Trump’s Dangerous Precedents
And the Cost Women Will Pay
In the time you take to pour yourself a cup of coffee, sit down, and open your browser to peruse your favorite sites, another American woman will have been sexually assaulted or raped. That’s 68 seconds.
This adds up to nearly 434K Americans who will become victims of sexual violence and 9 out of 10 are women. And these numbers only reflect the 20% of cases that even get reported.
But wait! There’s more! Out of every 1,000 sexual assaults, 975 perpetrator walk free.
Is it any surprise the horrendous crime is one of the most under-reported crimes? But yet, here we are.
And as a rape survivor, I am aghast as I watch the process I endured as a 13-year-old child takes place on a national level, starting with the re-election of a convicted rapist.
My ordeal didn’t end with the assault. There were two others traumas that quickly followed in succession. (Sort of a buy one, get two free, I suppose.)
Ladies, hang on, because this is happening on a national level. Starting with the inciting events. Rape.
Trauma Numero Uno: My body, his choice.
The actual violence is the first trauma of the nightmare. By the time you finish reading this, many more will go through this in real time.
Violence against women is as old as time itself. Only now, Trump has ushered in open season on women. Go ahead, grab ’em by the pussy and brag about it. Enjoy your parties with pedophile Jeffery Epstein.
And then there’s Matt Gaetz. The Florida representative turned Attorney General nominee who was being investigated for allegations of sex with a minor.
Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma in an interview with told CNN,
“We had all seen the videos he was showing on the House floor, that all of us had walked away, of the girls that he had slept with. He would brag about how he would crush [erectile dysfunction] medicine and chase it with an energy drink so he could go all night.”
Birds of a feather. These perpetrators not only continue in their behavior, they boast about it.
Trauma Number Two: My body, no choice.
For women who report, they are now facing their next trauma as they are scrutinized, doubted and forced to relive the trauma.
And if your attacker is Donald Trump, you will now endure vicious accusations. You will be ridiculed, gaslighted and discredited on a national stage.
Then we have Trump’s nominee for Attorney General. Are you fucking kidding me? Another pervert? A man who thumbs his nose at the law being tapped for the head of our justice department? With the nomination, the investigation into Matt Gaetz’s reprehensible crime was halted.
It’s a given that many politicians (probably since the beginning of time) aren’t known for their Church Boy morality. The difference here, however, is anything but apples to apples.
An affair with another consenting adult? Well, this too gets excused with a knowing wink. (Having been on the receiving end of infidelity, this sickens me.) What the hell is with these men that they can’t control that thing in their pants?
Rape? Taking advantage of minor girls? Sexual harassment? This is criminal behavior, and it will be excused if you have the right connections. Welcome to the new reality in ‘Murica.
Message to women: Think twice before you report because you will be guilty until proven you were a victim. (Might this be why only such a small percentage of claims is fraudulent?) You have little to no choice.
Trauma Number Three: My body, the court’s choice.
Life in prison, no chance of parole. This was the sentence my attacker should have received. Justice would be served. And the public would be protected as well. The rapist was caught when he was stalking his next prey, so God only knows how many he would have assaulted before getting caught.
But nope! My next trauma came in the form of the justice system betraying me. I was told I must appear in court and face my rapist. I must sit in the witness box and recall the terror. I must face cross-examination from his attorney. Alone.
I was 13. A child. And lacking any needed adult support through this ordeal.
I couldn’t do it. The thought of seeing his face again would trigger reliving the waking nightmare.
Because of this, the mandatory lifetime sentence was no longer mandatory.
He got off with a 12-year sentence. A slap on the hand given the severity of his crime and his demonstrated to desire to rape again.
I was left alone to pick up the pieces of my shattered life.
And now collectively as a nation, we are seeing this as precedent. Hold a position of power? Congratulations! You now have a get-out-of-jail-free card!
And then he will surround himself with his own appointed justices to ensure that he is immune from any rule of law.
Tough shit. You have no choice over the lack of justice, as the court will favor the perpetrator. I hope the victims have mental health coverage included in their insurance plan because they’re going to need it.
Trauma 3.14 Our bodies, their choices
And this seems to be the trajectory we are on. In case you forgot about that little tidbit from high school math, 3.14 is the number for Pi and it goes on for infinity.
The direction we are taking as a nation by allowing convicted felons, pedophiles, and attendees to sex parties with underage girls, is a dark and slippery slope.
I am gravely concerned about how these precedents will further damage and destroy women. I am sickened at the message it sends to our children, especially girls.
How far are we going to allow this to continue? How could the majority (albeit a slim majority) of Americans tolerate this treatment of women from the institutions that are meant to serve and protect?
As we enter into a new era of crumbling democracy and it appears all bets are off.
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