When he took her back into that nearby stairwell, thank you for following him to check on her.
And when you discovered the “worst in somebody” unfold before your very eyes and saw him sexually assaulting that 15-year-old girl against the stairs, thank you for not letting him get away.
Like true heroes, three of you ran after her attacker and one of you stayed behind to comfort the helpless young teen shaken with fear at the brutal loss of her innocence.
You can’t take away what happened to her, but you can show her that for every Brock Turner, there is a Swede on a bike waiting to come to her rescue. For every group of men who will stand around gawking at a man raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster and doing NOTHING, there is a group of men who will stop it in its tracks and chase down that pervert until he’s restrained by the cops and justice is served. For every Larry Nassar, there are four chivalrous skateboarders.
For every man who wants to violate and dispose of her like a worthless rag doll, there is a man who will cherish her for the treasure she is and a daughter of the most high King—one who will say:
“I’m so sorry.
You are not just ’20 minutes of action.’ You are not some girl at a party. You are not alone in your fight.
I’m single. I’m male. I’m in my 20s. I respect you. I grieve with you.
I don’t want you to think, not even for a second, that you ‘asked for it’ or that any of this is ‘your fault.’ As men, it’s our job to protect women regardless of what they wear or how much they drink.”
(~Lairs Johnston)
In a society that encourages casual sex, demeaning women, and rape culture, thank you for showing us that there are still good men out there.
Still today, you stand unforgotten, as unsung heroes.
Thank you for doing the right thing, being a protector for the defenseless, and for being the voice that said “NO” when hers was not loud enough.
Gratefully,
Kelsey