Why I Have Been Away

Hi everyone,

So i know that i have not been posting over summer and I just want to do a quick explanation of why so everyone knows and there is no confusion about my situation, I was debating whether or not I should share this with you guys and broadcast it but I think it should be done

So one of the first reasons I stopped posting over summer was just to have a good time and not be worried about things like posting times, content and such things. I wanted to be in the moment just having fun, if you follow me on insta over at @elmasons then you’ll see that I went to Greece, did a bunch of cool stuff with my lovely friends and celebrated four years with my amazing boyfriend, Zach.

However something a lot more serious happened to me as well, while working over the summer I had encounters with a man who essentially started stalking and harassing me, I reported to the police and I have to say that the two women who were on my case were amazing and completely understood me. However, I would get calls and visits from other members of the force who made it seem like what was happening was not serious – going as far as to tell me I was overreacting and I should drop it.

What happened to me was a classic example of how women are treated when we report a crime against men. Especially a man who is known to the officers, and especially a man who is white. At times I could not stop crying because of how afraid I was that not only have a tried to report but that, if the report was not handled correctly – I could be endangering my life and those I care about. There were points I was scared to leave my house, there were points that I did not want to leave my bed.i even closed down my instagram for a while because I was scared he would find me. Fortunately, the man has now been hospitalised due to mental illness. But it should not have to come to that, as a society we must do better by our women and those who are mentally ill.

If you, or anyone you know has been a victims of a crime – speak out, make a fuss, do whatever you have to do to make your voice heard. I won’t be silenced by someone else.

the only way to keep up the great momentum made by the #metoo movement is to keep speaking up, to keep calling out the injustices, which are done time and time again, against women, people of colour, LGBTQ+. It is not my time to be silent, and it isn’t yours either.