Thread by @TaranaBurke

Events in the news have some people questioning @metooMVMT and our stance on believing survivors so I wanted to speak up and add some thoughts...

I’ve always said this movement was about centering survivors and not about scandals, no matter what the headlines say. Before you ask, see my ted talk here in case you’re looking for how I talk about this work.
t.ted.com/NIcGuBm

The reality is that one of the biggest hurdles in speaking up is a central question: will anyone believe me?

There’s lots of reasons why people often choose not to believe survivors. Thinking they are making it up wholesale or not recognizing what happened to them as a violation (even though they are telling you it is)
are a couple of reasons.

We say ‘believe survivors’ because it is the first step toward transformation and because it requires empathy but it also, often, expands our understanding of what bodily autonomy looks like.

If you take the brave step to say that your bodily autonomy was violated, we choose to believe you because in doing so, we help folks claim the power over what happens with and to their bodies.

While we, as a culture, can make policy gains or begin to change the conversation around sexual assault, shifting a core culture of disbelief and denial around sexual assault is essential to creating safe spaces for survivors to speak up and speak out when they are ready.

By saying *believe* survivors be clear that it means START with the premise that folks aren’t lying and then handle the disclosure with the seriousness and gravity it deserves until a satisfactory solution is reached.

As we create a world where we believe survivors, its easy to get distracted by the rare case of false reporting (between 2-10%). And when it happens it is a clear violation of the trust of those closest to the person involved and the community. Full stop.

But, be clear, when we say *believe* survivors be clear that it means START with the premise that folks aren’t lying and then handle the disclosure with the seriousness and gravity it deserves.

Im just wondering are we more invested in the ‘gotcha’ moment of catching someone in a falsehood then we are in avenging the suffering of silent survivors and those who came before? If so, what does that ultimately say about who we are and who we want to be?

We cannot on the one hand say we believe survivors, then on the other turn around and use isolated incidents to prove an epidemic doesn’t actually exist.

“Well there was a girl who lied on a guy once in HS so people don’t always tell the truth!”

No, but the mostly do.

The bottom line is this: we’ve heard case after case after case after case of all kinds survivors of violence: sexual, racial and more. if those people are ever to become whole again, it starts with believing them when they tell us what broke them.

That is our work @MeTooMVMT

Excuse typos 😬 moving fast. 😜🥰