On Nov. 6, many Americans like myself woke with a sense of dread and anxiety. We reached for our phones, looked up the election results from the previous night and were devastated by what we saw.
Democrats and Republicans both understand that with Donald Trump’s return to the presidency, a considerable amount of changes will occur in legislation and the structure of our country.
I want to highlight specifically how women will and have been affected by Trump’s political power. In order to proceed forward in a world where a convicted felon and sexual assaulter is now president, women need to find their power and support each other.
Donald Trump has 27 court-documented sexual assault charges and counting. Trump’s hand-picked cabinet members Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz have both been accused of sexual misconduct. The leaders of our country aren’t going to advocate for abused women since they are contributors to the issue.
Women are tired of this country failing them. Instead of settling for mediocrity, women need to ensure that our voices are heard by engaging in more political discussions, exercising our right to vote and challenging men of power when necessary.
As women, we need to speak about our truths and provide a supportive space for our peers to have sensitive and difficult conversations. We must not fear repercussions for speaking out against the powerful men in our lives.
For instance, influencer Brianna LaPaglia recently shared her traumatic experiences with her ex-boyfriend and singer, Zach Bryan. LaPaglia declined to sign an NDA and, in the process, turned down $12 million.
She spoke about how her thinking patterns are scarred from the previous year of Bryan’s emotional abuse.
“I’m still scared right now because I’m scared of him,” LaPaglia said. “My brain’s rewired, and I’m scared to make him mad.”
LaPaglia set an inspiring example by sharing her abusive experience with the public despite her fear and hesitation.
During Trump’s upcoming presidential term, women who have suffered similarly to LaPaglia need to speak up about the abuse they have endured and seek justice.
University of Oregon sophomore, Hannah So, explained the importance of believing and supporting victims of sexual abuse during this uncertain time for women.
“I definitely think we should be believing victims and supporting them,” So said. “I think as much as it feels like this isn’t the right time to talk about sexual assault or rape or domestic violence it is most definitely a good time. I think now more than ever is a time where women need to start supporting women.”
In addition, the UO Women’s Center supports all students and is working toward ending female oppression. They are a great on-campus resource for anyone wanting to become more involved in the fight for equality.
In a written statement, the Administrative Program Assistant of the UO Women’s Center, Karyn Schultz wrote, “It is in our mission to serve ALL students on this campus, regardless of any opinions they may hold regarding our incoming Federal Administration. We always support and believe Survivors of sexual abuse.”
In a world where a sexual abuser has been elected as president, women need to bring awareness to their abusive experiences with men and support each other during this challenging time. Instead of giving in to feeling powerless, we must use the anger from this defeat to fuel us to construct a world where we don’t excuse men of power for abusing women.
