UNITED STATES
AlterNet
By Nora Jacques / AlterNet November 30, 2016
Note: The last names of survivors have not been mentioned for privacy reasons.
Since President-elect Donald Trump’s shocking victory, protests have erupted in cities across the United States, but for survivors of sexual violence Trump’s victory has had deeper, more personal implications. ‘Locker room talk’ left survivors of abuse shaken as Trump nears his term during the election.
“I felt kind of powerless, but I’ve had a range of emotions for these last few days,” said survivor and student activist, Maddy, 21, whose last name she asked not to be shared. “It was infuriating that this person who was making these awful comments was a perpetrator of violence and was not acknowledging his assault.”
Before the election, the public dialogue about the alleged sexually aggressive behavior of the Republican presidential candidate had seemed, in retrospect, only temporary. However, Trump’s unexpected victory has divided the nation.
“I had the strongest PTSD symptoms I’d had in years. I felt nauseated, disoriented, depressed,” said Heather, 32, a survivor of sexual violence who left town once she discovered Trump won the election. Heather lived in a red state. “I saw neighbors with Trump signs and I just felt unsafe. I had to get away, so now I’m in L.A.”
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.