Basic Human Decency

I try to keep pretty straight laced on my social media platforms. No big political declarations. No hot button issues. I try to keep things personal. 

But, this week I feel a little tug toward a certain issue. And that is how we treat women – in the public eye and out. I have refrained from joining the conversation about rape and victim blaming (online, that is). If you know me, and this subject comes up – there is a good chance you know my opinion.

But this week a very specific situation came up that finally pushed me into writing a little about it. And the person involved is none other than Kim Kardashian. Someone who you all know, whether you watch her show, buy her products, or not. You know who she is and chances are you have formulated an opinion about her.

This past weekend she was vacationing in Paris. She was in her private apartment she had rented for her trip when she was robbed at gunpoint, bound, gagged, and left in the bathtub to wonder about her own fate.

Now, imagine if this was any other woman. Imagine for a moment that this was you.

I don’t know about you – but this situation is one of my biggest fears. Only trumped by the fear that this would happen to one of my children.

And then I hear the public backlash. And the victim blaming: "She shouldn't have been flaunting her wealth." "She deserved it." "What else do you expect when you live a lavish lifestyle in the public eye?"

Why is it that we rush to judgment? The questions immediately go to, “what wasn’t she doing to protect herself?”

Why aren’t the questions, “What were these people thinking?" "Why would they attack someone in the safety of their own home?”

What happened to basic human decency? Such that after someone is violated, we continue the attack by questioning their actions. Blaming Kim's wealth is the equivalent of blaming a rape victim's outfit. 

There are many things you could say about the person who this happened to – but none of them have anything to do with having compassion for a fellow human being.

I use Kim as an example because she is so famous, but this happens all the time to people who do not make international headlines. It happens to your neighbors, friends, enemies, co-workers, etc. every day. It is tiring to see that the normal reaction to any tragic situation is to jump to conclusions before knowing all the factors. And the internet has made this so easy for people. It is easy to hide behind a keyboard and judge others for their situations without having the full picture or meeting the person you are judging. 

I feel horrible for Kim Kardashian for what she went through this past weekend. I cannot imagine the emotional turmoil she endured and will have to deal with for many years because of this traumatic event. I wish that no one else would ever have to go through what she went through.