It’s been almost a year since the vile recording of Donald Trump came out where he talked about using his television star status and power to kiss women and grab them by the pussy etc. His behavior was sloughed off by his wife and others as lude “locker room talk.” A short time later, the American people voted him in as our President.
About 6 months later, entertainer, Bill Cosby’s mistrial set him free without consequence for allegedly drugging and raping Andrea Constand. DOZENS of women came forward who claimed to have been sexually assaulted by him over the years but in almost all of the cases, Cosby is protected by the statute of limitations.
In the last couple weeks, Harvey Weinstein, another powerful producer in the entertainment industry, was outed after decades of serial sexual assaults.
And of course, there are even more horrifying stories in each of our local communities, within this circle of women, and in our homes.
Last year my neighbor, a well respected powerful man in our community, was sent to prison for sexually assaulting his stepdaughters over a period of 9 years. My husband and I were stunned.
All of this light shining in the darkness of sexual assault has been stirring up difficult memories for me and my girlfriends, family members, clients, and former coworkers. How about you?
Personally, I stuffed my painful experiences down deep inside when I was a young woman because I didn’t know what to do with them at the time. And I know I am not alone.
I joined the hashtag ‘Me Too’ movement reignited by Alyssa Milano to let the world know how insidious sexual assault is all over the world by placing #MeToo on my facebook and twitter pages. Milano said, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote ‘Me too.’ as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem.”As of this post, over 7 million courageous women have participated in the “Me Too” campaign to reclaim their voices and speak up about sexual abuse.
Dear Sisters, Even though you may have felt alone in your suffering, you are not alone. I see you and hold you in my heart. No matter what you have experienced, or when it happened, it was not your fault. You are brave and beautiful and whole.
We all deserve better. Together we will heal.
xx Big LOVE, Shann
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I loveeeeee the write up.
Personally because I have been a victim of psychological violence and it took a while coming out of it. I decided to come up with an anti body shaming campaign for every woman who in one way other other have been subjected to any form of abuse. Thank you for this write up and #metoo I stand for every woman abused!
#metoo Yes, Shann, it is time we all stood up. It is time we stop carrying our #metoo stories in silence, guilt and shame. This happened to me, too. In naming it we can cease to be the victims of these abuses.
This is such a powerful and important post Shann. Thank you for your nurturing reminder at the end. I also participated in the #metoo campaign as a survivor of sexual abuse and harassment and believe it is critical to see what a pandemic it is throughout the world. Shining a light of awareness helps transform the shame and reminds people they are not alone. Thank you!
Thank you for standing in your power and showing us all how to do the same.
YES!!! I love seeing women standing in their power and shedding light into their dark experiences. We have been silenced too long. Enough. #meeto
Such an important post, Shann. If everyone shared their #MeToo, it would stun the world…
Me too.
It took many years to free myself of the sellout and tell my truth.
Thank you for keeping this in the light.
Shann,
Just saw this writing of yours. Amen!
We are No Longer Silent! We are standing up, shoulder to shoulder with ALL of our Sisters & Brothers that Sexual Abuse will NOT be Accepted ANYMORE! That shame that we carried with us, every day, every moment, Never Belonged to Us! We are Shining that Spot Light squarely on who IS the Owner of That Shame!
Thank you for BEing You!