#WhyIDidntReport Shows Just How Sexual Assaults Are Normal
Swoon

Women Across Twitter Are Using #WhyIDidntReport To Show Just How Few Sexual Assault Survivors Come Forward

"To all the brave people sharing their #WhyIDidntReport stories; we see you, we believe you and we stand with you. You are not alone."

 Brooke Albright
Sep 21, 2018
Rowan University
92
Women Across Twitter Are Using #WhyIDidntReport To Show Just How Few Sexual Assault Survivors Come Forward

Earlier this month, Christine Blasey Ford accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaaugh of sexually assaulting her when they were teenagers.

Yes, keyword, teenagers.

Because this happened decades ago many people have been questioning the timing of Dr. Ford's allegation. Among those people (and not shockingly) is President Donald Trump. He got his "twitter fingers" ready, firing at Dr. Ford.

Obviously, the victims of sexual assault fired back at President Trump creating a powerful hashtag #WhyIDidntReport. The tweets are heart-wrenching, breaking and all in all the most motivating thread in the history of Twitter.

Jaime, I am broken at this tweet. And I am so sorry that you were put through this assault and I pray that time heals you. It's crazy how much your parents have tried to protect us from literally everything and here you are protecting your mother.


Two. Tweets.

Two. FREAKING. Tweets.

Kate Conger, I am so sorry. It took SEVEN years for someone to respond to this poor girl. seven years of living through the constant nightmare, the feeling of hands all over you.

The feeling of being alone.

Seven. Years.

I am disgusted.


"He would never do that."

Lines that us women hear all the time from other women and men who are too in denial that there are men out there who aren't freaking raised right.




Money and popularity do not make you a decent person. It makes you ugly when you use that to hurt other people.


THIS. Those three horrible words.



"Asking for it"

I cannot believe that we still live in a world where individuals actually believe that being nice means that you are asking for it, going out for a drink means that sex is allowed and that the clothing we wear tells men that we want it.

Consent.

No means NO.

No answer means NO.


I can't even breathe. I feel sick to my stomach.




7-years-old? 12-years-old? 15-years-old? 17-years-old?

My heart aches.


Because some of us were raised to be kind, and to respect other people, to never harm anyone. And instead of using those phrases to protect ourselves, we used them to protect these monsters.

Because we are so freaking scared. Men are so freaking scary.

I'm hurt. I'm scared.

I'm scared to walk down the street smiling in case a man takes in the wrong way. I am scared to be too nice, but I'm scared to not be known as a bitch.

I'm scared that no one will believe me.

I'm scared.

To every woman sharing their stories, I am here. I am listening. I am YOU.

Together we fall, together we stand.

We are the change. We are the voice.

If you are someone you know has been sexually assaulted please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1.800.HOPE.



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