2016-10-14
The Republican nominee for this year's presidential election in the United States is difficult to avoid talking about. While it is his groping video and attempted apology that has provided the trigger for the conversation the world is having now, I am not going to talk about him per se. Instead, I am going to talk about what we actually need to be talking about — the continuing need to change attitudes and behaviour around sexism, sexual assault and violence against women.
What has been truly unprecedented is the outpouring by over a million women worldwide who have shared their stories of their first sexual assaults, most prominently under the hashtag #NotOkay. The sheer volume of women who are now willing to talk about this in public is awe-inspiring. Sexual assault has historically been an issue that too many women remain silent about. That is beginning to change, and it is a promising sign that a fudged apology for appalling language and behaviour on the world stage has become the latest trigger for a global discussion all of us need to have. As leaders, we have a responsibility to consistently encourage the change of attitudes in our communities and particularly among men. Sexism, sexual assault and violence against women is never okay.