This TED Talk features Victims' Rights Attorney Laura L. Dunn, recorded live at TED

2018. Throughout the United States, there is growing social awareness that sexual violence and

harassment are far too common occurrences within our various institutions, occurrences often

without any accountability.

As a result, the Me Too movement is upon us, and survivors everywhere are speaking out to demand change.

Students have rallied against sexual assault on campus.

Service members have demanded Congress reformed the military.

And workers, ranging from Hollywood stars to janitorial staff,

have called out sexual harassment in the workplace. This is a tipping point. This is when a social

movement can create lasting legal change, but only if we switch tactics. Instead of going

by institution by institution,

fighting for reform,

it's time to go to the Constitution.

As it stands,

the U.S. Constitution denies fundamental protections

to victims of gender violence,

such as sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking.

Specifically, the 14th Amendment of the Constitution, which prohibits state governments

from abusing its citizens, does not require state governments to intervene when private

parties abuse its citizens. So what does that mean in real life? That means that when a woman

calls the police from her home,

afraid that an intruder may attack her,

...