Sexual Harassment Satire

ROUGH DRAFT

17, 700, 000 women have reported sexual assault since 1998. That’s 17, 700, 000 reports too many. You see, we live in a society where women are taught to be careful not to get raped instead of men being taught not to rape. Where “rape culture” is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorization of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety. Where we trivialize sexual assault by saying “boys will be boys” and tell women that they should take it as a compliment. Where when you’re a female, especially in the tech industry, speaking out about sexual harassment is like dropping a nuclear bomb on your career. And when a female

finally does work up the courage to go to the authorities and talk about her sexual harassment or rape, the first question asked is, “Well, what were you wearing?” A lot needs to be done to reframe the way we think about rape and rape victims. Rape is the only crime in which the victim is accused. You see, when you scrutinize a victim’s dress, mental state, motives, and history, you only [add to the problem] ____. We must work together to de-stigmatize survival and ensure that all victims have the support for the wrongdoing they have endured. In the wake of recent sexual harassment allegations in Hollywood and Silicon Valley, it important now more than ever that we expand the global conversation around sexual violence. We want all survivors of sexual harassment, everywhere to be heard, to be believed, and to know that accountability is possible. This starts by eliminating so called rape culture and taking all accusations seriously. Rape culture is dangerous because it is counterproductive to our goal of eradicating sexual violence from society. Many think that this issue lies only in impoverished areas or that it could never affect them, but this transcends race, religion, gender, and socioeconomic status. It’s hard not to feel discouraged as an adolescent female when you hear stories of sexual harassment not just on the street, but the workplace as well.

You feel as if nothing but challenges lie ahead, and that to advance, you must sacrifice your morals, integrity, and dignity. “I've also been shown naked, sexually explicit photos; and propositioned by countless men, some of which were married and standing right next to their children.”, “I got fired from my job because I wouldn’t sleep with my boss!”, “The worst one I had was from a co-worker who used to message me on the work chat room, asking me to come blow him under his desk. When I reported it to HR they said I was the one causing the issue.” Anecdotes like these can make you lose faith in society, in humanity, in your country. Nearly half of working women in the U.S. say they have experienced harassment in the workplace. How can you go into the workplace confident when you must battle statistics like this; expecting nothing more than catcalls and uncomfortable stares. But truth is that sexual assault is but a symptom of the problem. The problem is the mindset of how these young men are being programmed to think about, to talk about, and to treat women. Violence against women is not a women’s issue, although we are incredibly capable creatures. Violence against women is a human issue, and it requires all of us

participating. No more sexually explicit jokes or pressuring men to “score.” Enough questioning the victim and defining manhood as “dominant and sexually aggressive.” The TimesUp website puts it best: “No more silence. No more waiting. No more tolerance for discrimination, harassment or abuse.” There is work to be done, songs to be sung, and Lord knows there’s a war to be won. So we must band together and teach children from a young age about boundaries, consent, and the importance of respecting others - despite your differences. It may seem difficult. We have to get the most distracted generation in history to pause long enough to be introspective, to ask the hard questions: “Says who?” We know that they consume ten hours of media a day. Media that glorifies violence against women, that’s inherently disrespectful, that’s hyper sexualizing and objectifying. So, maybe we can stop being so shocked because they’re doing exactly what we, as a society, are programming them to do, and they’re doing it very well. So maybe, as a society, we can better educate them on sex and healthy relationships.