Why Are Women Not Believed?

TRIGGER WARNING

I watched the Netflix short series, American Nightmare, the other day, and it really highlighted to me that even in another country, women are not believed.

The stats for physical and sexual violence against women worldwide are scary. There are a million words to describe it, but scary is the best way to describe it. The fact that 1 in 3 women worldwide will experience violence in their lifetime.

It is said that around 90% of abusers will walk free. They will not go to prison or face any consequences for the violence that they afflict on women and girls. The numbers are scary. Violence against women is a very real thing, and it is much more common than people would think.

The Netflix series, American Nightmare, seemed to highlight the fact that women are not believed even if they experience violence against them and even if there is evidence to prove it. The episodes covered the story of a lady who had been abucted. She turns up safe some days later, and even though she was raped. The US police didn’t believe her. There was evidence and other crimes that could be linked to her , but the police didn’t want to know. They believed, and so did the US press, that she had lied about the whole experience. It turns out that she hadn’t lied at all, and there was actually someone who was known to the police that had harmed this lady and others.

I’ve read stories in the last few weeks, where this has happened close to home. Police are not taking domestic violence seriously.

Women who report a crime of domestic violence and try to escape their abuser are more likely to come to serious harm. Some women only have one chance to tell their story. There are many articles online on the same subject. Why are women not believed? When believing one woman and listening to her and taking the abuse seriously, it could save many lives.

The worry is that women won’t report abuse as they are worried that they won’t be listened to. They are made to feel like they are ‘overreacting’ and being emotional. Trying to keep yourself and other women safe isn’t overreacting. There are many women right now that need to be believed, and it only takes one person to believe them to save them. 

There is no real reason as to why women aren’t believed. Could it be a control thing? It could be about women’s rights? I just don’t understand why in 2024, we are still doing this.

It is time to listen and stop the abusers. It takes one person to open their eyes and ears, and they could maybe save a woman’s life.

For more information on Domestic Violence awareness and help in Norfolk visit Pandora Project