By: Sydney D Hey everyone! So, before I get started I want to place a fair warning that the topic will be over sexual assault and although I won’t go into graphic detail, I understand the sensitivity around the subject. So feel free to just skip out on today’s post and be back tomorrow for our scheduled programming or read my recent Halloween themed post. This also is really only going to focus on my opinion of the matter, rather than a fact filled essay; links for that will be at the end. Recently on Twitter the hashtag #MeToo, which was trending majority of the late weekend to Monday, was being used as a way for women to share their story of sexual harassment and bring awareness to the issue. While I was scrolling through the tag -sharing links to informed sites I felt could help or simply “favoriting” in support- I noticed the exclusivity of the hashtag. Small disclaimer: I do understand that the tag was largely focused on women and what women go through when it comes to sexual assault. But that being said, I feel like Twitter dropped the ball on what could’ve been a chance to shine a light on not just sexual assault on women but also sexual assault on men.
In society sexual assault is something that gets brushed aside when it comes to women, every now and then getting a serious consequences with no backlash towards her. But for men, they don’t even get that, they instead are swept of towards the back of the stage of issues that are occurring today. Only to be left with a toxic mentality that they are less of a man or not even realizing that they were sexually assaulted. It’s like unless you’re under the age of eighteen only women can be violated in that way. Just a week ago Terry Crews announced that he was sexually assaulted and although that received attention and it brought some discussion about how men can be sexually assaulted, that same discussion died out in just a little over a day. Then shortly after articles about how Rose McGowan was silenced resumed and overtook the internet again, in short silencing what Terry Crews just admitted to. As if the digital world slowed down to watch a house burn; instead of getting out and putting the fire out, then sped back up and took off, in turn leaving the house to burn. And obviously what McGowan went through was just as bad as what Crews went through, this is in no way an attempt as elevating one's pain and discrediting the others. I’m just simply providing an example of the fact that sexual assault on men never gets enough awareness. So how can we change that? How can we bring awareness to sexual assault on women and men? Well, listening would be a good start. Most victims are silenced not from their attacker, but by society's inability to actually listen and take what they say into consideration. Another good way to help might be not only sitting down your daughters, but your sons too, and discuss what to do if they’re ever in a situation where they might be, are being, or have been sexually assaulted. Then keep your sons, and daughters, seated and tell- and explain- why they should never sexually assault someone and why it's bad. Obviously there are smarter people out there with degrees that can give more physiological and just medical information on this topic. As well as awareness groups that can go more in depth so I will leave a few links to those sites below and I hope you look into them: What’s Sexual Assault: https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-assault Male Sexual Assault: https://www.rainn.org/articles/sexual-assault-men-and-boys Seaxual Assault Awaeness: https://www.nsvrc.org/saam/sexual-assault-awareness-month Sexual assault hotline(US): 1-800-656-4673
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Sydney
A 18-year old who spends most of my time reading and taking photos. Most of what I write here is just things that I personally hope is interesting, important, or at the very least funny. Archives
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