Entitlement and Sexual Violence.

Ava 100%When you work hard, you’re entitled to be compensated. When you pay for a meal, you’re entitled to receive it. Men, however, are not entitled to women’s bodies.

 A sense of entitlement is what fuels rape as a weapon of war around the world. It is what underpins the comments of the Republican nominee who describes the body parts of women as if he were casually referring to one of his licensed towers. Entitlement is what has compelled millions of rapists around the world to blatantly steal the souls of one out of every three women who has been forced to write sexual and physical assault into their life stories. We say we abhor this behavior, yet sheepishly sit by and hand women the pens by our complicity.
 Sexual violence is a wound that never heals. Of the hundreds of women and girls I have met in doing this work, not one survivor that I have spoken to has ever “gotten over it.” They live with it, some better than others who walk through the world as functional zombies. Rape and sexual assault strip women of our dignity and force a veil of shame over our hearts in a way that nothing else possibly can. It is an act of humiliation and it hurts.
 
So, my brothers, teach your sons that the greatest way to love a woman is to respect her body, her soul and her spirit. Sisters, teach your daughters that their bodies are their own and that no one is entitled to take a piece of them simply because they want to.
 
If you want to exercise power and control over someone, start with your own mind and body. Not mine.
 
#EndGBV #SheSaidNo #EndRapeCulture