Dear JOhn,

Over the years, I have worked with many survivors of sexual violence and one of the most powerful ways to support them is to listen to them and believe them. Survivors have an incredibly difficult time coming forward and face a series of obstacles from the culture at large that questions and often shames them, from those they accuse who go out to destroy their credibility and their privacy, and sometimes the legal system that is not in tune with the needs of survivors.  

As an organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, we are proud to have signed on to a public statement of support for the survivors who say that they have been raped by Russell Simmons and who have overcome significant hurdles to tell their stories in the documentary, On The Record. 

They need the women’s rights community to stand with them as powerful people try to silence and discredit them.

Will you stand in solidarity with the survivors and sign onto the following letter?

“It takes great courage for any survivors of sexual assault to come forward, especially publicly. We admire the bravery of all of the Russell Simmons’ survivors and the #silencebreakers who stepped up to share their story in the @OnTheRecordDoc. We are unequivocally united in supporting the survivors in the film and all survivors of Russell Simmons. We want them to know: We believe you. We hear you. You deserve to be seen.” #MeToo

This letter is a call for an end to the re-victimization of those who have sacrificed so much to lay bare their own trauma in the public interest of truth, justice, accountability, and the greater #MeToo movement.

I look forward to standing with these women at the premiere of the documentary, On The Record at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend. I hope you will join me in supporting these women.

In solidarity,

Yasmeen Hassan,
Global Executive Director