Once again the headlines tell us that another powerful man has spent decades sexually assaulting women. This story is so common that it is people’s shocked reaction that’s surprising.

Women are open targets and nobody wants to talk about how common this is for females on this planet.

The combination of being taught to be nice girls and to please others and not to get angry, combined with the refusal of others to acknowledge something this horrible is happening, makes the circumstances perfect for assault. Not to mention the fact that we are rarely believed and are put through such an embarrassing and shaming process it’s easier to keep our mouths shut and pretend it didn’t happen.

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I was a very religious person for most of my life. I practiced Catholicism devoutly and attended daily mass.

I have been following my own heart and not any particular religious teaching for many years now, but I have never forgotten the lesson I learned one day when I was on my way to mass.

It was freezing and snowing one winter’s day and I was driving to the expressway so I could attend noon mass at a monastery in a neighboring town. As I drove under the viaduct before the entrance ramp I saw a woman walking on the snow along the wall. Her head was down and she was trying to stay upright as the snow and wind blew her coat open, and I noticed she was wearing a nightgown underneath. It was obvious she was in some kind of trouble and I had only a few seconds to decide what to do.

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