Alyssa Milano puts a point on #WhyIDidntReport in a powerful new essay
The #MeToo movement received a jolt this weekend with the new hashtag #WhyIDidntReport, prompted by Donald Trump's pushback on allegations raised by Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Actress Alyssa Milano was among the staggering number of people who tweeted heartbreaking personal stories of being sexually assaulted and choosing not to report it for any number of reasons. In a new essay for Vox, Milano unpacks the stigma of reporting sexual assault and how reactions like Trump's and Kavanaugh's are exactly why survivors are so scared to come forward.
SEE ALSO:After Trump lashes out, sexual assault survivors share #WhyIDidntReportTweet may have been deleted
"Victims of sexual assault often don’t report what happened because they know all too well that our stories are rarely taken seriously or believed — and that when it comes to sexual misconduct, our justice system is broken," writes Milano, who described current events with Kavanaugh as the worst nightmare of sexual assault survivors.
"This is the reality for survivors of sexual assault: our journey begins in fear and ... it continues in fear for the rest of our lives."
"For me, speaking up meant reliving one of the worst moments of my life. It meant recognizing my attacker’s existence when I wanted nothing more than to forget that he was allowed to walk on this Earth at all. This is what every survivor goes through. Telling our stories means being vulnerable to public attacks and ridicule when our only 'crime' was to be assaulted in the first place."
She encourages readers to explore the #WhyIDidntReport hashtag and read survivors' stories, difficult though they are. Milano herself is a vocal social activist and working on mobilizing voters in the midterm election.
She concludes the essay with explicit support for Ford and a denouncement of Trump and Kavanaugh. And she has a message for her fellow survivors: "You are valuable. You are human. You are important."
"The courage of survivors will always be stronger than Donald Trump’s hate," Milano opens her essay. That has been proven time and time again – that an upswell of voices against misuse of power can and will rise, but it is up to us collectively to make sure they do not get swept away.
Featured Video For You
Jennifer Lawrence, Reese Witherspoon speak out about sexual harassment in Hollywood
TopicsActivismDonald TrumpCelebrities
-
13 Places to Find Little Legends and Compact CryptidsHe hoped to be the first Black astronaut in space, but never made it. Now 90, he's going.The Ultimate Guide to Buying a Used Graphics CardJustin Mohn video: Conspiracy theories beyond QAnon inspire rightListeners encouraged to go wild with Le Sserafim's 4th EPS. Korea adds fewest number of jobs in 3 years in March; youth employment fallsStratospheric jump: 3 Russians parachute from 34,500 feetUS seeks talks with N. Korea to reduce risk of inadvertent conflict: NSC spokespersonGoogle Gemini now allows AINadal still the ultimate test on clay, says Tsitsipas
- ·20 Places to Eat Dumplings and Noodles for Lunar New Year
- ·Intel unveils world's largest human brain
- ·雅安市应对新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情应急指挥部致全体市民的感谢信
- ·Blasts From the Past: TechSpot Staff's Favorite Tech of the Last Decade
- ·Aricell CEO arrested in first case under industrial accidents law
- ·雅安市住房公积金管理中心2023年年度报告解读
- ·Peaty on for Paris with year's fastest 100m breaststroke time
- ·How to take a screenshot on an iPad
- ·[Herald Review] Tori Kelly thrills fans, hints her love for Korean artists
- ·A comet could photobomb the 2024 solar eclipse. Here's where to look.
- ·Italy bans loans of works to Minneapolis museum in a dispute over ancient marble statue
- ·Rocket Lab to refly reusable Electron boosters rivaling SpaceX, China
- ·Google is bringing AI summaries to ‘Files’ so you can find your docs quicker
- ·Are More RAM Modules Better for Gaming? 4 x 4GB vs. 2 x 8GB
- ·2016's $170 GPU vs. 2019's $170 GPUs
- ·Vingegaard suffers broken collarbone in Basque Country
- ·21 Unexpected Wonders in Colorado’s Vibrant Cities and Small Towns
- ·Anatomy of RAM
- ·S. Korea issues special travel advisory for Iran amid Middle East tensions
- ·The Science of Keeping It Cool
- ·If aliens harnessed solar power, could we detect them? NASA investigated.
- ·How the experts describe their solar eclipse experiences
- ·How to take a screenshot on an iPad
- ·Justin Mohn video: Conspiracy theories beyond QAnon inspire right
- ·Kamala Harris’ ridiculous problem with the political press.
- ·What is a Checksum, and What Can You Do With It?
- ·21 Lost and Lonely Cemeteries
- ·8 Places to Experience Nevada’s Outdoor Art and Oddities
- ·8 Places to Experience Nevada’s Outdoor Art and Oddities
- ·莞铜协作创新医教帮扶,获粤黔协作工作队推广
- ·If aliens harnessed solar power, could we detect them? NASA investigated.
- ·2024年持续火爆!院士领衔,这场千人盛会透露饲料鳜最新发展趋势
- ·Best Buy Drops: Get the Samsung Music Frame for $299.99
- ·2024 solar eclipse: Everything you need to know
- ·50 Years Later: The Revolutionary 8008 Microprocessor
- ·雅安市财政部门稳增长系列政策