Women across America are outraged. Truly and completely outraged. Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Lorde, Miley Cyrus, and Kelly Clarkson are blowing up social media with their comments. They are all standing behind one cause: #FreeKesha.
The movement is the result of the most recent injunction in the case against Lukasz Gottwald, also known as Dr. Luke, a producer of music at Sony, well known for backing hits like Katy Perry's "Roar" and Miley Cyrus's "Wrecking Ball." Recently, he is even more well known as the producer behind the pop artist Kesha, who brought charges of sexual assault, gender violence, harassment, unfair business practice and internal infliction of emotional distress against Dr. Luke. She claims that he has raped her more than once and left her scared for her life. After a series of court dates and long days of questioning, the court came to the decision that Kesha will not be released from her contract with Sony and must continue to producing the six albums that she agreed to complete, despite the fact that the trial is far from over. This means that if the allegations against Dr. Luke are true, Kesha will be forced to work out the man who raped her for several more years, thus potentially putting her in further danger. Upon hearing the verdict, Kesha reportedly burst into tears and sobbed into her mother's arms.
Rape is an extremely serious topic, as it affects 1 in 6 women and 1 in 33 men in America according to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest Nation Network (RAINN). That means nearly 20% of the population will experience or has experienced some kind of sexual assault in our society. The aftereffects range from physical scarring, bruising, or more extreme injuries to severe psychological disabilities such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Victims often are mocked or written off as liars, causing an estimated 68% of rapes to go unreported. 95% of rapists will never be convicted of their crimes. The most heartbreaking statistic shows that most of these assaults are not random, as the victim is attacked by someone close to them 4 out of 5 times. It's not just a bunch of random creeps. It's people in the victims' lives, people they once trusted.
Kesha worked with Dr. Luke for five years before filing the charges. Hits like "Tik Tok," "Die Young," "Blow," "Your Love is My Drug," and "Cannibal" dominated the radio waves not only across America but across the world. She quickly became know for her rebellious attitude, her wild makeup, and her often uncensored comments. Kesha became a force to be reckoned with. Winning the Eska Music Award for Best New Artist and taking the European MTV awards by storm thrust her into the limelight. It was not long before Kesha became a household name, often grouped in with Katy Perry and Lady Gaga.
It came as a shock to the music world, as these kinds of accusations do, when Kesha accused her producer of some of the most heinous acts anyone can possibly do. The world stood back in disbelief--the woman who embodied female power and rebellion was now a victim. This icon of power now seemed powerless.
Dr. Luke has denied the claims, posting in a series of tweets on Twitter "I didn't rape Kesha and I have never had sex with her. Kesha and I were friends for many years and she was like my little sister . . . It's sad that she would turn a contract negotiation into something so horrendous and untrue." He has also accused Kesha of lying about the events. His lawyer, Christine Lepera, told People Magazine that "Kesha's lawsuit is a spectacular and outrageous fiction that will go down in flames. As the truth emerges, this sad and misguided smear campaign will only hurt Kesha."
Women all across America have rallied around Kesha, especially after the court ruled that she must fulfill the contract that keeps her working with Dr. Luke. Celebrities have posted their support on social media using the hashtag #FreeKesha to show support for the singer. Taylor Swift reportedly gave Kesha $250,000 to help cover legal expenses. According to FreeKesha.com, there have been rallies around the world showing support for Kesha and calling for her to be released from her contract.
However, there are those that claim Kesha is making false accusations to get out of her exclusive contract with Sony, claiming that she has never been required to work with Dr. Luke at all. Lepera made it clear that "Any claim that she isn’t ‘free’ is a myth." She has also said that people will lie about being raped just to get attention, and Kesha is no different. Just because someone says the word raped does not mean they were, according to Lepera.
Both sides are putting pressure on the court for a final verdict, maybe even a conviction in some situations. The fact of the matter is that we will not know the full story until the trial is finally over. Rape is an extremely delicate issue, one that some would claim is even more heinous than murder. Such claims are not taken lightly or ignored. So what happens now?
This has raised the topic of rape and rape culture in America like never before. While Kesha and Dr. Luke may be trying to carry on with life as normal, this trial has thrust a very sensitive topic into the spotlight. Some claim the the justice system does nothing more than re-victimize those who only want their lives to go back to what they were. Others claim that our current way of prosecuting rapists puts the victim in even more danger. Discussion is being raised everywhere. Movements like Red My Lips, an organization dedicated to giving victims a voice, have used this case as an example of how much victims much face to even see a faint glimmer of justice. Yet even with all this discussion, nothing will immediately change for the pop star. The trial will continue until there is either a conviction or a dismissal of charges. Kesha will continue to work with Sony producing music, and Dr. Luke will continue working as a producer.
It is in the hands of the judge now. Who is in the right? Are the accessions against Dr. Luke true or false? It will be months before we find out for sure. In the meantime, all we can do is look at the facts and wait for a final verdict.
