There Is Nothing Partisan About Sexual Assault

Sexual assault is not a partisan issue, it's a human issue. If you truly believe that women {and men too} are valuable human beings, then out of love for humanity, you believe the violation of one of your fellow humans is wrong. And yet, time and time again, I hear people justifying, "it was only one time;" or rationalizing, "he only touched her breasts, it's not like he raped her;" or simply choosing to overlook it all together, "but we need him in the _______ {company, senate, white house, you fill in the blank}. No. 

What allows someone to justify, rationalize, or overlook something so wrong for the sake of advancing their party? Dehumanization. If we can make the accuser out to be a "liar or a slut or a gold-digging, publicity-seeking whore," then we can look past it, right? If we can distance ourselves from or elevate ourselves over someone, it becomes easier to dismiss the violation of that person.

The minute we stop seeing any person as sharing in our same humanity and no longer see the face of God in that person, we have just dehumanized her {or him}. And, as Brené Brown says, "once a person or group of people is moved outside the circle of moral inclusion, we can do anything to them." Including assault. Including giving a pass to the offender. Including the choice to look the other way.

If we want to see an investigation into the alleged assault by a senator on one side of the aisle then we better damn well not elect a credibly accused offender on the other side. Sexual assault is not a partisan issue and we best not make it one. Left or right, one time or multiple times, old or young - it is all wrong and always wrong - and we must come together and collectively declare it so.