Jessica Valenti
Telling the Truth Is More Dangerous Than Ever
The internet changed everything for people who come forward
After watching Leaving Neverland, the harrowing HBO documentary about two men who allege Michael Jackson sexually abused them, I felt a pit in my stomach. I was sickened by the horrific details of what these then-children experienced, and heartbroken by their clear emotional trauma.
But the feeling I really couldn’t shake was something else: fear for what will happen to these men, now that they’ve told their stories.
The backlash from Jackson’s fans and estate has already begun, replete with Twitter harassment and YouTube videos claiming to prove the men liars. In an interview with Oprah, one of the accusers talked about getting death threats.
For shining a light on child sexual abuse and how powerful people get away with it — an act that will help innumerable other victims — these men will likely face harassment for years to come.
Social progress has relied on people sharing their most difficult and intimate stories: childhood abuse, sexual assault, abortion, gender identity. Our most pressing social issues have moved forward, in part, because individuals have been brave enough to come forward about their…
