-always/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The verb that's been enforced on girls is to please. Girls are trained to please...I want us all to change the verb. I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-verb-that-s-been-enforced-on-girls-is-to-please-girls-are-trained/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [“De acordo com os congressistas, ouvir as experiências reais de mulheres vítimas de violência era diferente de ler as estatísticas de violência contra mulheres.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/de-acordo-com-os-congressistas-ouvir-as-experi-ncias-reais-de/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The clitoris is pure in purpose. It is the only organ in the body designed purely for pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/the-clitoris-is-pure-in-purpose-it-is-the-only-organ-in-the-body/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [stop fixing your bodies and start fixing the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/stop-fixing-your-bodies-and-start-fixing-the-world/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Anorexia was my attempt to have control over my body and manipulate my body and starve my body and shape my body. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/anorexia-was-my-attempt-to-have-control-over-my-body-and-manipulate/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [I believe in irony. And if V-Day has taught me anything, it's that if you go out with artistic, outrageous irony and humor, people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/i-believe-in-irony-and-if-v-day-has-taught-me-anything-it-s-that-if/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [People didn't feel so much shame around it and that they didn't feel so much humiliation around it. And the other thing that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/people-didn-t-feel-so-much-shame-around-it-and-that-they-didn-t-feel/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Cancer essentially lives in us and becomes activated at some point, and then cells begin to psychotically divide. Initially, the cancer cell looks like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/cancer-essentially-lives-in-us-and-becomes-activated-at-some-point/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [Today the United States has the highest prison population in the world, over 2.1 million people. ... We lock people up at a rate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/today-the-united-states-has-the-highest-prison-population-in-the/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) [Explore all 241 Eve Ensler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes unreported. Because of their social class, these women do not have access to therapy or other methods of healing. Their repeated abuse ultimately eats away at their self-esteem, driving them to drugs, prostitution, AIDS, and in many cases, death.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eve Ensler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violence-that-goes-unreported/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violence-that-goes-unreported/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7e1/eve-ensler-1402_abuse_poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violen_2880887.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence that goes unreported. Because of their social class, these women…” — Eve Ensler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Eve Ensler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Poor women suffer terrible sexual violence...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violence-that-goes-unreported/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/poor-women-suffer-terrible-sexual-violence-that-goes-unreported/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```