Ending Sexual Violence Against Women in America - Essay Sample

Introduction

Sexual Violence is one of the common forms of harassment being done against women. Sexual violence can is an attempted sexual act or sexual act that is obtained using a form of coercion or force. The Anita Hill hearings of 1991 were one of the high profile cases involving sexual harassment against women in America. The trials reflected some of the weaknesses present in the fight against sexual violence against women in America. But even 28 years after the incident, the fight against sexual violence against women is one that is yet to be won. As of 2019, the nation is yet to win the war to end silence on sexual harassment, but an increased number of women are being motivated to come out and speak against it. However, fear is still one of the main obstacles in the fight against sexual harassment in society.

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Despite the push to get people to speak out against sexual harassment, silence is still one of the most potent weapons that perpetrators of these acts have on their hand. According to Crenshaw (1991), it is through precisely addressing the silences that women can open the door to a vibrant and compelling agenda. Most of the cases of sexual harassment still go unreported. The silence gives the perpetrators of these acts some confidence because they are sure to get away with it. Every woman has to speak out against sexual violence for society to make any progress in the fight against such actions. Most people choose to remain silent for fear of judgement and negative response from their peers. Some people who have tried to speak out against sexual violence have received some form of criticism from their family, friends or co-workers. There is also the victim shaming which is very common especially among the young victims. Victims of sexual harassment remain silent because of the fear of being shamed and end up blaming themselves.

On the other hand, it is essential to acknowledge the steps that have been made in the fight against sexual violence. In the 21st century, the debate has become prevalent, and that has given more women and men the confidence to speak out against sexual abuse. The #MeToo movement is an example of the voices that are now speaking up against sexual violence. The #MeToo is the name given to a campaign that aims to speak out against sexual harassment and assault. It began to spread across social media in 2017 as survivors of sexual harassment and assault. The main objective of the movement is to give a sense of magnitude to the issue of sexual violence or sexual harassment ("me too. Movement"). The campaign was created to show the victims of sexual harassment that they are not alone and they should come together to speak out against these actions. Since 2017 when the movement started trending, a lot of high profile people have spoken about their experiences, and this has given more women a voice. Some of the debates that animate the #MeToo movement include the issues of rape culture, gender inequality, stereotypes, and workplace sexual harassment. These topics form the main talking points of the #MeToo movement as more women from all over the world come out to speak against the act.

The movement has done much to bring worldwide attention to the issue of sexual violence against women. An increasing number of people are becoming aware of the problem of sexual harassment, and the victims are reacting to it differently because they feel empowered. More people are now willing to speak out against the acts as it happens. It has also built a sense of unity among women which means that people are likely to stand out for each other even if the victim is unable to speak up against the act itself. However, it remains to be seen how far the movement will go.

References

Crenshaw, K. (1991). Race, Gender and Sexual Harassment(Vol. 65). Retrieved May 6, 2019, from http://also-chicago.org/also_site/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Race-gender-and-sexual-harassment-Kimberle-Crenshaw-1991.pdf

Me too. Movement. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2019, from https://metoomvmt.org/