A female Harvard graduate has taken to social media to explain why some people insist on using the phrase "not all men" in response to the recent conversations surrounding violence against women.
Following the tragic disappearance and death of 33-year-old Sarah Everard in London, women have been speaking out in an attempt to highlight the fact that they do not feel safe on our streets.
The news also comes after a recent YouGov poll found that 97% of women in the UK between the ages of 18-24 have experienced sexual harassment.
However, despite many women sharing their personal experiences on social media, in response, they were met with the hashtag '#NotAllMen' trending on Twitter - as people attempted to point out that "not all men" harass women (which really is not the point).
Now, a woman named Evelyn (who used the handle @herspective on TikTok), has spoken out on the '#NotAllMen' response, explaining that she "specifically studied gender-based trauma" and that she has "two relevant master’s degrees from Harvard" on the subject.
Watch Evelyn's video below:In her video, Evelyn claims that the behavior which encourages people to respond "not all men" comes from three sources, the first of which she explains is a "male 'pick me' behavior".
She explains that even though these guys can admit "there are men out there who are acting in abusive and oppressive ways", they still want to stress: "I’m not one of them! I’m one of the good guys!"
The Harvard grad then says that the whole "one of the good guys" argument is a "total delusion", due to the fact that "in a patriarchy, everyone has internalized misogyny and sexism and oppressive ways to treat women".
Evelyn then explains that the second source for the #NotAllMen trend comes from the "the need to control women's voices".
She says that men using the argument are attempting to "tone policing women far more than they are mad at those men who are abusing, harassing and raping women".
However, as she points out, these very men are the ones "giving the rest of them a bad name".
And finally, Evelyn explains that the third reason for the phrase stems from a "male superiority complex".
Here, these men will say that they understand that "there are awful men out there who will abuse and rape and harass you, and oppress you", however, they'll also argue that they are not like that, and that women should "depend on" them.
"This instills in women a fear of independence. That the real solution to the male violence is another man. That’s not true by the way," she concludes.
In response to the #NotAllMen hashtag trending, many social media users have started to share their personal experiences using the hashtag '#NotAllMenButAllWomen'.
As one social media user explains, "All that the #Notallmen hashtag does it to dismiss the experiences of women and girls who have faced sexual violence or harassment."
They continue: "Of course we know that not every man is responsible but it is important to discuss misogyny and to amplify women's voices. #notallmenbutallwomen"
Another wrote: "It might not be all men, but it is all women. Every single [woman] can tell you of a time they have felt uneasy, they have held their bag a little closer, have gripped their keys a little bit tighter and have felt that racing heart. #notallmenbutallwomen I just want to walk home."
The importance of the hashtag was summed up by author Julie Cohen who wrote: "I will say it is extraordinary how many men think that they will convince women that men aren't dangerous by disbelieving them and yelling abuse at them. #notallmenbutallwomen"
Cohen continued: "I've blocked over 100 people in the past few hours and will keep on blocking anyone who not-all-mens me. Trying to force women to justify their experiences to you is yet another form of male violence."
Sarah Everad's tragic death has been an unwelcome reminder of the fact that women are not safe, regardless of whether they are outside or in their homes.
