A Forced Kiss Is Never “Just A Kiss”

Illustration: R. A. Di Ieso

When we think of sexual assault, it’s typically the most extreme violations that come to mind. But as several women allege that Donald Trump forced a kiss on them — and many more are making claims that the presidential candidate groped them — victims’ advocates are underscoring that sexual violence encompasses a wide spectrum of behaviors, includes everything from kissing to groping to rape.

“It can be helpful to think of sexual violence as a continuum,” said Laura Palumbo, communications director at the
National Sexual Violence Resource Center. “So behaviors that may seem like small violations are the behaviors that escalate to what people broadly understand as sexual violence.”

In the days since a video surfaced showing Trump bragging about his tendency to kiss and grab women without permission — which he dismissed as “locker-room banter” and flatly denied ever engaging in during Sunday’s presidential debate — several women have come forward with allegations that he did just that. Last night, People published allegations by journalist Natasha Stoynoff that Trump forced a kiss on her during the course of her reporting duties. That same evening, the New York Times reported on Rachel Crooks, who worked in Trump Tower in Manhattan and claims that in 2005 shortly after meeting Trump for the first time he kissed her on the mouth.