Ines Hercovich/ Why Women Stay Silent After Sexual Assault/2015
One in three women experience assault yet it is rarely reported. Women feel that they will not be believed if they come forward. As a society we are taught just because something happens doesn’t mean that we should talk about it so women and men keep their assaults to themselves instead of making people uncomfortable. Ines Hercovich is a leader in the study of sexual violence and gives a moving Ted Talk about what it is actually like for survivors. Only 10 percent of sexual assault victims report their crime. The other ninety percent of victims live the rest of their lives in silence. This can be true for two reasons, their assaulter was someone they know or they fear that they will not be believed. Rape is rarely broadcasted on the news so when it is people are unable to believe it because that kind of thing does not happen in their town. Because people are unable to accept that bad things happen, they do not believe the victims when they come forward. Hercovich shared the story of a young women who was raped by a nice guy she had met at a bar, instantly people ask questions like “why couldn’t she just leave”? Whenever someone is assaulted we ask how did you let this happen rather than are you okay. As a society we need to rethink the way we handle sexual assault and protect the victims.
Ten percent of sexual assaults are reported, out of that ten percent only a few attackers are charged. Ninety percent of victims have to heal in silence. Because of society’s rape culture men and women every day are not receiving the justice that they deserve. We live in a society where it is his word against hers, where abusers can get a slap on the wrist and sent back into the world while victims are silenced. When victims come forward about their sexual assault they are telling us things that are unimaginable and because of that they are often ignored or not believed. Instead of listening to their story we are blaming them for what has happened.
Many victims are assaulted by wealthy people who are dismissed due to their stature, while the victims are asked, “ what were you wearing”. We are judging the victims instead of getting them the justice that they deserve. We are taught that rape is like a robbery: it is forceful it is random and it is quick so when the rape isn’t actually like this we do not qualify it as rape. Most women do not know if their traumatic experience counts as rape because it isn’t like how you see it on the news. Instead, rapes are not always quick they usually are not from someone random and the victim was never asking for it. Most victims felt it was their fault that they were sexually assaulted and that is why they don’t come forward. Most victims are unsure if their experience constitutes as rape and that is why they don’t come forward. Most victims are scared no one will believe them and that is why they don’t come forward. As a society we need to get away from blaming the victim and move toward helping the victim.
-AH
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