For the past week thoughts, and feelings have been igniting a fire of words burning to be expressed.
For the past week thoughts, and feelings have been igniting a fire of words burning to be expressed. Content warning as I attempt to shine some light into the dark: Discussion of violence against women and sexual assault. Last week I watched the 1st half of the Surviving R Kelly Docuseries. Why? I couldn’t not. Although I knew it would bring up anger and sadness and so many other emotions, these women have stories that need to be told and heard and felt, and that anger needs to translate into actions. To me, the most shocking part of it all was the fact this has been going on, these stories have existed for decades and basically been ignored. R Kelly’s use of power, manipulation and emotional abuse is sadly all too familiar, my heart ached for the young girls and women he preyed upon. But overwhelmingly I was angry that this has been allowed to go on and on and on for so long. People knew, and chose to do nothing. On Friday night I read about the horrific murder of Aiia Masarwe. It stopped me in my tracks. I’ll be honest, I frequently walk around by myself late and night, and whilst I’m sometimes hyper aware, generally I feel safe. Maybe this is because I know, statistically, the majority of violence against women occurs behind closed doors, perpetrated by people known to the victim. Perhaps it’s because I’ve lived through these experiences and reclaimed my life refusing to live in fear… What hit home was the fact that as women, we are never completely safe anywhere. It doesn’t matter how careful you are, you can follow every safety tip known, but it doesn’t guarantee you anything. Aiia Masarwe was attacked whilst on the phone to her sister, walking along a main road half a kilometre from her home. Violence a ainst women occurs wherever someone chooses to commit it. What we need to get clear on is this: Women are not raped or murdered because of the clothes they wear. Women are not raped or murdered because of how much they choose to drink or where they choose to go out. Women are not raped or murdered because of the choices they made travelling home or where they live. Women are raped and murdered because another person CHOSE to rape and/or murder. Cont’d https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs2SF-OAmD4/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=lvp2gzsvyoov -- source link