We’ve been hearing stories of rape and sexual assault from women for a couple of months after the Harvey Weinstein scandal. While majority of the perpetrators are men, one woman is challenging the notion as she accused singer Melanie Martinez of raping her.
In a tweet, singer Timothy Heller detailed how she’s been best friends with Melanie for a while now. This was also the reason why it was difficult for her to admit that she was raped by her. “I have kept this secret for years, convincing myself that it wasn’t a big deal and I wasn’t hurt by it. The thought of accepting that my best friend raped me seems insane. Even typing that doesn’t feel real to me,” Timothy wrote.
Timothy then recounted how Melanie would repeatedly coax her into having sex during a sleepover. She said that Melanie didn’t stop asking even when Timothy told her “no” and that she had a boyfriend. “Regardless of my response the first night, she was not giving up. If she had gotten the hint, she didn’t care.”
As the night went on, Melanie allegedly made her move while they were smoking weed. She started by touching Timothy’s arm which “led to her touching the rest of me.”
“I lay still, in shock, completely not reciprocating. I hate speaking so bluntly on this because it makes me extremely uncomfortable, but she performed oral sex on me and then I was penetrated with a sex toy without being asked,” Timothy said.
It’s a hard read to digest, especially for fans (including myself) who supported Melanie ever since she joined The Voice in 2012. Naturally, many are demanding Melanie to speak out about this. Some are already trying to make #MelanieMartinezIsOverParty trend.
Meanwhile, there are still those who seem skeptical about the story. There’s also the implication that Melanie couldn’t have done it because she’s a woman, and women don’t rape other women.
What people fail to realize is that rape and sexual assault happen regardless of one’s gender, orientation, and preference. In this case, predators aren’t limited to men. In fact, a 2014 survey on rape and sexual violence found that 38 percent of incidents were done by women to men.
Meanwhile, woman-to-woman rape is considered “largely unknown and unaddressed.” XO Jane noted that women who come forward are “dismissed as liars or as parties to lesbian experimentation gone wrong.” And yes, lesbians experience sexual violence from their female partners, too.
So, no, you can’t excuse someone because she’s female. If you can be angry toward predators like Harvey Weinstein, Louis C.K., Ben Affleck, and Kevin Spacey, then you should feel the same about Melanie. This is a crime against human beings, not just a specific gender.
If the exposés of this year taught us anything, it’s that we should put our “stan cards” aside while looking at allegations and accusations like these. We should know better than to blame and question victims for coming forward. Timothy’s story is just one of many stories that could have been suppressed by skeptics, and we hope people could now have an open mind about the possibility of rape in all walks of life.
Art by Lara Intong
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Related stories:
Why It’s Time to Turn Your Stan Cards In
Comedian Louis C.K. Admits to Sexual Misconduct
Broadway Secrets: Kevin Spacey Accused of Sexually Harassing Actor Anthony Rapp
Never Forget the Time Ben Affleck Grabbed Hilarie Burton’s Breast