The Truth you Refuse to See

It’s difficult to speak out about a content creator you once held in high regard. It’s much easier to just step away quietly and avoid any potential fallout or abuse from their fanbase.

With the Eros situation I’ve witnessed a community of women attacking those who dared to speak out, time and again. I’m also aware that his business partner, a woman trusted within the community, was manipulating people into situations that left them vulnerable—exposing them to abuse from his ‘spiteful and vindictive’ followers. She played both sides, helping to paint his detractors as ‘unhinged’ effectively reinforcing his false narrative—despite admitting we were telling the truth—because it served her own interests.

I’d always assumed she knew what was happening in that community, but I never planned on mentioning her because, in the end, he was the predator. She may have known and protected him, but he was the one truly at fault and she wasn’t obligated to help us.

She could have done what she claimed she wanted—faded into the background—but instead, she chose to undermine everything we were working toward. Knowing that some of the abuse we endured was a direct result of her actions behind the scenes completely changed my perspective on who truly deserves to be ‘protected’ when speaking out. I’m done protecting women who don’t deserve it.

Which brings me to a post I just read that made me question how his community could be so blind when he’s telling them exactly who he is every single day.

When a man exploits a woman’s experience to perpetuate the false narrative of fabricated rape claims, using it as a vehicle to disguise his own bitterness in a thinly veiled display of misogyny, he is not ‘for women.’ He is no different from the countless other misogynistic, sexist, and angry men on this platform—except, perhaps, worse. Unlike them, he hides behind a facade of allyship, pretending to be a safe space for women while preying on their trust and vulnerability.

Imagine the uproar from his “community” if someone dared to question his CSA story with the same tired, clichéd victim-blaming rhetoric he so readily employs against women.

Trying to equate false claims of being scorned or rejected by women with real rape allegations, implying that both are equally likely to be lies, is a blatant false equivalence. He’s attempting to discredit actual sexual assault cases by generalizing women’s behavior as dishonest—because he’s an angry, bitter man, pissed off that he got called out.

Having a platform doesn’t mean you need to use it to comment on issues of gender-based violence—especially if all you, as a man, are going to do is contribute to the endless bullshit women face daily when it comes to sexual abuse and harassment. When you have no idea what actually happened in a situation like that, try shutting the fuck up about it until you do. Posting your misogynistic take isn’t allyship, nor does it reflect the ‘safe space’ you claim to provide. The replies from his community—comprised entirely of women & nb—are, unsurprisingly, disappointing.

vo.EROS can repeat the ‘scorned women’ bullshit all he wants, but his constant projection and blame-shifting won’t make it true. He’s been peddling the same arrogant lie for years when anyone calls him out, and his community laps it up – most of them probably under the mistaken belief that they’re supporting a decent man.

vo.EROS wasn’t called out because women were jealous or scorned—he was called out, repeatedly, for taking advantage of the women in his community and for being a liar. And his behavior since being exposed only reinforces that truth.

If you’re a member of his community and can read his posts without recognizing how misogynistic they often are—or maybe you do recognize it, maybe you cringe a little but choose to ignore it—you are part of the problem. For those of you who are new to his community and do sense that something is off about the things he posts, try scrolling back through his feed for a while. Once you go looking for it, I guarantee you’ll quickly notice a pattern of misogyny.

For the love of all that is good, either stop supporting predatory, problematic men who refuse to take responsibility for their actions and their words—or stand up and demand that they do.
Stop being a part of the fucking problem.