We Stand With Jada

Photos of her rape went viral. But she’s refusing to hide.

You know someone who has been raped.

It might be your mother. It might be your sister. It might be your co-worker. In all likelihood, you will never know. Unlike 16-year-old Jada from Houston, Texas.

Powered by Twitter, bullies, misogynists, and downright assholes are mocking this young lady’s rape by tweeting photos of themselves in the splayed position, as Jada was shown in a video that went viral.

Media won’t typically identify an underage rape victim, however, Jada gave KHOU News in Texas permission to use her first name and broadcast her face. Jada explained her reason for coming forward. “There’s no point in hiding…But that’s not who I am and what I am.”

In the case of Daisy Coleman, a 14-year-old whose rape also was videoed, she chose to write openly about her ordeal. After the charges were dropped against her attacker, Matt, a kid at her school wore a shirt, “Matt 1; Daisy 0.” And Matt Tweeted: “If her name begins with A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z, she wants the D.”

According to RAINN, someone is sexually assaulted in America every two minutes. This amounts to 237,868 per year. It’s estimated that 60% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.

Forty-four percent of the victims are under age 18. Let this statement sink in. Feel it. And then imagine these victims being mocked and put on public display.

As defined by the American Psychological Association, Sexual Objectification of women occurs when a woman’s body or body parts are singled out and separated from her as a person and she is viewed primarily as a physical object of male sexual desire.

Last year was a banner year for sexual objectification of women with Robin Thicke’s blockbuster song, Blurred Lines, with lyrics such as, “I know you want it; Can’t let it past me.” The backlash against Thicke has begun. With his newest album in its debut week, only 24,000 units have been sold compared to 177,000 units of his last year’s Blurred Lines. (Myself, I prefer the feminist parody, Defined Lines.)

What about the backlash against Jada’s and Daisy’s attackers? And the rest of the bullies, misogynists, and assholes?

Like every other atrocity against mankind/womankind, until all people are viewed as deserving of respect, the lines will grow blurrier and blurrier.

Aspiring first-time author, Holmes has experienced motherhood, divorce, single motherhood, re-marriage, stepfamily, low income, middle income. Her coming book is based on solid research, vast interviews, and personal experience. Her inspiration: her teenage daughter; and all females who struggle with assumptions others hold about their lives.

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