The March to End Rape Culture was great. This march was originally called the slut walk, but the name was changed to include other groups of people as well. So many women and men walking with signs for a cause that is not noticed enough. For this everyone dresses however they want to show that what someone is wearing is not their consent and does not mean that they want sex. Although the march was important and held great meaning one of the most important parts is the gathering after the march. This is where you hear stories from women who have faced the troubles of rape culture. These stories are both heart breaking and empowering. Just think about how hard it is to talk about something so traumatizing! Now imagine telling this traumatizing story over and over again to try to get justice. It seems impossible and very difficult right? Now imagine telling your story to a group of people for the first time after going through all that was just said. It is hard and these survivors of rape are so inspiring.
At the gathering there is one survivor who is the main speaker. She shares her story about what happened. While sharing her story she also encourages everyone to speak up and take action. She does not want anyone to give up. She also hopes that the school and the school police learn from her story and fix what they can fix within their systems and how they run things. After hearing her story the students who organized this wonderful march opened the microphone up to anyone who was there to share their stories, or to share their views and comments.
All the students and guests who went up to the microphone to share their stories are very brave, I could not bring myself to go up and speak my own story, one that has not been shared to anyone. Sharing your story helps you cope with what happened to you and it also helps with knowing that taking that step can help others take that step as well. There were stories of boyfriends who were the rapist, of family members, of friends, and of rape within one of the military branches as well. All these stories powerful in their own ways; they were disgusting at times and for me some were hard to listen to and not want to cry or be angry at the person who took advantage of such beautiful, smart young women.
After everyone who went up to the open microphone were done telling their stories, everyone went to watch It Happened Here. I encourage you to watch this powerful documentary.