Examining Sexual Abuse - Free Research Paper Example

Introduction

The podcast ‘gender, power, and fairness’ addresses the persistent problem of sexual harassment and abuse that women endure. It tackles the role of the Me Too Movement in revolutionizing the fight against sexual violence affecting girls and women. As narrated by Tarana Burke, the founder of the Me Too Movement, sexual abuse is a significant issue that has interferes with the lives of many women. In summary, the narration reveals that the Me Too Movement represents a step in the right direction and a platform that gives women a voice to express themselves and fight for the dignity of all girls and women (National Public Radio, 2019). The narrations indicate that women have had to contend with a problem that has existed for a long time and continues to harm many women emotionally and psychologically. It is a burden that developed due to society’s normalization of sexual abuse perpetrated by men through cultures that perceive women as lesser beings compared to men. Consequently, inequality persists, and women still face challenges in gaining support and care to overcome sexual abuse.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Information Presented

The episode teaches individuals that there is a disconnect between the male and female genders in society. The gap has led to the constant abuse of girls and women. The community has created an environment where females are powerless, and males are powerful. It is a hierarchy that puts men’s needs first at the expense of women’s safety and allows endless disrespect towards females. As a result of this imbalance, the male gender continues to treat females unfairly and sexually abuse them since they are defenseless. By failing to challenge the system that prioritizes men and undermines women, society has allowed females to live in pain and suffering due to the adverse effects of sexual harassment and violence. Thus, the podcast presents information about the experiences of women who have undergone and survived sexual abuse through personal stories that expose the depth of the problem (National Public Radio, 2019). The reports inform the audience that sexual violence is a significant problem that affects girls and women, regardless of their position and status in our society. Hence, it serves a necessary reminder that women are in danger due to the lewd behavior of men.

Gathering of Information

The information shared during the podcast was gathered from the individual stories of persons who have experienced sexual harassment and violence at various points. Girls and women who survived sexual abuse continue to suffer in silence. They do not report the incidents to the authorities or expose their abusers due to various factors. In some cases, they fear retaliation for reporting, while sometimes, the abusers are close people (National Public Radio, 2019). Through forums like the Me Too Movement that encourage women to share their stories, organizations and activists can gather information on sexual abuse. The narrations reveal that sexism exists in present-day society, and people have normalized it by failing to stand up against the vice (National Public Radio, 2019). The encounters of the story-tellers and their memories of the fears and trauma of getting sexually harassed are a vital source of information. The details of these experiences and those shared via the Me Too platforms are proof that sexual violence is a deep-rooted issue that needs to be resolved urgently. Hence, the stories of people who have endured sexual abuse provide insights into the power imbalance in our society.

Perception

The hosts and the story-tellers perceive the origin of the problem as social, cultural, and economical. It is a social issue since it develops due to factors that individuals or groups of women cannot control alone without the help of other members of society. Stopping sexual abuse and violence requires the involvement and intervention of all people to realize change (National Public Radio, 2019). The economic aspect arises due to the lack of financial independence that makes it challenging for women to have a voice in society. The structure and culture of communities have given more power to men than women, exposing females to forms of sexual abuse such as harassment in public spaces and rape. Perpetrators of these atrocious acts are either people close to the females or strangers. However, it is astonishing that other members of the public have normalized the unfair and disrespectful treatment that they do not intervene or condemn it (National Public Radio, 2019). Despite the significant moment of reckoning caused by the Me Too Movement that has triggered a tremendous response from women worldwide, the story-tellers believe that it is essential to increase advocacy and eliminate the power imbalance.

Conclusion

The episode is a commentary on gender and society since it ventures into the problems that affect the female gender, and socialization has contributed to the issue of sexual violence. Details expressed by the host and the story-tellers reflects on gender discrimination. While men perpetrate a majority of the sexual violence and abuse cases, society does not hold them accountable and allows the vices to persist (National Public Radio, 2019). Therefore, the episode talks about a current social issue that burdens many women worldwide. The narrative also has historical and cultural significance since it mentions the effect of traditions and practices that created a power imbalance between men and women. Thus, it shows that sexual violence started a long time ago due to gender-biased cultures.

References

National Public Radio. (2019, February 1). Gender, power, and fairness.
https://www.npr.org/programs/ted-radio-hour/689483208/gender-power-and-fairness.