Effective date: [DATE] · Last updated: [DATE]
By accessing or using the Stronger in the Light website (the "Site"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
These Terms apply to all visitors, contributors, and donors. They do not yet cover the forum, which will operate under its own separate terms when launched. We may update these Terms at any time; continued use of the Site after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.
Geographic scope: The Site is currently operated for residents of the United States. Access from outside the United States is permitted but subject to these Terms, and you are responsible for compliance with local laws in your jurisdiction.
You must be at least 18 years of age to submit content, complete a survey, make a donation, or otherwise contribute data to this Site. If you are between 13 and 17, you may browse and read publicly available content but must not submit any personal information or content without verifiable parental or guardian consent.
Persons under 13 may not use this Site.
By using the Site you represent that you meet the applicable age requirement.
Stronger in the Light is a survivor-centered platform that collects and publishes stories related to sexual assault, provides a geographic story map, publishes aggregated survey data, and connects visitors with support resources. The Site is provided for informational, educational, and advocacy purposes.
Not a crisis service: This Site is not a substitute for professional mental health care, legal advice, or emergency services. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911. For emotional support, please visit our Resources page.
The Site allows you to submit stories, incident reports, article references, survey responses, contact messages, and donations. When you submit content, the following apply:
You represent that the content you submit is truthful to the best of your knowledge. You agree not to submit fabricated stories, false incident reports, or misleading information. Deliberately false submissions undermine the integrity of our platform and the survivors it serves.
You are solely responsible for what you submit. Do not include content that:
We strongly encourage you to use the optional personal information check in the Share Your Story form before submitting, which can help identify details that might unintentionally identify you.
All story submissions, incident reports, and article references are held for human review before appearing publicly. We reserve the right to approve, reject, edit for clarity, or remove any submission at our sole discretion and without prior notice. We are not obligated to explain moderation decisions.
By submitting any content to the Site, you grant Stronger in the Light a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable license to use, reproduce, display, distribute, adapt, translate, and publish that content in connection with the mission of this organization. This includes publication on the Site, use in reports, educational materials, advocacy campaigns, and media appearances.
You retain ownership of your content. This license does not permit us to sell your content to third parties for purposes unrelated to our mission. You may request removal of your submitted content at any time by contacting us; we will honor such requests where doing so does not conflict with our legal obligations or the integrity of our published record.
Stories and incidents you submit that include a location are displayed as approximate pins on our public story map. We apply a deliberate random offset to every pin so that no marker reflects an exact address. You acknowledge that by submitting location information, an approximate version of that location may be shown publicly on the map.
The map search feature uses the Google Maps Places API to resolve city names and zip codes. Use of that feature is also subject to Google's Terms of Service.
Donations made through the Site are processed by a third-party payment provider such as Stripe or PayPal. By donating, you agree to that provider's terms and privacy policy in addition to these Terms. Stronger in the Light does not store your payment card details. All donations are final unless otherwise required by law. If you believe a donation was made in error, contact us promptly.
[Note: Insert applicable nonprofit disclosure language here, including your tax-exempt status and jurisdiction, before publishing.]
You agree not to:
Violations may result in immediate suspension of access and, where appropriate, referral to law enforcement.
All content on the Site that is original to Stronger in the Light — including the site design, graphics, written descriptions, data compilations, and code — is the property of Stronger in the Light and is protected by applicable copyright and intellectual property laws. You may not reproduce, redistribute, or create derivative works from our original content without our prior written consent.
Content submitted by users remains the property of its respective contributors subject to the license in Section 4d. Third-party content (linked articles, referenced press reports) remains the property of its respective owners.
The Site links to external resources, support organizations, and third-party websites. These links are provided for convenience and informational purposes only. We do not endorse, control, or take responsibility for the content, privacy practices, or availability of any third-party site. Your use of any external link is at your own risk.
THE SITE IS PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, STRONGER IN THE LIGHT EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND ANY WARRANTIES ARISING FROM COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE.
We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free from harmful components; that any content on the Site is accurate, complete, or current; or that any defect will be corrected.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, STRONGER IN THE LIGHT AND ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, VOLUNTEERS, AND AGENTS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES — INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF DATA, LOSS OF GOODWILL, OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION — ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIM ARISING FROM THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE SITE SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED US DOLLARS ($100).
SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR LIABILITIES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU IN FULL.
You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Stronger in the Light and its officers, directors, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or in connection with: (a) your use of the Site; (b) content you submit; (c) your violation of these Terms; or (d) your violation of any third-party rights.
Your use of the Site is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. Please read it carefully — it explains in detail what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of [State], United States, without regard to its conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising under these Terms shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in [County, State], and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts.
[Note: Consider whether to add an arbitration clause or class-action waiver before publishing. Have counsel advise on the appropriate forum.]
We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Changes take effect when posted to this page. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top. If a change is material, we will make a reasonable effort to notify users. Continued use of the Site after any change constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.
Questions about these Terms can be sent through our contact page.
These Terms cover the Stronger in the Light website only. The forum, when launched, will operate under separate terms. Third-party sites linked from this Site are governed by their own terms.