US
President Donald Trump -- who has himself been repeatedly accused of
sexual misconduct -- on Friday designated April 2018 "National Sexual
Assault Awareness and Prevention Month" amid a national debate over the
issue.
"Sexual
assault crimes remain tragically common in our society, and offenders
too often evade accountability," said a proclamation from Trump released
by the White House. "These heinous crimes are committed
indiscriminately: in intimate relationships, in public spaces, and in
the workplace."
"Too
often, however, the victims of assault remain silent. They may fear
retribution from their offender, lack faith in the justice system, or
have difficulty confronting the pain associated with the traumatic
experience," it continued.
"My
administration is committed to raising awareness about sexual assault
and to empowering victims to identify perpetrators so that they can be
held accountable."
At
least 20 women have publicly accused Trump of engaging in sexual assault
or harassment prior to becoming president. The White House has
maintained that the women are lying.
Last
month, Trump described allegations that he kissed a receptionist without
her consent as "Another False Accusation" in a post on Twitter, calling
instead for coverage of "the story of the women taking money to make up
stories about me. One had her home mortgage paid off."
Since
former film mogul Harvey Weinstein's dramatic downfall over allegations
ranging from harassment to rape, the #MeToo campaign has seen a deluge
of accusations topple men from powerful positions in a number of
industries including Hollywood, the media and politics.
In
February, allegations of domestic abuse led two Trump staffers to
resign. The Republican leader came under fire for lamenting the
"shattered" lives of those accused, saying the allegations could be
false.
The
2016 presidential campaign that launched Trump to the White House saw
the unearthing of an infamous "Access Hollywood" tape in which the real
estate tycoon bragged about groping women.
"I
don't even wait," Trump says in the clip. "And when you're a star, they
let you do it, you can do anything. Grab them by the pussy."
Trump dismissed his lewd comments as "locker room banter.”
AFP
0 comments:
Post a Comment