"She should have known better."
"She had it coming for her."
"It's just a joke."
"And you're just sensitive."
You're ignorance glazes over your words
Like paint.
Thick, glossy, and shiny
Words covered with a gentle haze
Of misunderstanding.
Hearing those words
Of un-acknowledged shaming
And saddening victim blaming
Stabs straight through my numbed Soul.
But you know what?
I'm glad you are blinded by your
Ignorance ever so blissful.
I am glad you cannot see
How misguided your word can be.
Because that means
That you have not experienced
The Horror
Of being sexually harassed.
Because if you had the opportunity
To feel that kind of
Helplessness.
Terror.
Agony.
Violation.
Degration.
Then you would have never said
She could have prevented it.
And I thank God up in Heaven
That you have never experienced
That kind of pain.
Sep 12, 2013
Sep 12, 2013 at 12:02 AM UTC
"She should have known better."
"She had it coming for her."
"It's just a joke."
"And you're just sensitive."
You're ignorance glazes over your words
Like paint.
Thick, glossy, and shiny
Words covered with a gentle haze
Of misunderstanding.
Hearing those words
Of un-acknowledged shaming
And saddening victim blaming
Stabs straight through my numbed Soul.
But you know what?
I'm glad you are blinded by your
Ignorance ever so blissful.
I am glad you cannot see
How misguided your word can be.
Because that means
That you have not experienced
The Horror
Of being sexually harassed.
Because if you had the opportunity
To feel that kind of
Helplessness.
Terror.
Agony.
Violation.
Degration.
Then you would have never said
She could have prevented it.
And I thank God up in Heaven
That you have never experienced
That kind of pain.
This poem was inspired by a conversation with one of my closest friends. We're both very passionate about the hurt and triggering effects of victim-blaming, both against women and men.
I love you, Sam.
Request permission to use this poem