A wineglass sat upon the table,
anticipating my thirst
after your departure.
How tempting,
the crimson consolation
of a well-aged indulgence.
But sobriety, beloved,
is sometimes the finest medicine.
There is an antiquated saying
that a drunken man’s words
reveal a sober man’s thoughts.
Perhaps.
But intoxication is no absolution,
nor does it grant immunity
from accountability.
Character should never
be permitted a vacation
simply because judgment
has become impaired.
For beneath the elaborate performance
of charm, protection, and loyalty,
there may reside
a disconcerting propensity
for aggression,
duplicity,
and unscrupulous conduct.
And when that disposition
becomes apparent,
discernment must take precedence
over affection.
Let us be candid.
Violence does not always arrive
with a raised fist.
Sometimes it enters
through intimidation,
a threatening voice,
sexual coercion,
financial control,
or the calculated erosion
of another person’s autonomy.
It may begin quietly,
disguised as concern,
possessiveness mistaken for passion,
and domination presented
as devotion.
How profoundly deceptive.
A woman’s safety
must never become negotiable
for the sake of preserving
another person’s reputation.
And when rape, sexual assault,
or domestic violence enters the conversation,
let us abandon the antiquated habit
of interrogating the survivor
while accommodating the perpetrator.
No woman’s clothing,
intoxication,
relationship status,
or previous affection
constitutes consent.
Silence is not consent.
Fear is not consent.
Coercion is not intimacy.
And marriage
is certainly no exemption.
Let that be written clearly.
There is nothing dignified
about protecting an image
while someone else’s body
carries the consequences
of violence.
This is where advocacy
must become more
than an eloquent declaration.
It must become action.
A safe place to go.
A trusted person to call.
An advocate who listens.
Medical attention when needed.
Information about legal options.
Compassion without judgment.
For those who have endured
sexual violence,
seeking assistance
is an act of fortitude.
There is no shame
in asking for protection.
No weakness
in speaking to a counselor.
No diminishment
in reaching for someone
who can help you reclaim
your safety,
your dignity,
and your autonomy.
And to the friends,
the neighbors,
the relatives,
and the quiet observers:
If you recognize distress,
do not become so enamored
with your own comfort
that you mistake silence
for neutrality.
Ask if the person is safe.
Listen without interrogation.
Offer assistance
without demanding disclosure.
Help them reach an advocate,
a hospital,
a trusted refuge,
or emergency services
when danger is imminent.
Call 911
when someone’s life
or immediate safety
is threatened.
Do not place yourself
or the survivor
in further danger
through reckless confrontation.
Sometimes intervention
requires courage.
Sometimes it requires
the discernment
to recognize
that trained professionals
must take the lead.
And sometimes, beloved,
it requires you
to put down the telephone
you were using
to record someone’s suffering
and use it instead
to summon help.
What a concept.
Let us remember
that compassion without action
can become another
ostentatious performance
of virtue.
We speak of community.
We speak of solidarity.
We speak of protecting women
and honoring the sanctity
of human life.
Then let our conduct
possess the integrity
of those declarations.
For the person
whose suffering
you dismiss today
could be your daughter,
your sister,
your friend,
your neighbor.
Or one day,
it could be you.
And in that moment,
would you not hope
someone possessed
the courage
to recognize your distress
and offer a hand?
Let advocacy
become our collective responsibility.
Let us cultivate
a society
where survivors are heard,
where violence is confronted,
and where compassion
is measured
by the dignity
we extend to others.
As for me,
the wineglass remains untouched.
I choose clarity.
I choose the cogency
of a mind no longer persuaded
by excuses masquerading
as explanations.
I choose restoration,
accountability,
and the luminous assurance
that my safety
is never secondary
to another person’s comfort.
And as the evening settles,
I raise a glass of water
to every woman
who recognized the warning,
every survivor
who found the courage
to speak,
and every person
who offered protection
when silence
would have been easier.
May healing come
without coercion.
May justice be pursued
without sacrificing compassion.
May survivors recover
their sense of safety
without being required
to explain their pain
to an unforgiving audience.
And may we never forget:
The most consequential act
of humanity
may be the moment
we recognize another person’s danger
and choose not to look away.
Good riddance to violence.
Good evening to peace.
And may the sanctity
of every human life
remain greater
than the silence
that once endangered it.
Copyright © 2026 Sherley Delia
United States | Free and confidential support
If You or Someone You Know Needs Help
RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
Call 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
Text HOPE to 64673
Online: https://rainn.org/hotline
Available 24 hours a day for survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
Text START to 88788
Online: https://www.thehotline.org
Support for domestic violence, coercive control, safety planning, and referrals.
VictimConnect Resource Center
Call or text 1-855-4-VICTIM (1-855-484-2846)
Online: https://victimconnect.org
Information about victim advocacy, rights, and available support services.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988
Online: https://988lifeline.org
For emotional distress, mental health crises, and suicidal thoughts.
Emergency Assistance
Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger or requires urgent emergency assistance.
A Message to Friends, Family, and Bystanders
If someone confides in you about rape, sexual trauma, or domestic violence, listen, believe their account, and ask how you can help. Do not pressure them to disclose details, confront the perpetrator, or report before they are ready, unless immediate danger or an applicable reporting obligation requires action.
Offer to accompany them to seek medical attention, speak with a trained advocate, or find safe accommodation. If you witness immediate danger, contact emergency services rather than attempting an unsafe confrontation.
Your willingness to act with compassion, discretion, and courage could help someone reach safety.
Healing Majestically | Advocacy, Dignity, and Restoration
