Hear Us

 

 It was difficult watching the women who were abused by Jeffrey Epstein speak today, but it was inspiring. All this time they remained silent because no one would listen to them. What happened in 2008 that squashed any consequences for Epstein and the other abusers? Most likely someone in power wanted the women silenced. Too many men in power would be hurt, so they allowed their victims to suffer. As Ro Khanna said, this isn't a partisan issue. Marjorie Taylor Greene stood alongside Trump accusers, as did Nancy Mace, Thomas Massie and many other supporters demanding justice and transparency. Many women who watched the press conference today were probably sexually and or verbally assaulted in their lives. I do not know one woman who doesn't have a story of being fondled, groped, demeaned or sexually assaulted by a male. For my sisters and me, it was childhood neighbors we grew up with and thought we could trust. Every single one of us remained silent until we were adults and finally spoke about it. We were shocked and in shambles as each one told their story. And yet, we all knew, we knew we had gone through something traumatic and there was not one adult we could have turned to. Some were friends of our parents. Some were the children of those parents. My mother. My sisters. My daughter. Me. All of us, at some point in our young lives were betrayed by people we knew, no, not people- men. This is not meant to be a hysterical attack where I blame the entire male gender, because we've seen the other side as well. I just want you to hear us. These women have stood before us and have demanded our attention at long last. We can't let our fear and the threats from abusers silence any of us anymore.