SPEECH: sexual abuse + inequality against women
By Remy, Year 10
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Greetings sisters, mothers, aunts and women around the world.
Greetings to those who have been scarred of beatings.
Greetings to those who are present today to hear the words of the silent unspoken.
Greetings to those who have faced the harsh reality of the living. Be still and hear the traumatic memories of the past, present and future. Do not be blinded for here are the true words of the slandered.
Today is the day.
Today I stand with all women to ignite their voices and bring life to those who have been tampered upon.
Today is the day.
Yesterday you were stripped of your innocence.
Today I stand with the victims.
Tomorrow you must stand with me.
It disgusts me today, every day that more than 85% of women worldwide have experienced some form of sexual abuse in their lifetimes, but most of us don’t report it. Most of us shush. Most of us stay cold and quiet. Why is it worth speaking about it you may ask? Countless lives, countless lives I say this day have fallen into the shadows of sexual abuse. Chanel Miller once said, “you took away my worth, my privacy, my energy, my time, my safety, my intimacy, my confidence, my own voice-until today”.
From continent to continent, country after country, from city to city, from the birds in the sky to the fish in the sea, no one is completely safe from sexual abuse. Now is the time, now is the time to raise your voices, women. Let the world hear your roars. Let the world know you have suffered real pain. We were once dependent on men, they looked down on us like lions feasting on helpless lambs, but we grew claws and broke free of their clutches. Break free I tell you! Break free from the dark hours of the past.
We as women, as females, deserve the right to speak up. Why is it that our society neglects the voices of women? Is it because we are not strong enough? Why is it that our society finds fault in women and praises men? Is it because we are the wrongdoers?
NO!
It is because the very thought of men being more highly respected has been branded in the minds of humans ever since the beginning. When Taylor Swift filed for a sexual abuse case against ex-DJ David Mueller did anyone believe her? When Oprah Winfrey first opened up about being sexually abused did anyone listen? I can no longer bear to express my frustration seeing this as reality in our unfair world.
I am deeply saddened that our society has no respect for women. We are rejected. We are ignored. We are muted from all our worries in the sea of the forgotten. Oh God Almighty save us from our troubles! Women, no matter the age or colour of your skin, most of us present today have been exposed to sexual abuse but refuse to speak. You have gone through such a traumatising event, yet you have the strength to continue your lives. The world says women are weak, but I say they are unbreakable! I must agree with poet Atticus when he says, “she was powerful, not because she was scared, but because she went on so strongly, despite the fear”.
Am I surprised that victims of sexual abuse have not come clean? They fear what their partners might do. They fear what their families might do. They fear what the world might do. I cannot begin to express the anger that ignites inside of me. The shadows of sexual abuse is a silent killer that lurk quietly and strikes unnoticed. According to National Domestic Violence Organisation, shockingly 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual abuse from a current or former partner. Furthermore, sexual abuse is still an ongoing problem in our world that must be resolved.
Listen high authorities, our children are the generation of tomorrow! They must utmost be taught the lasting impact of sexual abuse in order to change it. They must utmost be aware of their body parts and what needs to be private must stay private in order to change it. They must utmost be educated on how to defend themselves in order to change it. Sexual abuse is a crime and it must change now!
Rise dear sisters.
Rise from your fears.
Rise from your abusers.
Rise from the pain you have endured.
Rise and pour your burning anger out.
Do you not fear the consequences they ask? Why must we fear? We have nothing to fear! It is our right; this is our right. We fight until we get what we deserve. We raise our voices until it is heard. We do not give up; we persist until we have what rightfully belongs to us! As sexual harrassment survivor, Angelina Jolie, once said “There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor”.
Today is the day.
Yesterday you were stripped of your innocence.
Today I stand with the victims.
Tomorrow you stand with me.
Thank you.
