Dear Friends,
Women of all ages, all races, all income classes, all occupations have had enough of their boss crossing boundaries, their “friends” making suggestive comments in close quarters, their walks home at night filled with fear. Women are standing up for themselves, and for one another, and saying no more.
I applaud women (and men) who have broken their silence through the #metoo movement. I am grateful to the news outlets and those with a platform who are adding to the voice of the movement. I am encouraged by the institutions that are facilitating change through real consequences for inappropriate behavior and improvement in workplace policies to safeguard against future afflictions.
While the movement is praiseworthy and the consequences faced by many men who have lost their jobs are a step in the right direction, I want to acknowledge that many women, less powerful than those currently in the media, have been saying #metoo and #nomore for a very long time. Unfortunately, their cries for help got them, not their boss, fired. Their refusal to accept harassment, resulted in them, not those who harassed them, being ostracized. So while I am hopeful that the movement leading to the displacement of many men in power who prey on women will continue, I want to note that we must be diligent to make sure that the same standards apply to those not attracting media attention.
Our clients at Tahirih are not being raped or assaulted by a media mogul … they are attacked by their father, their neighbor, their captor, their human trafficker.
I am overwhelmed and inspired by the #metoo movement, but I must ask – what about our clients and those who have not yet reached us? What about their voices? What about their futures?
At Tahirih, we believe that the achievement of full equality between women and men is necessary for society to progress. And true progress means every person is invited to participate in the conversation; every person’s voice matters.
Thank you for standing with us and demanding that our clients’ voices are heard. With you by our side, we will seize this important moment in history and fight for all women to access the justice they deserve so that they may live in safety and with dignity.
With gratitude,
Layli Miller-Muro
CEO & Founder
