Lately, some big names have been caught up in situations and allegations of sexual assault and there appears to be no statute of limitation for bad behaviour. There is (almost) no glass ceiling that can not be broken, touched or at least smudged in this current ethos of retroactive justice.
For those guys wondering what the fuss is all about… What about, “sowing wild oats” or “boys will be boys”? Well, youthfulness, hormones and alcohol (an unholy cocktail) is a hollow justification for assault and abuse. Marinate all of that in astonishing amounts poor judgement -that’s just a recipe for disaster regardless of gender.
Why do some men, behave in such a sexually cavalier manner? Apparently, if she’s not your mother or your sister, any other female is “fair game”. But the rules of the game are being rewritten, and if I could squeeze one more metaphor, the chickens are coming home to roost -allegedly. I fear however, that the wrong message is being digested. Young men might be hearing, “Be careful what you do, it may come back to haunt you.”
If that is the focus when it comes to behaviours of youthful hormonal exploits, sexual assault or sexual abuse, then the goal is to make sure that those ghosts don’t come back. Furthermore, there are those who have escaped and live in exile from justice, finding a way to exorcise those spirits using money, distance and exploiting the right vulnerabilities.
So, if the focus is about “not ever getting caught”, what’s the point? Is any of this significant, does any of this matter? If the threat of being outed can be successfully managed, this is all meaningless.
The behaviour and mindset are the essential ingredient to be addressed and changed. The real issue is how men are to treat women.
We need to be teaching our boys and our young men how they should treat women. I feel the Biblical mandate is the most poignant.
In Ephesians 5:28, husbands (men) are instructed to loved their wives as they would their own bodies. In other words, the way how you respect, feel and care about your body is template for treating women. Our body parts are more than just body parts, and items to be used and discarded. It’s a much more meaningful and intimate Golden Rule.
One more thing is concerning to me… Does the execution of offenders need to be accomplished with such virulence against masculinity? Some men might interpret this frontier justice as hostility, and women risk losing the most significant ally in their struggle.
I understand and see the necessity for the “Me Too Movement”, but personally, I wish it came from the other direction.
Men, what if the standard and reality was “I care about and respect women”? Then we could all stand up one at a time and agree… #Me too
thegenesisman 