A sea of students stood in unity at the foot of the baseball field during the Believe Survivors walkout on Oct. 17, 2018. One by one, students entered the inner circle and shared their experiences with sexual harassment, while others voiced their support for the #MeToo movement and those who came forward. Two things became clear that day: sexual harassment deeply affects many students at Aragon, and many survivors, given the opportunity and the support of others, want to tell their stories.
In light of the #MeToo movement and our publication’s current reporting on sexual harassment at Aragon, the Outlook would like to express its support of individuals who shared their experiences. We believe that in sharing stories, sexual misconduct becomes less stigmatized, and the general awareness of the issue increases.
We also acknowledge that reporting sexual harassment comes with a risk for many survivors. Unfortunately, some people will go to great lengths to humiliate, blame and discredit victims of harassment and assault. Coming forward with accusations can also put one’s career and reputation on the line. Some people will never feel comfortable coming forward, and that is okay. Victims should not be forced to bear the extra weight and responsibility of others, sacrificing their own well-being to do what’s best for the rest of society. Just as we shouldn’t shame victims for the harassment they experienced, we shouldn’t shame them for choosing to stay silent, either.
Nonetheless, coming forward is powerful, impactful and important. Survivors’ stories lead the discussion of holding people accountable and creating necessary change. As we have seen among different industries across the country, having the bravery to come forward and speak about one’s own experiences encourages others to follow, inciting important dialogue and creating a safer and more inclusive environment.
Speaking up against abusers also breaks a previously impenetrable silence, exposing the power structures that have allowed perpetrators to assault for years. With high-profile perpetrators such as Dr. Larry Nassar, Harvey Weinstein, R. Kelly and Catholic clergy, their abuse was well-known and protected — survivors were either shamed into silence, discouraged from speaking up or threatened. One voice has the power to open the floodgates and bring justice.
When former gymnast Rachael Denhollander first came forward to accuse team USA doctor Larry Nassar of assaulting her at age 15, she faced massive backlash. What Denhollander couldn’t foresee at the time was that her voice would bring about a wave of change. After Denhollander, 264 more individuals, many of them teenagers, came forward and accused Nassar of misconduct. Denhollander’s courage initiated a process that put a serial child molester behind bars.
It’s true that speaking up won’t solve everything. It doesn’t erase the misconduct that occurred in the first place, and more often than not, perpetrators walk free regardless of victims voicing their stories. But whether the perpetrator is ultimately punished or not, each time a survivor has the courage to speak out, they expose an important issue that has been overlooked and systematically silenced for centuries.
The Outlook supports survivors of all forms of sexual misconduct, and we are humbled that the student body entrusts us with sharing their experiences that can be traumatizing and painful to talk about. We hope that by reporting on the issue of sexual harassment, and providing a platform for those who have experienced it to share their stories, the dialogue and changes that need to happen are finally initiated.
