The Me Too movement is a crusade against sexual abuse and harassment. This includes those cases of little girls and boys being violated before they develop the consciousness to fully grasp consequences or understand the circumstances that make up this experience we call life.
It is a movement against trusted family members molesting and raping children.
In our Guyana, too, many of our citizens enable the predators and paedophiles. Far too few face any consequences because they are excused, feared, revered or we pretend to be oblivious. We prefer to let these troubled human beings offend repeatedly, to keep up appearances or not sully their so-called good names while their victims often never heal. You are anti-children, anti-the future, and void of a moral compass when you are aware of the sexual abuse of children and do nothing.
When we continue to allow paedophiles and predators to desecrate our homes, our religious institutions and even our schools, we continue to dig the graves for their victims. Some believe that devils are mysterious creatures with red eyes and horns, but the devils that live amongst us have some of the most handsome and beautiful faces. They are our relatives, our friends, our partners and colleagues.
Me Too is about little girls walking home from school only to see men masturbating in the public.
Me Too is the little boy or girl who was too trusting and was raped.
Me Too is being warned about the neighbourhood paedophile. Do not go to their house. Do not go if they call you. And even though some children may disobey and be harmed, they never see prison.
Me Too is when older men in the community smirk at young girls when their breasts start to show; watching, salivating and waiting to make their move. Some do not wait for the age of consent. They make children the mothers of children and society continues to function like all is well.
Me Too is being in second form and being told by a friend that she was having a sexual relationship with a mini-bus conductor in his twenties and me, perplexed in my mind and confused because I was innocent and fearful since we were only thirteen.
Me Too is mini-bus drivers impregnating the schoolgirls before they write CSEC.
Me Too is the rumours about the teachers having relationships with their female students and the whispers about the abortions while these men continue to teach.
Me Too is the teenaged girls walking down the street to the “oohs and aahs” of men touching their privates, grinning and licking their lips.
Me Too is the horror stories I have heard. I know more than ten people who were sexually abused as children. It is the disturbing hearing the stories about fathers molesting and raping their daughters and sons; about brothers, uncles and the cousins who do the same. About little boys and girls being raped by their mothers’ partners. About mothers choosing rapists over their children. About the suicidal tendencies and the suicides. So many cruel people, so many numb people, so many sick people.
Me Too is me as an adult woman not being able to walk the streets without being harassed by men of all ages. Young men who do not care that you could be their mothers; men your age who refuse to hear when you say you are not interested; older men who are just the same. You are subject to verbal abuse when you do not respond, but no, I do not have to respond. No, I do not have to smile. No, you do not have a right to my telephone number. No, you are not allowed to follow me as I go about my business. Not every woman is comfortable with this culture that prevents us from walking the streets in peace. We know that we are beautiful. We do not need your crass comments. Comments made about what we are wearing as you undress us with your eyes. Comments about what they would do if you were theirs. The brave ones try to touch you. I pity the fools. I also pity the women who smile and giggle and believe that it is acceptable.
Me Too is when women stand in solidarity with men who have been accused even when there is evidence that proves their guilt.
Me Too is when men are silent and leave women to push for change. Perhaps they are fearful. Perhaps they are culpable, but if we are ever to see an end or at least a decline in these social ills, we need more good men to use their voices too.
Me Too is when adult men prey on young women barely past the age of consent.
Me Too is when these young women are abused while in relationships with them and it is excused as a bedroom matter by morally corrupt men in our society. There are issues with the age of consent. The paedophiles are not just the ones who prey on the little children, but the paedophile is also the grown man who finds pleasure in the young woman just past the age of consent. No, she is not your equal just because the law says she can legally have sex. There will always be an imbalance of power. No teenagers are not culpable in their demise when they are preyed on by men who could have fathered them. You do not have flings with children when you are grown. We are sick of your excuses. We are sick of you women and men who are quick to shame the victims and massage the ego of the predators. We are sick of those of you who will first jump to the defence of the predator rather than empathise with the victims. We are sick that this society continues to allow this disease to plague our land. We are sick that some believe that this is a normal part of our culture and nothing is done to change it. We are sick because you prey on children and teens when they are adult men and women you can choose to have relationships with instead. But you cannot help yourself, right? Some of them are more mature than their age, right? We understand that some of you might be mentally unwell. We understand that you too might have been victims. But the way to heal is not by passing on the hurt. The way to heal is not excusing the dysfunction. Money does not erase the disease. Status does not heal the sickness. Power does not absolve you.
Me too.
You too.
We all must lend our voices and take action if we are to witness major change.
To the men and women who continue the fight, I applaud you.
