RISE To End Rape Culture: An Open Letter to Mayor Duterte by Monique Wilson
4/26/2016
In response to statements made by presidential candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo
Duterte joking about a murdered Australian rape victim, One Billion Rising Director Monique Wilson penned an open letter to Duterte imploring him to use his voice to end rape culture. READ & SHARE the letter:
"Mayor Duterte, rape is rape. I don't have to tell you what that means. But you need to understand the full gravity of rape and rape culture. And where your actions play a part in perpetuating that.
Rape culture is denying the weight and seriousness of the crime by joking about it. It doesn't matter that you tell us later on what the context of the story was.
All that matters is that you made light of it, and allowed your followers at that rally to laugh along, diminishing the gravity of the rape.
Words are important Mayor. You cannot throw them out playfully and casually and not look at the consequences of what your words do." - Monique Wilson