While this article in no means is the LA Times or the New York Times or CNN, I wanted to write about the issue of Kesha’s recent loss in a legal case because it seems to me that more and more issues involving sexual assault or abuse tend to appear but the injustice keeps occurring regardless of media coverage or not.

If you have been on social media or checked the news this past week, you may have heard news buzzing over the pop star, Kesha [Rose Serbert]. While I wish the news were posting about how she made another top hit, this headlines were more grim than one may wish.

The back story stands as:

The contract (made in 2005) stated that she had to make six albums before she could make any adjustments to the legal agreement. However, by October 2014, Kesha filed charges against her producer for drugging her with what her producer called “sober-pills,” but was the common date rape drug, gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Kesha stated she was forced to snort illegal drugs and was raped by Dr. Luke Kemosabe. She eventually was admitted into rehab for bulimia nervosa along with mental issues.

In court, the producer denied the allegations and said they were an “extortion attempt by an artist unhappy with her career trajectory” (CNN, 2016) and counter sued as a result. Despite the allegations presented, as of Feb. 18, Kesha Rose was denied an injunction that would allow her to break her contract with her music label and producer, Dr. Luke. This brought a major uproar in the media and followers with tweets and articles flooding in as well as photos of Kesha crying in court and shaken up once the hearing was finished.

Since then, Kesha

tweeted to her follows “thank you for all the support in my legal case animals. i love all of you. it’s means the world to me. xoxo” with this picture attached:

Numerous big names in the music industry such as Demi Lovato, Lorde, Ariana Grande, Lady Gaga and Iggy Azalea have stood up for the star in their outrage at the final verdict presented and that they stand with Kesha in the difficult time. Various followers of Kesha and the case have been showing their support to the star through tweets, Instagram posts and Facebook posts and the hashtag #FreeKesha. A lot of major media outlets have also reported the development of the case and posted photos of the pre- and post-trial of Kesha. It amazes me that all these people have come together, regardless of whether they listen to Kesha or not, to support a case on human rights. This is not just about winning in court but yet another example of how important it is to recognize the issues of sexual assault and harassment today.

The simple reality is that sexual assault and harassment happen everywhere to big names, someone you may know personally or a random person on the street. While society advocates for victims to “speak out” and seek help and hope that the defendant will get the good end of justice, this doesn’t always occur. For instance, the women that accused Bill Cosby still ended up losing to Cosby in their sexual assault allegations even though numerous women cried against him. While there were many that sided with the victims, many still mocked them for “going against a major star even though they know they wouldn’t win” or “wait[ing] too long to say anything that it doesn’t matter as much anymore.” I read online someone saying (more or less), that people don’t want to speak up against their perpetrators because it’s humiliating. There’s always a chance that someone won’t believe you and mock you or the legal system won’t go your way. It deters anyone's attempts to go against their perpetrator if they know they don’t have a good chance of winning or just having the support they deserve. This also means that “speaking out” really doesn’t make a difference anymore, so why bother even trying to advocate that as a way out? I found this image on Facebook that also stood out to me:

While one may argue this is not a fair comparison, it can be stated that there is marginalization between the men and women in our country and corruption in our legal system. Brown did receive penalties for his actions, but has since bounced back to make more music and create a followership while Kesha still struggles to win her case at all.

While we can report about it, tweet our standpoints and share articles on Facebook (and these are all amazing ways to show support), it speaks volumes that there isn’t more being done to prevent the issues of sexual assault, physical and mental abuse and the overall mistreatment of others. I write this not to get everyone on board with the hashtag #FreeKesha or even agree with what I’m saying, but to at least recognize the problems of sexual assault and mistreatment are that continually surface our society everyday. It still needs to be taught to “not rape” or “not sexually assault someone” versus “ways to avoid” these situations. While it may seem like common sense to some, the message still needs to be put out to not violate others safety and rights. We can take our cases to court and hope they win but there is no guarantee this will be the case. While we have implemented a system that can carefully analyze information put in front of us, little ripples in legality still remain which can put people in jeopardy for further abuse or mental issues (such as Kesha), and to me, that is not just by any means. For a system that is meant to implement security and justice, there is no security or justice for those who cannot get away from their perpetrators.

We must identify the wrinkles in our legal system and centers of advocacy to actually allow those in need to seek help and let it be effective. This is not just an issue for women, but for all. This is not an issue that must be solved on a federal level, but can be anyone’s problem. To what degree does abuse and assault have to happen in order for radical change to occur? I realize this article does not end on the most positive on upbeat note as I wish it could, but this is a problem that is no longer a joking matter that can be put aside. I appreciate anyone who reads this and at least takes the time to consider what is written.

For those who struggle with any of the issues mentioned above, here are some resources that may be useful for you. We are listening and want to help.

• The National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline
• The US Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website
• Darkness to Light (D2L)
• National Center for Victims of Crime
• Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network

as well as:

• Rape Prevention and Education Programs
• Therapy
• calling 911 or speaking to a trusted adult