Essex County Op-Ed: Harvey Weinstein Reversal Is ‘Shocking, Outraging’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The following op-ed comes courtesy of Family Service League / SAVE of Essex County. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

According to the National Sexual Violence Center, rape is the most under-reported crime in the United States; 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police and only a staggering 12% of child sexual abuse is reported to the authorities. Furthermore, the prevalence of false reporting is only between 2-10%. So why are so many sexual assaults under-reported?

In October of 2017 when the New York Times first reported on Harvey Weinstein’s sexual misconduct, nearly 100 women came forward with accusations of sexual coercion, harassment, manipulation, and, sexual assault. To have a person in a position of power be publically and legally persecuted for their crimes empowered many survivors, who had previously decided to stay quiet about their experience of sexual violence, to come forward in search of justice. This spurred the “Me Too” outcry from survivors of sexual violence across the globe to bravely share their stories in solidarity, shedding light on the pervasive, silent epidemic of violence that sweeps across our nation.

Many people believe that sexual violence and rape are only perpetrated by strangers in dark alleyways, or to women who are too drunk to remember and therefore should be blamed for the violent acts. The Weinstein case helped shed light on the fact that a significant number of sexual assaults are perpetrated by someone that the victim knows and that coercion and manipulation often play a critical role in the crimes. Statistically, nearly 1 in 10 women are assaulted by an intimate partner. According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, in eight out of 10 cases of rape, the victim knew the person who sexually assaulted them. Additionally, over half of all alleged rapists have prior convictions of rape and other violent crimes. These statistics highlight the underlying tactics and patterns utilized not only by Weinstein but by sexual offenders and perpetrators across the world.

We at Family Service League/SAVE of Essex County were shocked, outraged, and deeply saddened to see the news of Harvey Weinstein’s conviction reversal. This case was once instrumental in the #MeToo movement and a signal to victims and survivors of sexual violence across the country that their voices could be heard, amplified, and respected. Now with the overturn of this case, it has become another blemish in the already deficient history of justice for sexual violence survivors. This decision by the New York Court of Appeals makes it increasingly difficult for victims and survivors to hold their perpetrators accountable and points to an upsetting trend across the country of other overturned sexual violence guilt verdicts. The judges on the Court of Appeals have sent a very clear and scathing message to victims and survivors of interpersonal violence across the country with this reversal - their voices and stories are not as important as those of their abusers. Proceeding with the overturn in April, nationally celebrated Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), is also a huge blow to the thousands of advocates who work tirelessly to raise awareness about sexual violence.

Family Service League (FSL) is located in Bloomfield, NJ. FSL consists of two programs; our Humanistic Mental Health Counseling and Sexual Assault and Violence Services or SAVE program. FSL provides counseling to marginalized populations on a sliding scale fee and never turns away anyone due to their ability to pay. We also provide free and unlimited counseling to sexual violence survivors and their significant others, as well as Uber rides to and from sessions. FSL's emphasis is to provide inclusive services to individuals, couples, and families who struggle with an array of presenting problems. FSL’s SAVE of Essex County Program is the New Jersey state-designated rape care/crisis center for Essex County. We operate a 24- hour hotline for survivors of sexual violence and provide accompaniments during hospital exams, law enforcement reporting, and legal proceedings. Our prevention specialists educate students and the community about sexual violence prevention.

We at Family Service League and SAVE of Essex work every day to empower those in our community to speak out and tell their stories. To the survivors directly impacted by Mr. Weinstein, and to survivors everywhere: We see you, we believe you, and we are here to support you. We encourage anyone seeking support and information to contact us on our 24/7 free, and confidential sexual violence hotline at 1-(877)- 733-2273. Should you wish to schedule an appointment for counseling, please feel free to contact our office via phone at 973-746-0800 or via email at info@familyserviceleague.org. To learn more about Family Service League, visit our website at www.familyserviceleague.org.

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