I don't understand, there was a lot of hand wringing after the revelations about Jimmy Saville became widely accepted. #metoo there was more handwringing about the need to listen to women when they are telling you something that makes you uncomfortable.
Saville was allowed to get away with what he didn't because he created an aura of fear and people would afraid of the backlash if they spoke up. Those that did suffered.
We were promised something like that could never happen again...
And yet now despite many women and girls saying they feel afraid and uncomfortable sharing single sex spaces with someone with a penis weren't told we're bigoted and verbally abused for saying that. Our employers are contacted and told we're bigots, we're doxxed.
And organisations like girl guides are going still further in saying it must be kept a secret when girls are being forced to sleep and change with a male bodied teen with a penis (& teen levels of hormones) and I'm not even allowed to identify what sex that male bodied teen with a penis is on a public forum
Girl Guides are taking that approach despite the knowledge that abusers use secrecy and shame to their advantage.
Just like with Saville anyone who excesses concerns is shouted down and accused of being the person in the wrong by the powerful. There is a culture of fear now. Celebrity voices in particular (thinking people like Munroe Bergdorf, Stephen Fry and long list of others) are given more weight to shout down women's concerns. Male bodied people feelings are paramount despite almost all sexual abusers being male bodied (and most of the tiny tiny number of female bodied sexual abusers working with and being in thrall to a male bodied abuser)
Did we as a society learn nothing from Saville & the multitude of other abuse scandals that women and children/girls should be listened to, that celebrities voices help hide abusers, that telling girls to keep secrets from their parents about the presence of penises in their bedrooms and changing rooms and showing them they will be blamed and abused if they transgress and tell someone creates an environment where abuse can flourish.
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Feminism: Sex and gender discussions
Safeguarding girls and protecting women post Jimmy Saville & #metoo
544 replies
SpareRibFem · 09/07/2018 10:59
OP posts:
Sarahjconnor ·
09/07/2018 11:32
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
Sarahjconnor ·
09/07/2018 11:36
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
Sarahjconnor ·
09/07/2018 12:06
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
Sarahjconnor ·
09/07/2018 12:10
This reply has been deleted
Message withdrawn at poster's request.
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.