Late last year, Terry Crews reported his own sexual assault to the LAPD. This week, he testified about it before Congress in support of the Sexual Assault Survivors Bill of Rights Act.
Unfortunately, the courage that he has demonstrated in coming forward has opened him up to ridicule from people who think that the story of his sexual assault is funny.
50 Cent shared multiple shameful, now-deleted posts in which he attempts to ridicule Crews.
In one of the now-deleted Instagram posts, 50 Cent shared a pair of images of Terry Crews.
The top one said "I was rape. My wife just watched." The display of Crews" muscles is meant to be juxtaposition for those words.
The bottom one features Crews with a rose clenched horizontally in his teeth, and is captioned "gym time."
50 Cent added his own commentary, writing: "LOL What the f–k is going on out here man? Terry: I froze in fear, they would have had to take me to jail."
Like just about every post he writes, 50 Cent ended his caption with "get the strap," a bizarre catchphrase that means to escalate a situation in response to hostility.
In another, more bizarre post, a photo of Terry Crews is captioned: "I am a boy."
"LOL. GET THE F–K OUTTA HERE," 50 Cent writes. "You not doing this to me. LOL"
He then writes, as always, "get the strap."
This post has also been deleted.
That deletion is for the best.
On top of everything else, many noticed that Russell Simmons left a laughing emoji response.
Russell Simmons faces multiple sexual assault allegations and has stepped down from his former position.
It is sickening to see anyone mock someone who has been courageous enough to come forward and share their story of being groped with the world.
There is an added layer of nausea when someone accused of effectively kidnapping younger women after gaining their trust, of allegedly raping them, joins in on the "joke."
Simmons is notably close friends with Adam Vanit, the man who allegedly assaulted Crews. Water, some have remarked about their friendship, will always find its level.
In case you ever wonder why so many people don"t come forward about their experiences with sexual assault, this kind of thing is why.
Terry Crews has been asked why, when talent agent Adam Venit allegedly fondled his genitals, he did not use violence to stop the assault.
"As a black man in America, you only have a few shots at success… I have seen many, many young black men who were provoked into violence. And they were imprisoned or they were killed. And they’re not here."
Crews knew that if he used physical force, he would be arrested for assault. His children would lose their father.
Instead, he is still spending money, but not as a defendant.
People mocking him for showing thoughtfulness are sending a message to untold millions of present and future survivors of sexual assault that they, too, will face ridicule if they come forward.
It is a heinous thing.
Speaking to TMZ, Terry Crews took the high road when asked about 50 Cent"s social media posts.
"I love 50 Cent, man," Crews said.
"I listen to him when I"m working out," Crews shares. "And that"s the deal."
Crews condludes: "I love him…I prove that size doesn"t matter when it comes to sexual assault."
He"s right. Even the largest, strongest man can be assaulted, whether the sexual predator uses alcohol or threats or social blackmail or the implication of reprisals.
All of the people asking why women didn"t fight back against Harvey Weinstein or others should consider that this can happen to anyone.
