If you haven’t followed the story between Kesha and her record producer, she came out and told the world that he raped and sexually harassed her. This case was taken to court, and recently, the judge did not grant Kesha the right to get out of her contract with her record producer. Kesha’s story has broken hearts all over the country, and people are standing behind Kesha on her fight for her freedom.

The verdict of this trial is a wake up call for our country.

Have you ever noticed that when we talk about a rape case, we always hear the words "allegedly," "claims," and "accused?" We are practically saying that we don’t believe the women who have been raped. We don’t believe that these women have gone through a traumatic experience. And yes, there are people who say they have been raped but have not, but that is no excuse to disregard the true stories of violence.

We have heard countless stories of male artists not being happy in their contract or being physically violent to women, and they are allowed to continue to make music. What does this say about sexism in our country as well? Why have men been allowed to get out of their contracts if they aren’t happy and women are forced to stay when having been raped? How are male artists allowed to be violent against women and still allowed to make music? There is a clear double standard in America.

On top of everything, this country is allowing violence against women. There are many reasons women do not come out about violent acts against them such as them not being believed. The court was handed Kesha's story, and instead of making a difference to stop sexual assault, they decided to do nothing. What does this say about us helping out our fellow humans? It says that we are not. With this verdict, the judge has sent out the message to women all over the country that there is a good chance someone will not take you seriously when you come out with your story.

They are silencing us.

When we see stories in the news, once one woman comes out, more usually follow. You may ask yourself why. The answer is simple; women are scared their attacker may come back, or they think the best way for them to move on is to be silent. Sometimes, all someone needs is a little push to know that they are not alone, and with this verdict, more women will stay silent. One of the worst feelings in the world is not being believed, which gives women all the reason to not tell their stories. With this story, our country is showing men that they will be able to get away with more than they thought they could. This is an extremely public case, where many people will see the verdict. This story can easily bring out more violence than expected.

I fear for those women who have been hurt, assaulted, and belittled and feel like they cannot come out with their story. I fear they will not get the closure they deserve. I hope Kesha’s story doesn’t hinder people from telling theirs, but instead allows women take a stand.

#FreeKesha