Myself included. Trump doesn't take into account that the victim is AFRAID of the perp. How is a fifteen-year-old supposed to feel? It was an elite school. You fear not only the perp but his friends, parents, authorities.

There is a sexual assault survivors' group on DU. I encourage people to contribute their. This is a hard time for a lot of us.

I had no idea. Are the posts kept privately in that group or do they turn up on the Lastest Threads page?

Can you tell me where to find it? I could have used that group this past year. Probably still could.

Thank you for sharing this.

I am only stating facts.....and happy to do so. That Jody is a million years in the past.

I agree the Cheeto's tweet is way off base. But do any of us expect empathy from that orange asshole? Of course not.

It's voices like yours that will begin to repair the male mindset about sexual abuse.

It's one of those things that's difficult to understand unless you've been there. The fear, guilt, shame, and overriding need for respect and privacy after having your own shattered in such a dehumanizing way.

My hope is that this ugly chapter in American history will force the world to look at sexual assault through the victim's eyes, to understand WHY women (and men) don't come forward. They want it to go away, they don't want to relive it over and over. And most of all they don't want to have their claims rejected by people who have no idea what damage that causes.

Joe Scarborough brought up a good point this morning: No one ever questions why catholic schoolboys don't come forward when they are molested by priests. THAT they understand. Why do some people feel justified in applying a different standard to a 15-year old girl?

reported. You healed yourself with your honesty and the LTE, and this post. God bless.

From Snopes" As of now, all of the information about this lawsuit comes solely from the complaint filed by “Katie Johnson,” and no one has as yet located, identified, or interviewed her. She was scheduled to appear at a press conference on 2 November 2016 but didn’t show up, claiming that threats to her life kept her away. She reportedly dropped the lawsuit again on 4 November 2016 for the same reason."

I know the mind tends to block out extremely traumatic events. It's a survival thing.
What these old conservative men don't get is rape is very traumatic for a woman. It's not sex and it's not some small thing.
I am lucky in that so far I have avoided that.
As a young divorced mom in the 80s I put forth this tough punk exterior. I think I scared alot of men. lol
It was my survival thing.

I know the names, I think. Or I could remember if I gave it more thought. But I don't think about them. When I hear of incidents like Ford's, it takes me back. I remember flashes...and then I put them out of my mind. I don't want to remember.

I didn't report any of the incidents to anyone. Not to law enforcement, mother, even girlfriends. I felt I'd be blamed, and I felt I WAS the one to blame, that they were my fault. Even when a gf told me about a sexual molestation of sorts that happened to her..even then, I didn't tell her of times it had happened to me.

Now that the me, too movement has come along, I realize how rampant this behavior is. That there are millions of men molesting women.
And there are many other women walking around with hidden incidents, like me, thinking it's just them.

These incidents happen anywhere, everywhere, by every type of guy to every kind of woman.

It was over 60 years ago. I didn’t tell anyone about it for over 30 years. I also don’t want anyone’s sympathy.

I also had men assault me when I was a teenager and a young woman. It wasn’t uncommon at all when I was a young woman in the 60s, 70’s and 80’s.

One of the things that is rarely mentioned regarding victims of rape and assault is that along with all the shame and self blaming there is an equal amount of simmering rage. I learned to protect myself, to avoid being defenseless or overpowered by popping those male ego bubbles women used to be told they had to protect. Women my age know what I’m talking about.

If a man started grabbing or trying to grope me my reaction was anger through verbal abuse to outright laughing at them. It worked.

I don’t consider myself a weak victim. I think of it as a strong woman being victimized. It happens when the criminal is stronger physically. It’s a power thing. It has nothing to do with any woman’s worth.

so yes, smaller than any man...physically.

rape wouldn’t be so easy. It would still happen but rarely if it was a one on one thing. I know strong men who havebeen raped. It isn’t any easier for them.