molestation

The reality is that in our society, the idea that a boy or man can be raped by a woman is often seen as ludicrous.

These women are from all over the world. They are from different socioeconomic brackets. Their assaults took place during different times over the last 35 years. The victims are completely different, but the stories are all so similar. Victims of assault, rape, harassment, coming forward, being brave and telling the truth, and being stigmatized, ostracized, blamed, ignored, ridiculed. People they love, people they trust, people whose job it is to protect them, blaming them for their assault. It’s common. Almost expected. That women are assaulted, harassed by men, is a given in our culture. That women are blamed is standard procedure. Is it really any wonder that the majority of sexual assaults go unreported? Is it really shocking that a woman would want to save herself additional trauma?

All responses by victims of incest are valid. Fear, anger, and rage are often the most understandable, but victims often love their abusers, too. That love doesn't always vanish the second that abuse occurs, and in fact many abusers rely on that love to conceal and even continue the abuse.

Whenever a man who plays a dad on television is uncovered to be uncouth, why do we feign the motions of disbelief?

It's not easy to reconcile caring about someone with allegations of abuse against them. But sometimes, it's necessary.

No, Bill Cosby isn't my dad. But he was like one to me growing up.

In speaking out about being sexually victimized by a woman, Williams brings much-needed attention to an oft-dismissed facet of rape.