02/03/2021
Over the last few months, and since the WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER, TOO campaign GoFundMe page was published, several survivors of police sexual misconduct have come forward with credible accusations of horrific and often brutalizing police sexual abuse and violence—by on and off duty Chicago Police Officers—yet no media outlets, corporate actors, or systems of justice has centered survivors’ stories or promised accountability. Like them, I am carrying an emotional weight and know that we are reliving a collective trauma akin to the exposing of Hollywood mogul Weinstein or Spacy, or Cosby, or R Kelly. Over the next week or so, I know that these stories, and the experiences of thousands of Women and girls, will be dismissed: police who investigate other police will close investigations as “unfounded”. I know that investigators will discredit and scrutinize Survivors who had the courage to come forward. I know people will evaluate Survivors of police sexual misconduct by a set of questions that shift responsibility from the accuser to the accused. And we know that when accusers are not only law enforcement officers, but held up as pillars in communities across America, the tendency will be to sweep these allegations under the rug—and demonize the Women, discredit them, and the smear their good name(s)—is the norm.
Let me emphasize what family and friends wrote: “Sexual assault by police is the second most reported form of police misconduct in the U.S., after excessive force, but not the second most talked about, and, (2) a police officer is caught in the act of sexual misconduct every five days in the U.S.—not to mention all of those who get away with sexual assault. Survivors rarely report police sexual misconduct because they fear retaliation: Surviving victims—"hidden victims”—are the only survivors of sexual assault who have to report the assault to the people that committed it”.
To make matter’s worse, is currently spreading more misinformation, stating that justice for survivors is almost “exclusively bestowed upon cisgender, white, able-bodied women”. It may be true in the world of Celebrities –but not in the real world and not when it comes to police sexual misconduct. Not when it comes to military sexual misconduct. Not when it comes to hospital Public Safety sexual misconduct. And, not when it comes to probation officer sexual misconduct. Cops who hate will take any opportunity to do harm and the color of a Woman’s skin is irrelevant. What I’m pointing out is that all Women and girls –Survivors of sexual assault and violent—should be recognized by media outlets and receive justice
The horrific violation of Anjanette Young after Chicago police officers stormed into her home while serving a search warrant and handcuffed her and she stood naked for about 40 minutes (despite her repeated cries that they were in the wrong home) garnered global media attention, and spurred conversations around police reform and accountability across the nation. This is a horror and it falls right into law enforcement’s lengthy history of unconscionable violence and dehumanization of Women and girls.
The movement based on allegations against Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein in 2017 and victims of sexual abuse—in the church, in the locker room, in the work place, and yes, in the exam room—began to speak up and demand accountability and justice. Yet, even as more efforts to stem sexual abuse by powerful men come to light, a marginalized group of Women, and some men, continue to suffer at the hands of people who should be protecting them.
Today I write as a call to action to resist the urge and consider what’s at stake for all Women and girls, if we don’t treat their stories with dignity, respect, and care. It is why media colleagues and I created the survivor-based WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER, TOO campaign and end media bias towards Survivors of police sexual misconduct.
Many people have donated directly to me because they are concerned about public donations and their names somehow learned [by police officers] and their lives also threatened. GoFundMe promises that their system is secure as long as you donate anonymously. I also want to assure you that as I write, I have limited protection based on donations by friends and family but unless we raise at least half, $130,000, quickly, I will not have a voice which means hundreds of other women who are denied media coverage will be voiceless too. The tendency to ignore, mock, challenge, discredit, and threaten the lives of Survivors is an attempt to coerce us into silence, and this too is an act of violence. The silencing of our stories leaves us unprotected. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, every week a woman is sexually harassed, sexually assaulted, and/or r***d by a man wearing a badge and carrying a gun. The reverberating impact of silence and trauma spans across generations, race, nationality, socioeconomic status, and skin color.
Today the WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER, TOO campaign is calling on and for:
MEDIA: Make Survivors of police, military, hospital public safety, and parole officers’ sexual misconduct visible and reframe the narrative to center justice for all survivors. Treat survivors of sexual assault stories with journalistic integrity. Conduct thorough investigations and examinations made by survivors whose assailants wear badges and/or wear guns on their hips.
OUR COMMUNITY: Show your support for the Survivors in your life by redirecting harmful narratives that shame or blame survivors for coming forward. Let’s hold each other accountable for calling out the behaviors that keep us all from feeling safe and healing.
TO SURVIVORS: Know that your stories are valuable, your voice is needed, and the WOEN’S LIVES MATTER, TOO campaign is here to support you.
Remember, there is media bias. Regarding police sexual misconduct and systemic media bias, author Andrea Ritchie said, “We need to think about how we’re going to make space for and support the people experiencing this, because right now they are shut out of every conversation, every solution, every debate, and every opportunity we’re thinking about when it comes to tackling sexual violence.” When asked why police departments haven't taken up the charge, an International Association Chief of Police (IACP) spokesman simply said, "We don't see a groundswell from people who are protesting their police departments for this kind of activity” (emphasis added).
THE SOLUTION: WLMT’s goal is also to create change, move toward true safety, inclusivity, accountability, and justice through unedited, uncensored coverage of this important topic. The monies raised will be spent on the incredibly profound and expensive process of building a “groundswell” campaign like no other, and go directly to mobilizing the voices of Survivors, Survivors’ safety, secure housing, and safe reporting, whether it be through billboards, op-eds published in local or national newspapers, live-streaming TV news podcasts.
WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP: Donate $10 to $10,000 and share the WOMEN’S LIVES MATTER, TOO campaign with family, friends, and colleagues. And of course, if you see or expect something, say something: Survivors need to know you stand with them and they’re not in plight for accountability alone.
