if you feel ashamed in any way of your story – shame cannot exist if you tell it to people who have empathy - Viola Davis

Viola Davis attended The Rape Foundation’s annual brunch held in Beverly Hills ,shared  intimate stories about how she, her sisters and friends were groped by men at such young ages.


 Below are a few highlights:

"Listen, when I was young, there were so many men in the neighborhood who gave you money if they could touch you," she continued. "Going over to a friend's house for a birthday party at the age of seven, there was always someone there who touched you."
"My sister Danielle was 8 years old when she was on roller skates and went down to the corner store at 1 o'clock in the afternoon and was sexually assaulted in the aisles," said Davis. "She told my mom right away – my mom ran down to the store. The store owner's response was: 'He does that to all the little girls.' "
"My mom flagged down the police, and the perpetrator did pay," she continued. "He paid. He was fined $10 a month. It's over for him, but I'd like to redefine survivor."
"Memories demand attention, because memories have teeth," continued the actress. "That sexual assault perpetrator can move on. The only person who rapes is the rapist. The person who is left behind has to pay over, and over, and over again."

"Number one, if you have not visited the Rape Treatment Center or the Stuart House, you must. That's all I'll say, then I'll let your heart do the rest," she said. "Number two, it's like the famous Shakespeare quote: 'To whom should I complain?' If you have anyone in your life that you know, or if you don't know is a rape survivor then listen because truly whatever you say, if you feel ashamed in any way of your story – shame cannot exist if you tell it to people who have empathy."
"And number three, that in your mind today, listen," she said. "I'm with Emile Zola, I want to 'live out loud.' I do," she said.

So sad.
You can read the rest of her speech here.