Until recently, I too was one of those people who found it hard to believe anyone’s story. Not because I did not have faith in women who had been sharing their stories of assault and harassment, but because, I had little faith in the world already, and I did not want to lose it. The past one week has been brutal. So many women and some men have been sharing their traumatic experiences, some of them doing it anonymously too and this has left me shocked and dejected.
#MeToo is not just another social media trend, it’s a movement started by brave women to oust their perpetrators. It should not be taken lightly, we must understand what sexual assault and harassment constitute before blaming someone – as false claims will only weaken this powerful movement. Women have used this space to narrate the ordeals and all of it has been under a common hashtag which has emerged as a safe space for many. Women will share their experiences whenever they are ready to do so and you have no right to ask her “why now”.
The stories I’ve read in the past few days have made me feel naked, ripped off my sanity and made my skin crawl in disgust; such is the harrowing experience women have had. I think I will need time to feel like myself again.
Until then, I salute the women who are fighting, juggling home, assignments, projects, deadlines and the shockwaves of the MeToo movement around them. My heart goes out to all of you, as you come out with your the accounts of sexual harassment and things you went through because of those in power.
Let’s look forward to better times. I am here. We are here. We are all listening and we know, we know it wasn’t your fault. So, rage on women!
Thank you for doing what you are doing. I understand where you are coming from.
Thank you for being such a braveheart.