Recently, especially Friday (February 18th) night, social media has been a frenzy rallying in support of musical artist Kesha. If you haven’t noticed the #FreeKesha, #BoycottSony, #SonySupportsRape, and others, you might want to look around.
Here’s what’s happening if you’re unaware, with Kesha, Dr. Luke, and Sony: Kesha filed a lawsuit against Dr. Luke, her producer, claiming “that Dr. Luke sexually, physically and verbally abused her over the ten years since he signed her as an 18-year-old artist” in 2005, according to CNN. Dr. Luke then countersued, claiming that Kesha was trying to extort him in attempts to get released from her six-album contract with his label.
This started in October of 2015. Last Friday, Dr. Luke and Kesha met in New York City and went to court to dispute the battle. Kesha, backed by celebrities such as Lorde and Kelly Clarkston, among others, was not ruled in favor of. Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Shirley Kornreich ruled in favor of Dr. Luke.
The only people who really know the truth about what happened are the people involved; but I think that Kesha is telling the truth about Dr. Luke and is in no way trying to “extort” him. Which sucks, because currently and unfortunately, we live in a blame-the-victim society.
“If you don’t want stuff like this to happen, don’t get drunk."
"She was asking for it."
"Did you see what she was wearing?"
"She didn’t say no."
"We were both drunk, she knew what would happen."
"These things happen, it was at a party.” *
Yes means yes is what we should be saying rather than no means no. We should be teaching children to respect one another, minds and bodies alike. Why is it that public schools have dress codes to help tame learning distractions but in college you can come to class in a hat, a suit, or a bathrobe?
Due to the fact that we’re a blame-the-victim rather than help-the-survivor society, it scares those who are abused into silence. And that is exactly why I believe that Kesha is telling the truth.
People who come forward about being raped are usually doubted, their reputation flushed, their names tainted. So what’s the point of lying about sexual abuse? Having your personal life investigated and flashed as headlines for the whole world to see? Ruining your name? Wrecking relationships? Destroying families? Why would somebody decide to destroy their lives, knowing there was a small chance of actually succeeding in getting their abuser behind bars?
They wouldn’t.
Kesha is fighting a battle that could end in her working for her rapist or not producing any music. Why would she risk the bright future she had? And for people who think it’s all about money: why would she risk the money that working for Dr. Luke ensured? Why would she pay court bills with how small of a chance she had in succeeding with her lawsuit?
Kesha is telling the truth because she is dying working for the man who for 10 years raped and abused her. And she has had enough.
On Wednesday, Kesha posted this caption to her Instagram account:
"I have nothing left to hide. I did this because the truth was eating away my soul and killing me from the inside. This is not just for me. This is for every woman, every human who has ever been abused. Sexually. Emotionally. Mentally. I had to tell the truth. So the outcome will be what it will be. There's nothing left I can do. It's just so scary to have zero control in your fate. But this is my path this life for whatever reason..."
We wonder why very few people come forward. Kesha had rallying support and froze her career but she is still stuck in between two dead ends. #FreeKesha
*Yes, rapes happen to both males and females, but a majority happen to females.
