I am privileged to not be a victim of sexual assault

It’s sad that not being assaulted is a privilege. As a woman, I deal with sexual harassment at least once a week. I once waited at a stoplight and when the light changed a stranger tried to grab my coat hood. When I turned around to see if I knew him, he gave a sexual leer and a suggestive smirk that sent a chill down to my core. We live in a world where people think it’s okay to reach out and touch strangers, and it’s supposed to be flattering. But most of the time it’s sexual assault.

There’s a reason why I look straight ahead when I walk down the street or avoid eye contact on public transit. Yet, we tend to brush off these weird interactions as typical and unimportant. That’s why I was so happy to watch the latest Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode. It’s a blatant reminder that these actions are not normal.

“He Said, She Said”

In one of the latest Brooklyn 99 episodes “He Said, She Said” our favourite woke and silly detectives tackle a serious case of sexual assault in the workplace. This episode was directed by actress Stephanie Beatriz who plays Detective Rosa Diaz. In this episode, Sergeant Amy Santiago persuades sexual assault victim Keri Brennan to refuse a $2.5M bribe from her workplace. Diaz warns Amy that they may ruin Keri Brennan’s (the victim) life due to the lack of evidence for a conviction. The assailant will go free and Keri will lose her job.

During the initial investigation, Detective Jake Peralta (Santiago’s husband) notices he has upset Santiago with a joke where she points out how different their lives are on a daily basis. When the two stop for coffee, the vendor wishes Peralta a good day and comments on Santiago’s “nice” mouth. When the two cross the street, Peralta is staring at a kid playing a video game and a man is trying to stare down Santiago’s shirt.

While at work, Amy (in full uniform) is asked by a civilian where he can find a “policeman” before identifying Jake as one in his shirt and hoodie.

Jake, being the pivotal main character that he is, doesn’t patronize Amy. Instead, he is an amazing ally to her. He listens and realizes that he’s missed so much because he’s been blind to it. This leads him to question how much inequality he misses on a regular basis.

After further investigation, Amy doesn’t return home one evening. Concerned, Peralta asks why the case is so important especially since there is no evidence for an arrest. Santiago tearfully tells her husband that her previous captain favoured her and gave her better cases so she could make detective. When she finally made detective, her captain and mentor took her to dinner and tried to kiss her. He felt like he deserved something for her promotion. Santiago was lucky enough to transfer to the nine-nine. She feels guilty that her promotion wasn’t deserved, even though she is one of the best detectives on the show. As a result, she’s held onto her secret out of fear that she wouldn’t get another promotion.

Santiago sadly notes that things like this have happened to almost every single woman she knows.

Eventually, they find evidence that the sexual assault occurred through a douchey coworker of Brennan’s who helps to get the assailant’s work position. Although charges are laid against the assailant, Brennan quits her job since she is not being treated the same at work. She is uninvited to events and becomes an outsider. The episode ends with Santiago proving that when one woman stands up, others will follow. Brennan’s coworker reports her own assault to the precinct having been inspired by her.

There is a lot of debate over this episode.

But I have to applaud the way this episode handles women’s rights and sexual assault. The episode begins with Captain Holt mentioning that a hospital called because of a man with a broken “private”. The group quickly comes up with funny scenarios. Then they’re told it’s because Brennan hit him after he attempted to sexually assault her. The episode takes a serious tone because the detectives shift their thought processes. They tell the audience that this is serious.

Although Brooklyn 99 is a comedy, it’s never shied away from being woke. We’ve seen episodes where Sergeant Terry Jeffers gets arrested in his own neighbourhood for being a black man. Or when Diaz came out as being bisexual. And we are constantly shown instances where Captain Holt’s black and gay sexual orientation are related to why he received a promotion so late in his career. Like so many Brooklyn 99 episodes, “He Said, She Said” brilliantly gives us another serious topic while keeping it palatable for people who may find it uncomfortable.

Benefits of Humour

Brooklyn 99 injects humour into the situation without making fun of the actual scenario. It allows the story to breathe, so the audience understands the gravity of what is happening. The scenarios with Peralta and Santiago’s daily lives highlight just how ridiculous women are treated. It demonstrates a strong form of realism that isn’t tied up with a pretty bow. Brennan doesn’t go back to a friendly workplace because that doesn’t happen in an environment where toxic masculinity thrives. This is evident when the detectives interview the employees at the office.

Brennan’s situation isn’t different from many real experiences. Women are told they are crazy or, sometimes, told to stay quiet. Brennan’s company offers her $2.5M to “get help”, which implies that she’s imbalanced when she isn’t. She just happens to be a woman who works in a patriarchal work environment where her superior attempted to take advantage of her.

Why Peralta Is Great

This episode gives us a great ally in Peralta. I have many friends like him who don’t notice when they make sexist jokes because they simply don’t understand why it’s hard for women. It doesn’t mean that they don’t try to understand.  In a short 30 minutes, we witness Peralta’s determination to learn and understand more about this so he can support his wife and all women.

I am privileged to be a woman who has never experienced sexual assault. It doesn’t mean that I am not afraid it will happen. It’s 2019 and we shouldn’t shy away from these conversations. You can’t get all of your education on equality through a TV show, but I’m glad that there are shows that tackle these situations in a way that reaches everyone. For a show that almost got canceled, it would have been a shame if we never saw this episode. 

If you’re looking to report a sexual assault, here is a Canadian Student Guide For Reporting The Incident.