In the time span of the past two months over 80 women have claimed Harvey Weinstein sexually assaulted them, 14 men have claimed Kevin Spacey sexually assaulted them and we’ve seen an out pour of women and men sharing their sexual assault stories with the #MeToo hashtag. The #MeToo hashtag has been a way for many men and women to share their stories while seeing many others do the same.
While I am glad to see so many brave people coming out and speaking on the topic and on their experiences, which can be one of the hardest things to do… I’m also saddened by the quantity of people who are speaking out. There shouldn’t be enough instances of sexual assault done by one person for 80 people to come forward. But please, do not be confused, while 80 is a lot, one is still too many. People should not go through this in their lives. They should feel safe and loved, no matter where they are. There shouldn’t be a loom of fear because their alone at night, or doing their job.
The only issue I have with these people sharing their stories though is the fact that people still find something to nag on. There is always someone who is able to pick out something from a story that doesn’t seem believable or to point out that the survivor took too long to come forward. Understand that it does not matter how long it takes you to come forward with your story. Your story still matters and will always matter. You are braver than you know and an encouragement to others to share their stories.
There are still people in the world though who have never been able to share their stories and may never be able to. Remember them, love them, care for them. The people who are inwardly battling these things are just as important as people who have shared.
People shouldn’t be living in fear at their jobs, on their walks home or in their own homes. We shouldn’t be living in a world where consent is hard to understand and people are taking advantage of others. Listen to other’s when they need an ear, believe them and respect them. Respect can go so far in this world in so many ways.