As a guy that was falsely accused of domestic violence and rape, I experienced firsthand the huge difference in how such accusations are viewed. I was assumed guilty, especially by law enforcement, the legal community and friends, neighbors and coworkers I wasn’t close with. It was tough, and embarrassing too.
That said, I fully understand that I was the odd case. Far more women genuinely experience sexual assuault and abuse by men and struggle to get the support they need than men that experience what I did… the difference is orders of magnitude. Just because I experienced some unequal treatment based on my gender doesn’t change the fact that women disproportionately suffer greatly at the hands of men and awareness and change is needed.
My personal experience doesn’t diminish the vastly greater numbers of women that suffer worse.
It’s almost like things can happen independently of one another, and that it’s wrong either way. Nobody is saying “sexual assault against men doesn’t exist” when they say “1 in 3 women have experienced sexual assault”.
It’s depressing that we have to point out such basic ideas.
Very much so but it’s the difference in how men and women are treated in a whole range of scenarios at issue here. Feminism specifically tries to address the significance inequity in how women are treated vs men. Just because there are situations where men are at a disadvantage compared to women doesn’t change the fact that overall women suffer far greater disadvantages than men.
Discovering someone supports feminism shouldn’t provoke a “but what about the situations where men are at a disadvantage?!?” reaction
As a guy that was falsely accused of domestic violence and rape, I experienced firsthand the huge difference in how such accusations are viewed. I was assumed guilty, especially by law enforcement, the legal community and friends, neighbors and coworkers I wasn’t close with. It was tough, and embarrassing too.
That said, I fully understand that I was the odd case. Far more women genuinely experience sexual assuault and abuse by men and struggle to get the support they need than men that experience what I did… the difference is orders of magnitude. Just because I experienced some unequal treatment based on my gender doesn’t change the fact that women disproportionately suffer greatly at the hands of men and awareness and change is needed.
My personal experience doesn’t diminish the vastly greater numbers of women that suffer worse.
It’s almost like things can happen independently of one another, and that it’s wrong either way. Nobody is saying “sexual assault against men doesn’t exist” when they say “1 in 3 women have experienced sexual assault”.
It’s depressing that we have to point out such basic ideas.
being falsely accused of rape/and dv is pretty different of being SA.
Very much so but it’s the difference in how men and women are treated in a whole range of scenarios at issue here. Feminism specifically tries to address the significance inequity in how women are treated vs men. Just because there are situations where men are at a disadvantage compared to women doesn’t change the fact that overall women suffer far greater disadvantages than men.
Discovering someone supports feminism shouldn’t provoke a “but what about the situations where men are at a disadvantage?!?” reaction