"His Problem Not Her Fault" cartoon by nakedpastor David Hayward
BUY THIS CARTOON
I've had the great pleasure of being friends with Naghmeh. She contacted me after she saw
this first cartoon I did in her honor and in her defense. We've been communicating since. I'm also glad she became a member of
The Lasting Supper where she's getting really good support and advocacy.
I predicted...
(and I'm not boasting about this because any person with a lick of sense could have predicted this because this is what usually happens to women who expose their male abusers)... that she wouldn't be believed, she would be made to look like a liar, it would somehow become her fault, her leaving the relationship would be her refusal to help repair it, and her exposing Saeed's abusiveness would not only cast a shadow on a modern Christian hero of the faith, but The Faith itself. Every attempt will be made to discredit her.
Then, the other day, when
Franklin Graham posted his announcement on Facebook, the prediction came true.
Then
Saeed came out with a statement denying her allegations, also fulfilling the predictable.
As always, people silence the woman, mostly by shaming her into turning something that is private into a public issue. Basically, when a man abuses a woman and we try to intervene or advocate, we are told to leave and mind our own business.
Hello? It's not a relationship issue! As this cartoon hopefully illustrates... it's his problem, not her fault!
I like
The Onion for its crazy humor, but
this piece about reporting rape is powerful. I wanted to share it.
I'm always shocked when a woman tells her story and isn't believed. But I'm never shocked.
Naghmeh is strong and wise. The truth is, she is free and she knows it. Now she just has to pay for it with her resilience and resoluteness. But she does have support. There are people who believe her story. She will be okay.
