UPDATE: #MeToo Was the Beginning. Now We Need Action
First, I’m sorry it took me so long to update this petition.
But with everything happening right now, I couldn’t stay quiet anymore.
For years, Epstein survivors have continued fighting for accountability. Then came Cornell, where Jane Doe’s allegations of being drugged and gang-raped reignited outrage over sexual violence and how institutions respond when survivors come forward.
And this is not only happening in America.
In New Delhi, India, a 17-year-old girl recently reported being gang-raped by three men who allegedly posed as police officers and took her to a secluded area. Her case triggered protests by hundreds of students demanding safety and accountability. India continues to record more than 80 reported rapes every day, with many more believed to go unreported.
That 17-year-old girl is not just one story.
Jane Doe is not just one story.
Epstein’s survivors are not just one story.
This is happening to women and girls across the world.
And that is exactly why we cannot wait for another horrific case before demanding real change here in the United States.
On October 8, with the support of Women’s March, I hosted Women Deserve Justice: A Virtual Rally to Stop Sexual Violence.
319 people registered.
And when I asked who wanted to continue taking action, people responded:
ACTION. ACTION. ACTION.
That told me this cannot remain only a petition.
#MeToo said: “This happened to me too.”
And maybe now we also need:
#FuckYou
To anyone who protects perpetrators, shames survivors, dismisses sexual violence, or still doesn't understand why this fight matters.
But this is not women versus men.
I am looking for men and women together who are willing to use their voices, professions, networks and communities to help us spread this movement.
This is all of us versus sexual violence.
If you signed this petition before, share it again today.
Because Epstein cannot become yesterday’s story.
Cornell cannot become yesterday’s story.
That 17-year-old girl in India cannot become yesterday’s story.
And the next survivor should not have to become another headline before we finally act.
Women deserve safety. Women deserve accountability. Women deserve justice.
Dimple Bindra
Organizer, Women Deserve Justice