As we progress into 2018 and beyond, the amount of sexual assault accusations seems to be skyrocketing.

The accusations started with Harvey Weinstein and now has put famous actors, producers, directors, and even politicians under the microscope. President Donald Trump, Kevin Spacey, Bill Cosby, Matt Lauer, Ben Affleck and most recently, Supreme Court Associate of Justice, Brett Kavanaugh are just some of the few powerful and famous that were accused.

Successful and powerful men are taking advantage of their status and using that to get their way with people. If there is a wrong doing, shouldn’t there be a punishment? according to the National Sexual Violence Resource center, rape is the most under-reported crime; 63 percent of sexual assaults go un reported.

Why are these men getting away with ruining peoples lives? Is it because they can buy their victims off? Do they threaten their victims into silence?

People and bystanders also have a lot do with how we deal with the victims.

If victims do not have the support they need, how and when do you expect them to come forward?

A common response is, “it happened a while ago, why do we need to bring up the past?”

it’s not that the victims choose to wait until the perpetrator is rich and famous to get something, but rather that they had to gain the courage and strength it takes for one’s self to open up about this terrible experience that has happened to them.

It’s not easy to talk about sexual assault and it sure as hell isn’t easy to come forward, but one thing for sure is true.

When a victim chooses to come forward, whether it be five minutes, five months or even five decades. They deserve to be heard, they deserve justice and the men who did this to them, famous or not, should be held accountable for their actions.