Each time news breaks about allegations of sexual abuse or assault in any industry, it’s extraordinarily upsetting. When the initial accusations come out, you know there will be more to follow. As citizens, we hope each new incident will be the last, but with increasingly more women coming forward, there are still others that are reluctant to share out of fear. This fear factor in coming forward leads to the issue reoccurring in a twisted extension of power.
Often times, the men that are abusing women are those in high positions of power in their respective industries, so if when try to come forward after abuse, they are often committing suicide. These men have been taught from a young age that boys will be boys and the equivalent of vocational suicide in their career field, as was the case with many of the victims in the Harvey Weinstein case. Weinstein, a Hollywood titan who could blackball an actress and secure that they never work in the film industry again if they were to try and tell anyone that he abused them, preyed on women for sexual abuse for decades. In usual cases, it only takes one person to come forward publicly to start bringing the issue to light–and more victims will follow–but it is obviously difficult to be that first person.
In an attempt to ensure this will be one of the last incidents of sexual abuse and assault in the workplace, people are attempting to ensure that women don’t stay silent any longer. There is a new campaign on social media, dubbed #MeToo, where anyone who has ever been sexually abused can come forward without specifically having to tell their own story. It is aimed to show anyone who is still scared not only how many others have been affected, but how many people they can turn to. It shows women that their ability to speak out is a strength, not a weakness. Often times, when women have been abused think they are under the false impression that they have done something wrong; they become embarrassed or ashamed and this movement is a way to show them they are not alone.
Each time something like this happens, different industries have varying responses to try ensure the situation does not repeat itself. Some enact new policies, others help raise awareness by supporting these vocal women, while others still remain silent and elect to remain neutral, avoiding the controversy altogether.
The fashion industry, however, had its own response, but answered with a slightly different message than we usually see. There has been a viral image going around of an embroidery saying, “Boys will be Boys (the word has a strikethrough effect through it), held accountable for their actions.” This specific response is new, as it turns the attention from the victims to the perpetrators. However important it is to make the women being abused feel more comfortable, no change will be a panacea for sexual abuse and misconduct.
We, as American men and women, need to confront the issue at the source. We need to make sure that male perpetrators of sexual assault are being held accountable for their actions; that is what this embroidery is starting to inspire young women to have a voice regarding this topic. Boys and girls are taught from when they are young that “when a boy is mean to you that means he likes you,” or “boys will be boys.” If we change this outlook in kids from a young age, we can start to raise boys that are nice to women they like and, in turn, raise boys that have respect for women. We can create a generation of boys and girls who don’t need to deal with sexual abuse.
This viral picture might just inspire the change that actually ends this horrible issue for good.
