{"id":2545,"date":"2018-01-22T00:06:58","date_gmt":"2018-01-22T05:06:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bowdoinglobalist.com\/?p=2545"},"modified":"2018-01-22T00:06:58","modified_gmt":"2018-01-22T05:06:58","slug":"how-to-apologize-for-sexual-assault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/united-states\/how-to-apologize-for-sexual-assault\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Apologize for Sexual Assault"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">*This article is a piece of satire* <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s a stressful time for white, powerful men. Every day it seems there\u2019s a brand new sexual assault accusation. Countless women within the last two months have been coming forward and calling out successful movie producers, comedians, talk show hosts, and government officials. These men have been tarnished, their reputations ruined. And who knows\u2014you could be next. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Of course, what makes these allegations so difficult is the need to respond to them. Apologizing for sexual assault is unimaginably challenging. You have to say just the right thing to placate the women coming forward, but not fully admit to your crime. So tricky! \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">In order to make this process just a bit easier, here are some tips that can help you craft the perfect apology to your accuser. <\/span><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">No matter what (or how many thousands of dollars you\u2019ve paid out in settlements) <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnbc.com\/2017\/11\/21\/rep-john-conyers-confirms-sexual-harassment-settlement-but-denies-wrongdoing.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">deny<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">, deny, deny. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Express your sorrow and regret, but assure everyone that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/11\/30\/business\/media\/matt-lauer-nbc-statement.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">not everything is true<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. If you\u2019ve done anything wrong, it is definitely not as bad as women are claiming. Just because you commit sexual assault or harassment doesn\u2019t mean you are a disgusting, immoral monster. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Chalk it up to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2017\/10\/05\/us\/statement-from-harvey-weinstein.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">growing up in a different time<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. The 60s and the 70s, man, those times were wild. Growing up in this environment, how could you not have learned to treat women this way? That\u2019s just how it was done. But now you are learning that the times, they are a-changin\u2019: you can\u2019t just greet women at the door in your bathrobe like you used to. Ah, time. What a shame. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">On that note, acknowledge how grateful you are to have this <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2017\/10\/05\/us\/statement-from-harvey-weinstein.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">wake-up call<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. Without this accusation, you never would have realized that some people might consider your behavior to be inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful. So really this is just one of those blessing-in-disguise kind of moments. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Build on this point by assuring everyone that this has been a <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/tvline.com\/2017\/11\/20\/charlie-rose-sexual-harassment-allegations-apology-statement\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">valuable learning experience<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for you. But more than that, this is a learning moment for <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">all of America. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Nationwide, men <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> women are just now, in these last two months or so, learning that talking explicitly about your fantasies to interns, exposing yourself to coworkers, and even keeping a secret button under your desk is wrong. Say what?!? Our country is moving forward now, thanks to all of this eye-opening information. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Claim that you never realized that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/11\/10\/arts\/television\/louis-ck-statement.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">your position of power<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> actually might have influenced women to say <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">yes <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">when they really wanted to say <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">no<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You always believed it was enough to ask women if they wanted to see your penis (who doesn&#8217;t, am I right?). But you never realized that, being a successful, famous, wealthy, white male, women actually might not feel like they can say <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">no <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in the first place. Who knew? <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Say that you always believed <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/charlierose\/status\/932747035069034496?lang=en\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the feelings were mutual<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. These women wanted this just as much as you did. They got pleasure out of it too. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Make sure everyone knows how much those <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/11\/10\/arts\/television\/louis-ck-statement.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">women admired you<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. In fact, they admired you so much that they felt they had to please you, felt they owed it to you to prove just how much they admired you. You are, after all, an admirable person. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Proudly claim that you are now going to a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/interactive\/2017\/10\/05\/us\/statement-from-harvey-weinstein.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">therapist<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> to work out your problems. You need to work out your anger, which is your main priority right now. It\u2019s time for you to get healthy. To heal. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blame it on the <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2017\/10\/30\/entertainment\/kevin-spacey-allegations-anthony-rapp\/index.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">ah-ah-ah-alcohol<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. You were just getting loose. And more importantly, you currently have no memory of the incident, therefore you are rightfully guilt-free. \u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blame <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/money\/business\/2017\/10\/24\/bill-oreilly-mad-god-sexual-harassment-report\/795331001\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">God<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> for not protecting you from these allegations. There is nothing worse than being accused of sexual assault. Not only are you affected, but your poor kids! What about them? Their lives are ruined just because you are their father. How could God let this happen to them, and to you? Tell everyone how much you wish these kinds of accusations didn\u2019t happen (and pray that God is listening to you for future reference).<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Blame it on all the dirty, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/news\/roy-moore-alabama-senate-candidate-rally-denies-allegations\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">dirty politics<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. It\u2019s those Democrats. It\u2019s those Republicans. They\u2019re just trying to keep you out of office. <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.businessinsider.com\/donald-trump-victim-political-smear-campaign-us-history-2016-10\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">It\u2019s a smear campaign.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Or, blame the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/briannasacks\/roy-moore-just-blamed-the-lgbt-community-for-the-sexual?utm_term=.cqEgJJD53#.pgv9LLVoZ\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">LGBTQ community<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">. These <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">liberals <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">are really the ones to blame. They are trying to take control of this country and keep upstanding, hardworking people like you out of the government. The devils. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">And if you can\u2019t beat \u2018em, join \u2018em: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/adambvary\/kevin-spacey-comes-out-as-a-gay-man-after-sexual-misconduct?utm_term=.arYNQQylR#.bk2a77pWK\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">come out<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">I hope these tips get you through these trying times.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Xoxo,<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=1l26UFQ06eQ\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">SJ <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>*This article is a piece of satire* It\u2019s a stressful time for white, powerful men. Every day it seems there\u2019s a brand new sexual assault accusation. Countless women within the last two months have been coming forward and calling out successful movie producers, comedians, talk show hosts, and government officials. These men have been tarnished, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":538,"featured_media":2586,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[308],"class_list":{"0":"post-2545","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-united-states","8":"tag-sexual-assault","9":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2545","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/538"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2545"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2545\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2586"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2545"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2545"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/students.bowdoin.edu\/bowdoin-review\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2545"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}