I dedicate this to the brave survivor in the Stanford case who has given so much to change the conversation. https://t.co/KMOJUxvPu0 — Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) June 8, 2016
The harrowing Stanford sexual assault case has quickly become emblematic of today’s climate of rape culture and victim blaming. Latest to rally against Brock Turner and behind the brave survivor are Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Zosia Mamet, and Allison Williams. The cast of Girls has reunited for a timely PSA about sexual assault, calling for solidarity and highlighting some pretty distressing facts. “One in five women will be sexually assaulted during her lifetime,” they begin, “and in 80% of those cases, the attacks are perpetrated by someone they already know.”
Condemning society’s default reaction of silencing or shaming the victim, Dunham and her costars continue: “You have the choice to make things better. It can be something as easy as a phone call, calling out a harmful remark, or offering a ride to medical care or counseling. It can even be simply listening.” As the Stanford survivor has become representative of all women, so do these four hope to represent the support all survivors should be able to find. “Which,” says Dunham, “which might be the first time that four white women can accurately represent anything.”
Credits
Text Hannah Ongley