The Transportation Secretary has confessed that she has been harassed without giving any further details on the incident and her abuser. Despite being a victim of the practice, Chao said that women should not “dwell on the past”.
“This is an important lesson. You know, you will go through difficulties in your life. And I hope you will all triumph. And when you triumph, you need to help others along the way. But you also must have magnanimity of spirit. Things change. Times change. And it's not worth my while to go back and revisit those negative moments.”
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She claimed she was ‘fighting for other women”, although her controversial statement sparked rage among feminists and social justice advocates online, who retaliated via Twitter.
Shame on Elaine Chao. What a callous 'blame the victim' statement. Letting it go occurs when these women are able to confront their abusers. Chao suggests sexual offense is no crime, causes no pain in the victim and the perpetrator should be able to walk away w/no reprisals.
— Patricia (@TheGreatHouseCo) 6 декабря 2017 г.
No, to be clear, she said "let it go" and move on. That's not standing up to harassment, it's being silent and polite and exactly how sexual harassers want their victims to be. This is straight out of the 1950s.
— Brian (@bridoc) 5 декабря 2017 г.
@SecElaineChao real classy of you. Say you’re a #metoo and then decline to name the harasser who is still “active” (translation: a friend of my husband or Trump). You’re so hypocritical. If you were really fighting for women you’d name names. Protecting predators. Nice.
— GenerationXChick (@GenerationXChic) 6 декабря 2017 г.
This. By not naming names she’s allowing some pig to get away with the same 💩
— GenerationXChick (@GenerationXChic) 6 декабря 2017 г.
How about we let YOU go @ElaineChao???
— Lizzie Nolla (@LizzieNolla) 5 декабря 2017 г.
You're a disgraceful enabler of everything that's wrong with the sick culture of sexual abuse and systematic women degradation… You are DESPICABLE!😤
Chao’s statement comes right amid a wave of sexual allegations against famous powerful and influential men from different industries. The list, headed by film producer Harvey Weinstein, includes such prominent Hollywood actors as Kevin Spacey and Dustin Hoffman, television journalist Matt Lauer, US senators Roy Moore, Al Franken, etc.
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