Hurricane Harvey (Part II)
There has been an issue lately that has been on everyone’s lips. Sexual assault and harassment. I cannot imagine that the journalists in charge of the New York Times investigation into Harvey Weinstein could possibly have hoped for this outcome. For possibly the first time in history, women (and men) are being liberated of the burden of the pain and shame associated with assault and harassment. Because there is truly no pain reliever like being able to be honest and open with yourself and those around you.
There is so much to be written about this topic that I have found it difficult on which angle to focus. I finally decided on focusing on what comes after time passes, tempers cool, and the media picks up the next ‘hot topic.’ What will become of the women and men who have come forward with allegations? And the men accused of such rancid acts? Will there be justice? Will everyone go back to their life and continue to pretend like this never happened?
I can draw a parallel to 2011/2012, when a certain man named Joseph Kony was the man of the year (so to speak). He stood accused of leading an army of child soldiers, who helped him murder, rape and enslave their way through Uganda. There was a massive campaign to stop him, and it felt like every person at my high school and across the US was joining in on the quest to bring this evil man to justice. I remember seeing ‘Kony 2012’ stickers on people’s laptops, and reading daily about it on social media, namely Facebook. But then after a scandal engulfed it, it seemed like suddenly no one cared about Kony 2012 anymore. It is true that since then the man has lost a lot of his army and has been struck down by illness, but the fact that he was never brought to justice goes to show how we humans are always fighting the current fight. This year it may be sexual harassment, but next year it may change to something utterly different. How can we be so flighty and shallow? Believing that by giving an issue six months of heavy media coverage will resolve it is ignorant and frankly, so disappointing.
I know so many women who have told me about their experiences with sexual assault and harassment. To watch them tremble and their faces become pale and streaked with tears of pain feels like a knife cutting through my body. To see how they have suffered and carried this agony all whilst holding their heads high and smiling brilliantly is the most incredible example I believe, of strength and courage.
It’s hard to know what I can do and what other individuals can do to help those who have experienced assault and harassment, and to prevent it from happening. While it is always good to have someone’s back and listen, that won’t take away from the fact that they lived an experience that is forever engrained in their minds. I wonder, will educating men from the time they are little boys help our society grow into a more safe and kind one? I certainly hope so. I hope to one day be a mother, and if I ever have a son (or multiple ones) I will be sure to teach him about respect. Respect towards himself and respect towards others.
There is so much to be written about this topic that I have found it difficult on which angle to focus. I finally decided on focusing on what comes after time passes, tempers cool, and the media picks up the next ‘hot topic.’ What will become of the women and men who have come forward with allegations? And the men accused of such rancid acts? Will there be justice? Will everyone go back to their life and continue to pretend like this never happened?
I can draw a parallel to 2011/2012, when a certain man named Joseph Kony was the man of the year (so to speak). He stood accused of leading an army of child soldiers, who helped him murder, rape and enslave their way through Uganda. There was a massive campaign to stop him, and it felt like every person at my high school and across the US was joining in on the quest to bring this evil man to justice. I remember seeing ‘Kony 2012’ stickers on people’s laptops, and reading daily about it on social media, namely Facebook. But then after a scandal engulfed it, it seemed like suddenly no one cared about Kony 2012 anymore. It is true that since then the man has lost a lot of his army and has been struck down by illness, but the fact that he was never brought to justice goes to show how we humans are always fighting the current fight. This year it may be sexual harassment, but next year it may change to something utterly different. How can we be so flighty and shallow? Believing that by giving an issue six months of heavy media coverage will resolve it is ignorant and frankly, so disappointing.
I know so many women who have told me about their experiences with sexual assault and harassment. To watch them tremble and their faces become pale and streaked with tears of pain feels like a knife cutting through my body. To see how they have suffered and carried this agony all whilst holding their heads high and smiling brilliantly is the most incredible example I believe, of strength and courage.
It’s hard to know what I can do and what other individuals can do to help those who have experienced assault and harassment, and to prevent it from happening. While it is always good to have someone’s back and listen, that won’t take away from the fact that they lived an experience that is forever engrained in their minds. I wonder, will educating men from the time they are little boys help our society grow into a more safe and kind one? I certainly hope so. I hope to one day be a mother, and if I ever have a son (or multiple ones) I will be sure to teach him about respect. Respect towards himself and respect towards others.
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