What I Wrote After Brett Kavanaugh Was Confirmed-- We Have to Work Harder to Prevent Harm and Downward Spirals!

October 2018 has been a big wake up call for our country.  Before his confirmation 51-49, there were 100 vigils in the United States protesting the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. #KavaKnowSoDoWe is a hashtag that came to mind to capture our informed concerns.

 

 We need to strive in elections as well as business and personal roles to understand the issues at stake as well as person's character and assault record. Whether there are verified reports or likely ones such as through reports and hearings for protective orders even if not granted a business or social situation can weigh that in.Ideally anyone who has violated others will step down from any position or avoid a place that would cause concern. That would include forms of bullying or endangering or assaulting others (in one's home or at work or on the road.)  The rising wave of accountability is needed to close loopholes that can endanger others or that indicate serious problems in a person's integrity. 

 

 Dr. Ford and millions in her footsteps of all genders and ages in our country and around the world, named or not, are holding humanity to a higher standard of ethics and practical living.  In addition everyone needs to be clear about mutual consent and actions in general regarding safety, preventing harm and having clear support systems. What would anyone do if they were assaulted in any way now that we know most people would expect better for all people and hold them accountable? 

 

Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford represent the #MeToo movement conflict that played out millions of times around the world..a victim disclosing and having some support or unfortunately not being believed or validated.Putting the focus on a perpetrator and identifying ways 'they' (he, she, other) may actually believe their own view that the victim caused the assault or that it did not occur are key to the disclosure of such events to assist bystanders, judges to assess matter and even the perpetrator in getting help.

 

We will continue to have a national conversation about experiences of many victims that were not disclosed or did not have a meaningful impact if they were. The last bastion of business and politics protecting abusers has been broken.

 

 We are all tuning in to these matters that used to seem 'personal or otherwise not meaningful to more than the victims, even if many felt their lives were impacted in horrendous ways.' The options to disclose, prosecute or have other meaningful support or compensation is another field that needs a national conversation as well. 

 

The laws that affect victims of domestic abuse vary state to state yet more efforts are being made to spread a basic blanket of support to safeguard children and in general, their mothers if they are allegedly abused and seeking custody.