It was my best friend’s boyfriend
It was the guy that I knew from camp
It was the fellow employee, took advantage of me On my life, they have all left their stamp.
When it happened to me
I didn’t run, didn’t scream, didn’t fight
But the culture we live in says he is forgiven And somehow my body is his right.
Abused, objectified, sexualized, harassed, and beat black and blue All the shame that I felt and the guilt that I dealt with
Resulted from no one but you.
Nearly every woman I know
Has experienced something like this too How are there so many of us
But of men, there are only a few.
From Ukraine to Iran, the US, and Tigray
They ignore all the screaming and pain as we cry Acting like they can’t help and we know that’s a lie Ignoring these pleas means that people will die.
So when my mother and children and sisters and friends Have to grab for their pepper spray again and again
And I hear all the stories that’ve torn us to shreds I have no other choice than to say that All Men.
So educate, elevate, amplify, advocate
Keep learning and teaching, your actions will demonstrate That people are ready to mobilize, allocate
Our power is people, and that’s what we’ll demonstrate.
From now on I’ll speak and I’m changing the narrative I’m sharing my stories so you are aware and if
You are a human please know it’s imperative
Call us survivors, we have so much more life to live.
Raimi
"Call Us Survivors" details the journey of experiencing sexual violence and realizing how common it is in our world and culture. Internal anguish and sadness morph into righteous anger, reclamation of power, and demands for change. This poem is dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous people, the brave women of Iran fighting for women, life, and freedom, the people of Tigray, and those facing sexual violence across the US and the world