Content warning- this article contains discussion of sexual violence, rape culture and victim blaming.
If the timing of International Women’s Day in 2021 has highlighted anything it is time to care about women as much as we say we care about women.
This year, International Women’s Day fell in the wake of multiple sexual assault allegations arising from our Nation’s capital. Brittany Higgins coming forward and then the historical allegation against Attorney General Christian Porter, culminated to put a focus on sexual violence against women in Australian media and political sphere.
But the way these young women’s stories have been responded to has been nothing short of disgraceful. We have heard so much about protecting and supporting women, but the actions of our country’s leaders have failed to match up.
Rather than swift action and investigation we have heard how Higgins felt she would no longer have a job if she chose to press charges and seen unwavering and unquestioning support for Porter by his colleagues, despite allegations against him.
If we really cared about women and victims of sexual assault and violence and were actually committed to protecting, believing and supporting them they come forward, why is there a pattern of jumping to protect the men on the other end of these allegations? Why are their jobs and their reputations considered more than that of the women alleging assault?
Alongside this, discussion of these allegations all too often have referred to this as a cultural problem within specific political parties, or a phenomenon within the ‘Canberra bubble’, ignoring the widespread violence against women across the world.
Rape culture isn’t constricted to any one group or place. One in five women in Australia have experienced sexual violence since age 15, so if you haven’t been victim of the types of behaviours alleged, the chances are that at least one person close to you has.
The way that we talk about rape culture matters, the language we use matters, not only to ensure that we are placing the responsibility of these crimes on the perpetrators, but because victims and survivors are always listening.
Phrases like ‘women shouldn’t be able to get themselves into situations where this happens’ reinforces victim blaming, women don’t get themselves into any ‘situations’ they are put there by the perpetrators of this violence. In the same vein, deciding that the responsibility is on victims- to not get drunk, to not wear revealing clothing, to not be attractive or out after dark- insinuates that there is blame placed on you if someone is to assault you.
Victims are never to blame for the violence against them.
Additionally, when we care about these women who have experienced one of the most horrific things that can be done to a person it is not because we have daughters or sisters or mothers, it is because they are people. As put so eloquently by 2021 Australian of the year, Grace Tame in her address to the National Press Club last week:
“It shouldn’t take having children to have a conscience. And actually, on top of that, having children doesn’t guarantee a conscience.”
Victims and survivors of sexual violence are people, people who deserve our respect and our empathy regardless of where they work or what they were wearing, people who deserve so much better than this.
This International Women’s Day felt heavy and uncomfortable. We are angry, angry that these crimes happen and are pushed under the rug repeatedly, angry that people abuse their power to both hurt and dismiss us, angry that so often we are blamed for what others have done to us.
These crimes need our attention, our anger and the continuing power of our collective voices, especially as we have now passed International Women’s Day, to ensure that these women and all other victims are given the justice and support they deserve.
Words by Mallory Bradley
