Social media has recently been flooded with a series of “Me too” posts. This started as a response to Harvey Weinstein and the sexual misconduct allegations against him, but the movement has evolved into something much larger.
Women have been posting “#MeToo” on various social media platforms to vocalize that they have been victims of sexual assault. You don’t hear about these incidents occurring because most people don’t want to relive the experience by talking about it. For those who didn’t post a status, you’re not any less brave for not publicizing your experience.
And for those who did share, thank you for showing other victims (read: survivors) that they’re not alone.
It’s time that everyone sees how widespread this tragedy is. What actually counts as sexual assault? Is it getting forced to go further than you’re willing to? Is it getting groped in a club? Is it getting pressured to give in to your partner’s sexual desires? The answer is… all of them.
Here is what some female college students had to say about their experiences:
“Even in a loving, trusting, long-term relationship, no still means no. Sex is not an obligation and should never be initiated via guilt trip. I would give in and do it after being pressured just because it was easier than continuing to argue over it, which is assault.”
“I was tipsy/drunk at a club and I was alone. I started dancing with this guy and he started kissing me and I was fine with that. But he pushed me against a wall and started kissing me harder. I remember saying “no,” but all he said was “it’s okay, you’re safe” and then started going underneath my shirt, and then under my skirt, and he fingered me. I didn’t realize what happened to me until the next morning.”
“Once I was at work and a male customer asked me to borrow a pen, so I got him one, and he slammed it back down on the counter asking me to write my number on it. I said no multiple times and that I have a boyfriend and he kept saying he didn't care and was getting upset. I kept saying no and he left. The same thing has happened to me on the bus and in clubs. In all these cases I'm always worried about getting followed etc but luckily there were always people around.”
“I was friends with him for more than 10 years, but he took advantage of me in an emotionally vulnerable time. After repeatedly telling him ‘no’, he still didn’t stop humping my leg until I gave in. I felt used and disgusted with myself after the whole experience, and I have nightmares about it to this day. It doesn’t help that he was my best friend’s boyfriend, and lied about being single.”
"A guy grabbed my ass even after I repeatedly told him that it made me uncomfortable when he touched me like that. He claimed he was just joking around, and proceeded to get mad at me when I said I didn't want to hang out with him alone."
"I never thought something like this would happen to me. When I watched "The Hunting Ground," I remember thinking that I would never be in this situation, but it's more common than you would think. I'm so grateful that I had my parents' and friends' support, and I'm still continuing to fight against my assaulter so I don't have to be a victim. A lot of the time it's very trying, but my life is so much bigger than this incident that happened to me. I'm excited to grow and move forward."
Sexual assault is far more common than it should be. #MeToo has raised awareness of the issue, but now we need to fight it and educate people that they cannot make another person feel so vulnerable for their own sexual pleasure.
We survivors have spoken up, and now it's the assaulters who need to commit to changing their attitudes and behaviors. To all the perpetrators behind each sexual assault incident, thank you. Thank you for showing us exactly what we don’t deserve, and for making us stronger and more resilient.
