December 15th was the day I broke the silence. At CREA’s Christmas dinner, with my heart pounding and my voice trembling, I shared that during my time as an intern, I suffered inappropriate treatment that deeply damaged me. And I confessed, without naming names, that, like Snow White, I also bit a poisoned apple: I agreed to remain in that environment despite the discomfort, the pain, and the already evident impact on my physical and mental health.
Today, I see in some media outlets that professors in stable positions speak as if they were CREA’s interns, and the media portrays them as victims when they were the ones who mistreated us, the victims. It is clear that these people who today place themselves in the position of victims and attack Ramon Flecha, accusing him of extremely serious things, do so to cover up the inappropriate behavior they have displayed toward people like me. International feminism makes it very clear that victims must be given a voice, and eight of us, the interns who are victims, have reported to the CREA Equality Commission the inappropriate behavior of those who have been given voice in these media outlets today.
For those who have spread falsehoods in these media, this campaign is a revenge against us, the victims, for asking for support, and a revenge against those who have supported us. After sharing my experience, several people at CREA offered me their immediate support, understanding, and affection. Thank you to all of them. But there is one name I need to highlight: Ramon Flecha. Ramon has always taken a clear and firm stance against any type of violence. Precisely for daring to publicly support those of us who have broken the silence, he is today the victim of a defamation campaign. He is suffering isolating gender violence for having done what so many still do not dare to do: protect us, take a stand, and defend us unambiguously. He did it in 2004, in 2016, and he is doing it again today, knowing what that entails. And I can not help but deeply thank him for his courage, his consistency, and his integrity.
No one should have to experience that. No one should endure inappropriate treatment, regardless of their position or contract. Because this type of violence does not depend on location or role: it can occur in any environment, in any institution. In my case, it happened at a university. Any person, regardless of their situation, does not deserve to suffer inappropriate treatment, nor to remain silent out of fear. I am the victim of December 15th. And I say it again today because silence is not an option. Because no one should have to endure inappropriate treatment. Because people who stand up for victims should not be punished, but recognized. Because when one speaks, others dare. And because the truth, however uncomfortable it may be, is always necessary.
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