Matt Gaetz and the Rest of Men

Written by Ella Southard

Graphics by Dana Dang

CONTENT WARNING: This article discusses sexual misconduct, sexual violence and rape. 

Two weeks ago a story detailing sexual misconduct allegations against Republican U.S Representative Matt Gaetz were released. Matt Gaetz, a relatively young and new face to Congressional politics, represents Florida's fourth district, which covers most of the western side of the Florida Panhandle. Prior to his election in the U.S House of Representatives, Gaetz served in the Florida House of Representatives, where he advocated for policies such as hastening the execution of those on Florida’s death row, and the stand-your-ground law, which allows police officers to act in self defense if provoked. Following his election to Congress in 2016, Gaetz has been a staunch supporter of Former President Donald Trump. In the U.S House of Representatives, Gaetz has supported major tax cuts for big businesses, concealed carry for weapons, and ironically (but not really), he was the only one in the House to vote “nay” on allocating more funds to prevent human trafficking in the United States. 

These sexual misconduct accusations are not at all new or unexpected. In fact, these allegations originate in the last several months of Former President Trump’s administration, where the Department of Justice opened an investigation on Representative Matt Gaetz for these very allegations. Supposedly, Representative Gaetz paid for a 17 year old (at the time) girl to travel with him. Not only is sexual relations with a minor illegal, but by also paying for her travel across state borders, assumingly in exchange for sex, Gaetz has potentially violated a federal sex trafficking law, subjecting him to a federal prison sentence.

If Gaetz is found guilty, that 17-year old girl stands with 25% of other girls who are sexually abused before the age of 18 in the United States, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Even more alarming, on a global scale, the UN reports that 30% of women, aged 15 and older, experience sexual violence at some point in their lifetime. Additionally, sexual violence disporportionatley affects Black women, who, according to the  National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community, report that 40-60% of them experienced acts of coerced sexual contact before the age of 18. The issue is emphatically prevalent throughout the LGBTQIA+ community, where 50% of transgendered individuals and 25% of bisexual women will experience sexual violence, and 40% of gay men will be sexually abused in their life (National Intimate Partner & Sexual Violence Survery). Evidently, sexual abuse and violence are prevelant among minority groups. 

In an attempt to discredit the reality of the disproportionality in which women and minorities experience sexual violence, some argue that the issue is equally as pressing with men. Although it is important to recognize that 16.6% of boys and 1% of men are sexually abused in their lifetime (Department of Justice), it is also crucial to keep in mind that in these situations of males being sexually abused, the perpetrators were other men 93% of the time. This doesn’t mean that women can not sexually abuse other men or women, but factually, men are more likely to abuse other men and women. Therefore, sexual violence, abuse, and assault, is not a man v.s woman issue, it’s a abuser v.s victim issue. Nonetheless, it can not denied that women are inordinately victims of sexual violence and abuse, compared to men. 

Now some may point out, that it is entirely possible that the sexual relations between Representative Matt Gaetz and this young girl was consensual. The public does not know the nature of the relationship, but one has to assume that the power dynamic caused by the age and occupation of Representative Gaetz, brought about some form of sexual coercion and manipulation. The same nature of the assumption that sexual coercion existed in this relationship, is similar to the nature of assumption in the phrase “all men”. Whether you see it on Tiktok, or hear it in your day to day dialogue with others, phrases such as “kill all men”, “all men are trash”, and “all men are the worst” have risen in popularity. Naturally, many get up in arms about this phrase. “Well it isn’t all men! I would never rape a woman.” they say, or “there’s just a few bad apples out there, what can you do?”. Those people are right, it isn’t all men. Not all men are harmful people, and not all men are out to get women.

However, women do not know that, when they initially perceive a man. They do not know what their intentions are. Women do not know if they are trying to follow them, or just briskly walk behind them. Women do not know if when a stranger pays them a compliment, if it is formulated out of kindness or predation. Women do not know if when a guy asks them out if it’s because they like them, or because they see us as objects to fill a sexual desire. Women do not know if when a stranger inquires politely for directions or a ride, if we will get kidnapped or even worse. They just do not know. They have to assume that we are under constant threat to protect their lives. To those who think this is crazy or irrational, that’s understandable. It is indeed crazy that this is our reality, yet it is far from irrational. It is quite necessary in the world we have constructed for ourselves. 

Unfortunately, in the American political sphere, sexual abuse or misconduct stories are not uncommon. The accusations against Representative Gaetz is not an isolated incident, just as Anti-Asain American hate crimes are not an isolated incident, nor police brutality against Black Americans, or voter suppression targeting POC communities. Just as those issues were born out of systemic intention, meaning the “system” (policies willfully passed by our government throughout history) was built with the intention of suppressing the liberties of a marginalized group, the consistent abuse and manipulation of young girls and women, is also a systemic issue. The current “system” that is conceiving such misogynistic behavior out of men includes, but it is not limited to, Trump’s college sexual assault policy that narrowed the parameters in which universities are required to investigate sexual abuse cases, Louisiana State University’s recent dismissal of cases of rape on campus, and a Minnestota state law that labels a person as “mentally incapacitated” to consent only if they were nonconsenualing drugged or intoxicated by another person, or in other words, nonconsenual sexual acts can only be considered illegal if the perpetrator drugged you, rather than you yourself deciding to get intoxicated.

While government policy does have a significant role in sculpting how everyone views women, even if Presidents and Congress passed all of the right policies, sexual violence against women would not cease. Changing a whole perception of a sex can not happen overnight. It will take generations upon generations raised on policies that promote the safety and health of women, to effectively embed in the greater part of society that women are in fact their own humans, who are equal to men. 

The bottom line is this - women are suffering at the hands of men who, because society is rooted in the patriarchy, feel entitled to ownership over women. Now, this isn’t to say that personal responsibility for these crimes are null and void because “society” (society, in this context, is referring to sexist understandings that have been ingrained in us all, as a result of historical social hierarchies formed because of the varying levels of political participation granted to groups and economic opportunities and prosperity)  has made us this way. “Society” is us. Blaming “society” for sculpting these disrespecting men, contrary to popular belief, is in no way blaming a non living entity. This “society” that we often used as a scapegoat for accountability, is us. The truth is, humans created the conditions in which allow, nay embolden, men to mistreat women. Therefore, history can be blamed for allowing this to happen, yes, but in doing so the reality that history is being constructed as we speak, is denied. We, as a society, have to be accountable to our actions now, to change what the world looks like for the safety of women for tomorrow. This involves teaching young boys what consent looks like, and instilling in their brains that women are not theirs to own, not theirs to use and abuse. That’s only bare minimum though. Boys should also learn why women may feel uncomfortable around men, why they place their car keys in between their fingers when walking to they cars, why they frantically text their friends when we get home, why stories like Sarah Everard’s, the 33 year old woman who was kidnapped and killed by a London police officer, is beyond terrifying and triggering, but not shocking in the slightest. Education is the first step. 

For this Sexual Assault Awareness Month, consider participating in that first step of education by sustaining dialogue with people in your life about the prevalence of this issue. We can only move towards a more safe and equal world if we all commit to working towards it.