To every guy who came into comments on my Gisele Pelicot article to yell “not all men” & demand I give more props…

To every guy who came into comments on my Gisele Pelicot article to yell “not all men” & demand I give more props to good guys…It’s time to be quiet Investigation uncovered more than 70,000 users in Telegram group chats admitting to raping women & sharing tips to sedate them 🧵

This investigation came right after the verdict in landmark Gisele Pelicot mass rape trial - which saw her ex husband sentenced to 20 years in prison & 50 men found guilty of sexual assault Gisele was drugged by her husband for over a decade - and assaulted by at least 80 men /2

Since writing about her case and why shame must change sides - I’ve endured a slew of abuse that ranges from “not all men” rallying cries to men telling me that I would be happier if I adopted more traditional values - and everything in between. /3

I’ve been told that if I were more appreciative of men I wouldn’t be so “angry”. I’ve been labeled a misandrist & accused of not being supportive of the opposite sex. I’ve been informed that it’s a woman’s job to prevent assault - she needs to take that job more seriously /4

We take it very seriously. We can’t stop you from raping us. If we could - there would be no more rape. We’ve fought for decades against the patriarchal, misogynistic rape culture that leads to so much suffering and abuse … we need YOU to fight now /5

There’s a certain perverseness in demanding a victim show more respect for the opposite sex while you show her absolutely no respect at all These men are so busy trying to make sure the internet knows they’re “good men” - they can’t even see how horrifically they’re behaving /6

Or maybe they can see - and they simply don’t care.  I genuinely don’t know anymore. All I know is that no matter how many times I explain that while it’s not all men - I can’t know which men it is - the message is not sinking in.  It NEEDS to sink in. /7

Rape is not some rare event that is carried out by a stranger who was hiding in the bushes … it’s almost always someone we know. As the article linked above proves - men will go to great lengths to sedate their partners, wives, girlfriends etc just so they can harm them. /8

They’re hiding drugs in hair products. They’re swapping tips on the internet. They’re inviting men over to harm women who’ve trusted them with their safety This is a huge problem. It’s not an anomaly. It’s not something to be swept under the rug We won’t be silent anymore /9

We will keep being loud. We will keep calling this behaviour out. Rape culture thrives in the dark. Abusers count on the shame their victims will feel as a way to keep them quiet Gisele Pelicot has encouraged all victims to speak up. It is not our shame - it’s theirs /10

Please join us. Demand better of your fellow man. Loudly condemn these despicable acts Show us that you’re one of the good guys by being a true ally - not by yelling over us on the internet Listen. Pay attention. Speak up if you see someone being harmed We won’t go gently /end

If you missed my original article - it was about Gisele Pelicot’s case and the role medical misogyny played in what happened to her. It also discusses why disabled people are more likely to experience both medical trauma and sexual assault disabledginger.com/p/gisele-pelic…

I’m heartbroken this needs to be said - but stop coming into the replies with the “gotcha” pointing out that 70k is a small percentage of men. It was 70k in ONE group chat. 80+ men raped Gisele in one region of France. 1 in 3 women are assaulted in their lifetime. Figure it out.

This thread blew up and the replies have been devastating. If you’re a man who’s been triggered by this and your initial reaction is any of the following - please reflect on the role you are playing in our society wide problem of rape, sexual assault and misogyny.

“Was it rape or sexual assault?”  Why are you splitting hairs on this? Do you think sexual assault is ok? Any unwanted touching or sexual act is wrong. Full stop. If this is your first question - you are telling us everything we need to know about you.

I don’t know any women who’ve been raped - you’re fear mongering” You do know someone - I guarantee it. I can also tell you that if your FIRST reaction is to argue on a post about serious sexual crimes … the women in your life probably don’t feel comfortable confiding in you

“What about false accusations? Don’t you care about those men?” Of course I do. It’s never right to accuse someone of something they didn’t do. It’s also exceedingly rare that this happens. Far more women never report their assault.  Consider why that might be.

We have to go through life scared. We are constantly on guard. You don’t have to be. If you go on a bad date - you don’t fear for your life. If you’re out at a bar and get separated from your friends - you’re not worried you might be raped.  That’s the difference.