All Victims Matter

The recent barrage of sexual misconduct allegations surfacing is disturbing, especially because they demonstrate a culture of sexual abuse and harassment that has gone on unchecked for decades or longer. Revelations about movie directors Harvey Weinstein and James Toback, actor Kevin Spacey, and politicians All Franken and Roy Moore (to name just several recently accused) go back decades in some cases and involve dozens of victims. 

If these allegations are true, it is easy to wonder why some victims have not come forward earlier, but it is not our place to question why they didn't have the courage or ability to do so before now. What we ought to do is applaud their courage now, and celebrate the strength many have found to finally face the demons that have haunted them for years. The public has largely rallied around these victims in our collective disgust at such abhorrent behavior. 

What bothers me the most, though, is that it took famous victims for the public to be outraged. Every victim, famous or not, has the same value and ought to spark the same level of outrage when they are sexually abused. There is a certain added value celebrity gives to exposing the harms these victims of sexual assault and abuse experienced, but let's not ignore the victims who don't have a national stage on which to use their experiences for healing. Instead, let's rally around those who have experienced sexual abuse or harassment in any form. And let's not wait until we see newspapers covered in salacious ink about sexual abuse allegations or hear news commentators give in-depth coverage of these sensational stories before we speak up. When we see harassment in any form, let's say something. When we hear inappropriate jokes meant to demean, let's call the joker out. Let's hold others accountable for the bad behavior we see rather than turn a blind eye in hopes that our perceptions are wrong or that we are being too sensitive. Doing so may prevent future abuse from happening and save other potential victims. 

We don't need to simply be consumers of sensational news. We can become a part of the solution by addressing these problems right where we are; no place in America is immune to the problem of sexual harassment and abuse. We can begin by refusing to support television and movies that turn abuse into entertainment and by becoming advocates for victims. Let's stop being simply consumers of titillating stories that raise our ire but nothing more and begin being voices for justice that restores victims, holds offenders accountable, and seeks to heal wounds and prevent future abuse. 

(Please visit Women At Risk (WAR) International to find out how you can advocate for victims of sexual abuse and exploitation.) Women at Risk (WAR) International