When I was a college student, I was walking in a busy open-air market, when a young man came up behind me and groped me. It occurred so suddenly that my friend, who was walking right next to me, did not realize what had happened until he saw me pushing the man away. Afterwards, I was shaken and angry. When I watched the leaked video of Trump joking — even bragging — about aggressively grabbing women, it brought back the memory and emotions of that day.
When the hot-mic video was first released, I was offended, but I have become more disturbed in the week since. In part, this was because of the Trump campaign dismissing the comments as “locker-room talk.” Trying to play this off as something that men do is inaccurate and offensive. Additionally, to say that there are bigger problems at hand and we shouldn’t be acknowledging Trump’s remarks is to minimize the women who have been traumatized by such actions. Sexual assault is a major problem in our military, on our college campuses and in our communities.
I was also dismayed to hear people ask, “Why do women let him do that?” This speaks to a larger issue, one that was made painfully clear by the remarks about the appearances and character of the women who accused Trump of inappropriate behavior and assault. They were demeaned in every way, from their intelligence to their motives and their looks. Is it any wonder that #whywomendontreport was trending on Twitter within hours?
These women did not invite Trump’s advances and by their accounts, they did their best to brush or — when necessary — push him off. My reaction to the young man that grabbed me was to push him away so hard that when he stumbled and fell to the curb, I honestly thought I could have broken his collarbone. I had other friends who were similarly grabbed, one ran away, another punched the man in the stomach. These advances were done without consent and were aggressive and even violent in their nature.
The way women have been portrayed and discussed during this election is truly demoralizing, especially when we consider that we should be celebrating the fact that we have the first major-party female candidate. As we discuss these events with our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers, we will realize that the vast majority of Americans recognize we do not view women this way nor do we believe it is all right to joke or minimize harassment or assault. We must elevate the dialogue. No matter your political party or philosophy, it is crucial that we create an environment in which women feel safe to report abuse and assault. Finally, I hope more than anything that our society will provide my daughter with the same opportunities, protections and respect that it will give my sons.
Morgan Lyon Cotti works at the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah. Her opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the institute.