Robert Vukovic: We’re Treating the Symptoms of a Cultural Cancer As Opposed To Eradicating the Disease

This is an excellent, disturbing, and vitally needed piece by Robert Vukovic. Illuminated here is the depth of a much larger picture which expands beyond the media outings of high profile sexual predators like Donald Trump, Bill O'Reilly, Roger Ailes, Bill Cosby, Andrew Weiner, and Harvey Weinstein. Misogyny in all its many faces tragically remains epidemic in our culture. This is but one of the many faces of the sickness that permeates our nation and that needs to be faced, seen for what it is, and no longer tolerated. We can become a people who are awakening and healing and committed to the profound change and transformation that is so urgently needed and so very long overdue. Now is the time. - Molly

By Robert Vukovic

I suppose that outing high profile sexual predators like Bill Cosby, Bill O’Reilly, Andrew Weiner and Harvey Weinstein, one by one is a good thing but it’s sort of like being stoned to death with popcorn.

I would suspect that pretty much every woman has been sexually harassed, if not assaulted and/or raped, on one or more occasions over the course of her life time beginning at a very early age.

Girls to women have been sexually victimized in their homes and the homes of relatives and friends; they’ve been abused on playgrounds and in their schools, at the malls or in cars. And, all too often, girls to women have been sexually assaulted or coerced into engaging in sexual activity or even raped on dates by boys to men for whom they had feelings.

It no doubt continued into their work lives from the break-rooms at their first jobs, to the boardrooms, to every other room where women are at the mercy of men who can exert physical, emotional or professional power to extort sexual favors.

Why do these men treat women this way? They do it because they can and, under the vast majority of circumstances, get away with it.

Instead of being exposed and held accountable one at a time, maybe there should be public truth and reconciliation panels (modeled after the panels set up in South Africa by Nelson Mandela to expose crimes rooted in race) set up nationwide for men to admit their transgressions against women, make amends and seek forgiveness.

Don't get me wrong, I fully support prosecuting offenders criminally when the statutes of limitations allow and seeking redress in the civil courts when possible. I would also favor elimination of the statutes of limitations for sex crimes.

As it stands, we’re treating the symptoms of a cultural cancer as opposed to eradicating the disease. The sexual abuse of women isn’t limited to the rich and powerful men we’ve been hearing about in recent years. Power is all relative when it comes to using it as a weapon. The perpetrators of sexual abuse can be a deputy assistant manager at a fast food joint or the CEO of a major corporation but the affect on their female victims is the same.

In response the growing list of sexual misconduct allegations against Harvey Weinstein, President Trump said he was not at all surprised. Of course Trump isn’t surprised; he’s spent a lifetime being part of the problem: In case you’ve forgotten:

Excerpted from the Billy Bush Tape:

Trump: I moved on her, actually. You know, she was down on Palm Beach. I moved on her, and I failed. I’ll admit it.

Trump: I did try and fuck her. She was married.

Trump: Yeah, that’s her. With the gold. I better use some Tic Tacs just in case I start kissing her. You know, I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.

Bush: Whatever you want.

Trump: Grab ’em by the pussy. You can do anything.
Bush: Uh, yeah, those legs, all I can see is the legs.

Trump: Oh, it looks good.

Robert Vukovic p.s. This could be about Trump instead of Weinstein or probably thousands more of other men. The last sentences is probably the most important.