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#metoo

You are not alone. Together we can de-stigmatize speaking out about our experiences with sexual harassment, assault, and more.

Not all Men but All Women
TRIGGER WARNING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT: Especially on Tiktok, I have been seeing the news about Sarah Everard and what happened to her. If you don't know, according to the NY times, Sarah Everard was a young woman who was raped and murdered by a police officer in the UK. You can read further about the story here: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/world/europe/sarah-everard-uk.html
By Bea Usamani5 years ago in Viva
Pepe Le Pew Is the Mascot of Sexual Harassment: A Retrospective on Growing up With Rape and Consent Culture in 80s Pop Culture
Anyone familiar with Pepe Le Pew from the Looney Tunes cartoon menagerie will get the same image in their head. A male skunk merrily bouncing towards a terrified female black cat who had the misfortune of somehow getting a white stripe painted along her back. The premise: Pepe thinks she is a female skunk now, which apparently makes it okay to relentlessly harass her, despite the most desperate of refusals and uber-clear non-verbal cues from the cat. Each episode is the same: Pepe nonchalantly stalks her for the whole show, flirting with a French accent, tries to hold her against her will and kiss her, while the cat scrambles out of his arms time and time again, scrambling for sanctuary from her insistent, clueless pursuer. It doesn't help that Pepe is a stinky skunk whose scent wilts flowers as he walks by. Occasionally, the cat will retaliate by laying in wait around a corner with a large mallet, or maybe perhaps rig up an Acme anvil to drop on Pepe’s head. Even after being smashed in the head by the cat, Pepe doesn’t get it. He smiles and says in his thick faux French tones, “flirt.”
By Richard Wright, MA5 years ago in Viva
#MeToo: Bossy Business
The Verbal: January 2021 “Your eyelashes are big today” quips the Leader to the newly appointed female junior analyst in his department.
By Lady Lust5 years ago in Viva
Patriarchy found me
Patriarchy found me. Maybe because it was Christmas Day, maybe because it was the Christmas carols I heard on my Spotify list, but I found myself drinking a glass of wine and wondering how I ended up alone on this day. It wasn't because of the lack of other options or because of the Coronovirus. It was because of the fact that I am an inconvenient woman and because patriarchy is evil and it sucks. Over the last two days, I realized that two men from my alma mater had taken advantage of me on two separate occasions when I was inebriated after consuming alcohol with them and I was not able to give consent.
By Susan Lee5 years ago in Viva
Beautiful Silence
As she laid there cold and numb fighting the moon to close her eyes. Feeling the hay, mold into her back, as she is thrusted up and down, not taking her eyes off the moon, in hopes the moon could save her or the tree, maybe one star, just one. Her eyes swelled up like fountains about to overflow, as the tears fell down the side of her face they left a cold trail to her ears and further down to her throat. She felt a piece of her soul breaking, spirit leaving. Her innocence ripped from her chest down to underwear. Not comprehending what was happening but very much felt the hate, the evil of what was being done to her. She could not fight it, the power of evil was far too great. So she chose the moon, glared at it as her memories of running through the fields and picking flowers faded, smelling vanilla through the house as her mom had a cake coming out of the oven, all the things that brought her joy emptied, her smile gone. The thrusting stops, she hears the barn door open and close. It's cold and wet between her legs as if she wet herself, she could not feel a thing she couldn't even move. She felt as if an elephant had been on her crushing her, leaving her there to die. Her heart is thumping out of her chest, her breathing is slowing down. She looks to the beautiful moon and the silent night sky, the stars become blurry as it all blends together and fills with darkness. She falls into a sleep.
By Paloma5 years ago in Viva
How she saved me.
This story of my own personal experience is just that, personal. I am happy for my first time talking (or rather writing) about this is my first. And I am happy to be sharing my experience of one of the most kindest thing my mother did for me in my adulthood. Speaking from my own experience as a mother, when a mother bathes her child it is more than just a tub and some water. It is a ceremony of devotion and love. It is a form of therapy and a moment of peace. Filled with laughter and smiles and song, when a mother bathes her child it is the most precious thing in the world.
By Danielle Metcalfe5 years ago in Viva
Do You Hate Me for Not Pressing Charges?
Dear fellow survivors, There’s no question about it — it was aggravated sexual assault. It was pre-meditated. The exact categorization of the assault is probably attempted rape.
By Gillian Sisley5 years ago in Viva
On Learning to Respect Boundaries
Boundaries. This word is used so often that some might mistake it for a meaningless buzzword--a form of virtue signaling. But boundaries are real, and important to respect.
By Erica Mones5 years ago in Viva
Reclaiming a Lost Virginity
Xxxxxt, Finally, I’ve mastered the courage to confront you, to tell my story, to reclaim my virginity. Let’s travel back to Winter Ball, Freshman year in High School.
By Stanzi Hope Wellington5 years ago in Viva
The #MeToo movement is no longer about the victims
In 2017, the MeToo movement promised something that many victims of sexual assault could never have dreamed of. After centuries of silencing women’s voices and scoffing at their stories, one hashtag suddenly became a beacon of hope for survivors around the world – promising real change to the way we regard sexual assault allegations, and offering a community they could seek refuge in.
By Iris Espanenza5 years ago in Viva
I Thought it was Just a Party
It’s Friday night, I was 16. My friends invited me out to a party and I was itching to get out, so I agreed. We had planned on drinking so we didn’t want to drive ourselves. A mutual friend had offered to give us a ride to the party, and back home. We thought that was a good idea and we could all have fun together without having to worry since we had a “responsible” designated driver.
By honey 5 years ago in Viva
Updating in Progress
The date is September 18, 2013. I am 18 years old. I am in the middle of my first semester of college. I am unaware that someone might want to take advantage of me. I am naïve.
By Hannah Stanton5 years ago in Viva