I really wanted to sit down and address an issue that I have been seeing on social media for a while now.
Many of the people in this community are a fan of something or someone. I, personally, love watching YouTube videos. YouTube has a lot of variety and there's really something for everyone.
But like in any group, it has it's fair share of trash. Sam Pepper, Daddy of Five, Austin Jones, etc. And now, DurteDom.
DurteDom is featured in David Dobrik's vlogs, which for the past year have been gaining popularity. I have been watching David's vlogs for over a year now. I watch many of the people featured as well on their own channels. However, Dom was not one of them. I never really found him funny, it was not my kind of humour. I constantly found myself hating how disrespectful he could be but I truly thought that he was different outside of the vlogs.
A video tonight caught my attention. The casual exposing of any popular figure usually gains views so I decided to click on it.
The story goes as this- DurteDom sexually assaulted Ally Hardesty at a Vidcon party.
What disgusted me even more than the assault itself was the amount of hate and dislikes Ally was getting and all the love Dom was getting.
Dom issued out an apology saying that he is going to work on respecting women. That's great but a simple "I'm sorry" does not excuse what he did.
Fans are praising him for being the bigger person and apologizing for what he did but don't see the situation in it entirety.
He sexually assaulted a young woman. That does not deserve praise.
That deserves jail time.
As fans, we idolize these popular figures. But we need to know that just because someone is considered famous does not mean they can do no wrong.
Sexual assault is not okay.
Now, I know that there are always two sides of a story but our first response to a victim of sexual assault should not be "they're lying". It should be "this person needs justice" or "we need to get them help".
If you have been a victim of anything such as assault or bullying, you know it hurts like hell when someone shames you and labels you as a liar for speaking out.
Before anyone can say it, I do not think posting a video about it makes her a liar. As many of us know, sexual assault is not taken seriously, especially with popular or successful figures. The Stanford Swimmer, Donald Trump, and now DurteDom are all names of accused offenders who were dismissed, either legally or publicly, because of their name.
The biggest problem with fandoms is how the fans are willing to excuse disgusting behaviour. We need to recognize that this is wrong and no matter his amount of subscribers, he is disgusting.
Perhaps this is just my thinking but I do not want these young people growing up thinking that sexual assault is okay if a famous person does it.
The following is a link to an online hotline for sexual assault. Chats are kept anonymous and you do not have to reveal your identity.
https://www.rainn.org
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please seek help. There are so amazing people out there who can help you and get you the justice you deserve. No more sexual assault victims should have to suffer in silence.
If you are suspicious that someone has been sexually assaulted or abused, please report it to the authorities, wether it be your local police station or family services. Sexual abuse signs include: bloody underwear, itching of genitalia, explicit drawings or descriptions, etc. Know these signs and know how to act on them.
I love you all very much. Please know that my inbox is always open to talk. I may not respond right away due to problems with my inbox in my phone but when I see it, I will respond. You are not alone.
