The Atlanta Dream’s Layshia Clarendon and Elizabeth Williams participated in Mic.com’s “Athletes United” initiative that aims to tell the story of sports figures that have been affected by the epidemic of sexual assault.
Here is an excerpt from Clarendon’s moving words:
Too often, society blames the victims and not the perpetrators. As young girls, we are taught not to go to the bathroom alone, to walk down well-lit streets, to be careful of what we wear. Ultimately, the message is: ‘Do not put yourselves in a situation where you could be assaulted or raped.’
Photo Credit: Scott Cunningham/NBAE/Getty Images
Clarendon worked with five other athletes for the “Athletes United” initiative—including her Dream teammate Elizabeth Williams. In the below video, Williams discusses how the problem of sexual assault could be connected to sports culture as a whole—particularly on college campuses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvOXbEPY_ak
(Video Credit: Mic.com/YouTube)
These star athletes have so much power over the school. And so, if you accuse, you know, the quarterback of the school of this crime, all of a sudden, the implications are more than just a guy that raped a girl. It’s the top football player that raped a girl. It’s, you know, this guy that’s about to get a multimillion dollar contract that’s also bringing in millions of dollars for the school.
NFL player DeAndre Levy, former NFL player Wade Davis, and the WWE’s Titus O’Neil also participated in the initiative.
By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)
