The "S" word.. Slut. The social platforms are blowing up about the sexual assault of the victim of Brock Turner. The victim wrote a heartbreaking letter to her rapist as she explained " she didn't want her body anymore." The letter described how she felt dirty and her deepest hurts. She has been slut-shamed by many, as she was thrown out with the trash, along with millions of other women. The father of the rapist degraded the victim by referring to his son's act of rape as "20 minutes of action," as he clearly thought 6 months of jail time (if that) and having to register as a sex offender was too lengthy a punishment for his son's destruction of a human life. I am sure your Facebook is blown up with articles about this injustice. I am sure there are people who think the Judge's decision of a short sentence is justified because the rapist is a male, college athlete at a big-time college and it was "a mistake." There are many who say "she asked for it," or " she shouldn't of been that intoxicated." No, she didn't ask for it and no, she shouldn't have been that intoxicated, but that in no way is ever asking for it. I am sure that there are people, like myself, who see the injustice, not just of this case, but of rape and sexual assault in America against women. To be honest, the sexualization of women is completely ignored. Let's talk about the "S" word.
A recent study shows that 1 in 4 women are sexually assaulted in their lifetime. Over 60% of men in church watch porn. Young girls are flown to these porn producers with the slogan , "I'll get you out of that small hometown and give you a better life" and just given back when they are done with them because the viewers get bored. There are thousands of sex slaves in America. Little girls are raped night after night by pimps. Girls are trafficked because they fall into a system that isn't for them, but against them. If we are being honest, how many times do we see a teenager who is dressed a bit immodestly and who has a record of sexual tendencies, and we use the dreadful "S" word, Slut. How often do we see a woman walking in downtown, hanging round a corner, and automatically slut-shame them? When a human being is called and perceived as something for such a long-time, it eats away at their identity. It scraps off their humanness as they are repeatedly labeled as a "slut." When was the last time you saw the "slut" as Someone. I saw a video from This Is Now as four women pointed out that we as women, need to be together in this. People will give the argument about a victim as, "she is someone's daughter, wife, sister.." which is a valid point, but this video told a better story, "she is someone." These women didn't wake up one day and say "let's sell ourselves today," or " let's get raped today." These women are people who are just like me and you... A person who is broken. A person who is trying to get through. A person who wants out. I know first hand that sometimes when a storm comes, we search for something, anything to get our minds off the waves. Sometimes that is drugs, sometimes it is sex, many times it's financial survival and sometimes it is just I really need some attention right now, which often comes from the desire for a man to want you. That doesn't make you or me a slut. It makes us humans who search for help in a world that tells us we are only good for sex and we buy into this as women who want to be loved, get to the top, or have that "good time" like in the movies.
The best way to combat this injustice is to stand together. To not judge a book by its cover. You never know what a woman is going through. But one thing she is not, is a slut. She may not be going in the right direction, but our place is not to throw stones, but to offer up grace and love. The next time you hear a story of assault, rape, sexual activity, or even see a girl who is referenced as the "S" word, call her another "S" word, Someone. She is someone.
