OPINION: MADWomen stand with victims of domestic violence, rape

During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, The Madison Area Democratic Women want to be clear: The vile treatment of the Cornell 7’s victim, “Jane Doe,” by the men who raped her, the campus administration and law enforcement who shushed her, the peers who shamed her, and the subsequent resurgence of social media comments that seek to demean and diminish her are all examples of the danger women in the world must confront even if they physically survive an act of domestic abuse at the hands of men they trusted. 

Women do not need to dress more modestly, change their routine, and smile nicely for men’s comfort. And we shouldn’t have to keep teaching our daughters little “safety” tricks like “cover your drink,” “never pump gas at night,” “put on longer shorts around your uncle,” and “pretend you’re on the phone if a man follows you at the park.” 

We are sick. We are tired. We are angry. 

Parents, teach your sons to do better; they are never too young to learn how to respect women as their equals. Men, if you want to “protect us,” stand with us. Stop laughing at rape culture jokes. Stop saying “not all men.” And, notably, stop voting for rapists. Period. 

NNEDV.org notes, “In just one day in 2025...domestic violence programs served more than 84,000 victims of domestic violence across the United States.” This isn’t a problem linked to women’s “bad” decisions; this is systemic misogyny, and it is rampant in the U.S. The Cornell 7—and the 50 male "protectors” who did nothing to save the victim—are comfortable, at minimum, taking the path of least resistance. Change will require all of us working tirelessly and sometimes uncomfortably together to tear down a patriarchy that makes something like “Domestic Violence Awareness Month” necessary in the first place.

We MADWomen stand together in solidarity with victims of domestic violence—the voiceless and the vocal—and we will continue to advocate and fight until legislation, systems, and culture no longer necessitate the need to remind people of the social abomination that is domestic violence. There will be no need for this month when we eradicate domestic violence through radical communication with one another, social and legal accountability and consequences for the aggressors, and passionate support for the victims that doesn’t involve fear and shame. That is a future for which we will continue to fight, and we hope that you’ll join us.

Liz Thompson, Ph.D.

Mother, educator, and past president of the MADWomen

Madison Area Democratic Women is dedicated to empowering women and strengthening our community through advocacy and education.  MADW is a member of the Tennessee Federation of Democratic Women.  Meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at the downtown Jackson library.  New members are welcome. Letters to the editor and guest columns are encouraged as a venue for readers to voice their opinions on local matters or the occasional state or national matter. Letters can be e-mailed to jksnpost@gmail.com.