SPECTRUM: Horrified by the ‘Me Too’ testimonials

The sunny Matanuska-Susitna Sunday started just as it should. Special and beautiful. I painted and worked outside hauling in the flower pots prior to winter. Then I opened Facebook and Twitter.

I kept seeing the status heading, “Me Too.” Women from all over the country and every age were posting a simple, “Me too” on social media. It didn’t take long to figure out what these women were responding to in this laconic and measured response.

The question and suggestion was posed, “If all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote “Me Too,” as a status, we might give people a greater sense of the magnitude of the problem.”

Good God. It was terrifying. And heartbreaking. And nearly universal. Including many, many women from the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.

I also posted, “Me Too.” I’ve never told the stories. I have never pointed fingers. I have never named names. And I won’t now. In fact I have kept this ugly little admission nicely and tightly bottled up inside, where no one ever goes. It hasn’t impacted my life nor do I dwell on it.

But it pisses me off.

I am absolutely astounded by the number of women who apparently have also gone through this kind of crap. I use the term crap literally — because it is unacceptable for anyone to have to put up with unwanted sexual advances from anyone.

When you say “no,” predatory human beings have an absolute responsibility to back off.

So, my Facebook page feed is large.....and the magnitude of responses were large. And it kinda pulled the rug out from under me....because of the consistency and volume. Perhaps this was a social experiment, but it forced me to think hard about this problem of assault — which we read about from the top down.

And for those skeptical readers, I know the women who responded. Many are from Palmer and Wasilla and are well respected. Many are from Alaska and are successful. There are also many who have struggled with challenges I can’t even imagine. And there are more than a few men who also angrily admit to being victims. Without knowing specifics, I am damn certain that

all of these people didn’t set themselves up in situations for assault.

Do any of these scenarios seem like an unsafe environment?

In Barrow on an engineering project.At a business conference.Marketing a product in sales.Teaching in a school.Volunteering at church.Helping a neighbor.Remote work site.Downtown coffee shop bathroom.At the auto mechanic waiting room.These are real life examples and they’re just a handful of situations.

My hope is that this little phenomenal social-media confessional wakens us to the consistency and predictability of assault. Let’s start reporting these shameless bullies. Usually it is the bigger and stronger species who inflicts themselves on smaller species. Shame on them. Stop thinking that you are entitled to cross another person’s boundaries. You aren’t. Go away....go far, far away. And assault bullies—stay away from the innocent and young. You are not fit to be in our world.

Leave the girls alone. Leave the boys alone. And young ones, be alert and don’t invite this scum into your life. Initially they will be sweet and kind and handsome but they will get you in the end. And then you will, years later, be saying sadly admitting, “Me Too.”

Barbara Hunt lives in Palmer.