As nationwide protests against police brutality continue and the total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 surpasses 2 million in the United States, we continue our fight to preserve the #MeToo movement and the integrity of the democratic party by demanding that Joe Biden step aside.
The struggle against oppression is intersectional, and the risk of victimization is compounded by rampant racism and classism. 29.1% of Black women experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime. While sexual violence harms people of all genders and races, Black women experience intimate partner violence at a rate 35% higher than white women, and 2.5 times higher than other women of color. This month, 19-year-old #blacklivesmatter activist Oluwatoyin Salau was brutally raped and murdered after tweeting about being sexually assaulted. Every day, victims of sexual violence experience further traumatization through online harassment, the destruction of their reputations, or worse, being assaulted again or murdered for speaking out.
Sadly, police are of little help in this regard. While research on police and domestic violence is limited, in two national studies 40% of police officers self-reported committing domestic violence in the past year. 41% of officers charged with sexual violence have been previously accused of sexual misconduct. 40% of reported cases of sexual misconduct by police involve teenagers. It is estimated that a police officer is accused of sexual misconduct at least every 5 days. In 35 states, police can use consent as a defense when charged with raping a person in custody.
Meanwhile, Joe Biden remains solidly out of touch: he does not support defunding the police. On June 1st, his recommendation to solve the problem of police violence was to “shoot them in the leg instead of in the heart.” On June 30th, he defended the protection of statues of Christopher Columbus and George Washington. Joe Biden’s record on policing, like his attitude toward women, belongs to another era. We must demand better: our future depends on it.
Can you help us get to 10,000 signatures? We’re just 2,864 signatures away, and sharing this petition with people who support the #metoo movement is the best way to increase our numbers.
For those interested in doing more, we are looking for experts and activists to join our slack workspace in support of Tara Reade. If you’d like to contribute, send an email to socialistsurvivors@gmail.com
Another way to support Tara Reade is financially. Her supporters have started a GoFundMe on her behalf to cover legal fees and living costs, as she has lost her income and her housing since coming forward with these allegations. 50% of the money raised will be donated to the Network For Victim Recovery of DC.
Please donate and share if you can: https://gf.me/u/ydtijk
Joe Biden is not fit for office. Whether looking at his history of lying, his treatment of Anita Hill, his overall record, his disregard for the personal space of women, the amount of billionaires in support of his campaign, or his cognitive abilities, it is clear that Biden should step aside for another leader to take his place as the democratic nominee for president.
The fight for Tara Reade is a fight for all survivors of sexual violence. Just yesterday, Popular EDM DJ Bassnectar announced that he is stepping back from his music career after numerous allegations of sexual misconduct surfaced. We are stronger in numbers, and with continued advocacy I believe we have the power to demand that Biden withdraw from the race.
Thank you for continuing to fight for a better candidate against Trump. Thank you for your support of Tara Reade and all survivors of sexual violence.
- Avalon