Please stop sending me #notallmen messages - I already know.
NOTE: THIS POST WAS WRITTEN IN RESPONSE TO THE #METOO CAMPAIGN AFTER RECEIVING A BARRAGE OF MESSAGES
I AM SICK OF GETTING #NOTALLMEN MESSAGES.. So this is my message to anyone who feels the need to message me.
OF COURSE NOT ALL MEN COMMIT ACTS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE... HOWEVER:
1. 73% of sexual violence committed against males in Australia, is committed by other men (ABS, 2012). 2. Men have a 1 in 23 chance of being sexually assaulted in Australia, however, after a man turns 10 that chance decreases dramatically unless incarcerated (ABS, 2012). 3. Somewhere between 93-97% of all sexual violence (MALE, FEMALE AND GENDER NON-CONFORMING VICTIMS) is committed by MALES (http://www.casa.org.au/casa_pdf.php?document=statistics - ABS, 2014)
MALE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE EXIST AND THEY DESERVE TO BE HEARD, THEY DESERVE A SOCIETY IN WHICH IT IS POSSIBLE FOR THEM TO DISCLOSE WITHOUT FEAR, HOWEVER:
We can not change our discourse about sexual violence from male-centred violence, because OVERWHELMINGLY, sexual violence is committed by men. I understand that may make you feel uncomfortable, it's abhorrent.. But the problem in our society is not who is the victim, or which gender has it worse... The problem is MALE VIOLENCE.
So before you message me #notallmen.. Please take some time to look at statistics and look at my message. I care just as much about male victims as I do about female, however, women are about 5 x times more like to be assaulted than men and our gender non-conforming friends are about 10 x more likely to be assaulted.... AND MEN ARE THE ONES WHO DO IT.
IF YOU WANT REAL CHANGE.. IF YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT MALE VICTIMS, I implore you to look at our society and try and figure out how we change this culture of toxic masculinity that prevents men from disclosing... I implore you to start your own campaign about how the prevalence of male child sexual assault... It's important to talk about it.. BUT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TALK OVER MY MESSAGE.. We can care about more than one thing at once.
BUT WE CAN NOT CHANGE STATISTICS..... And those show that MALES commit sexual violence.. So let's educate our boys better.. Help me in the sexual education revolution and get behind SNAFI.. That's what my ultimate goal is, to get into schools and try and work out how we can change these statistics.. But at teh moment this is what we have to deal with.
SO PLEASE DON'T SEND ME #NOTALLMEN messages because I know.. I know.. I wouldn't be engaged to an amazing man if I didn't know..... BUT THAT DOESN'T CHANGE THE STATISTICS.
/endrant
