Committing crimes Quote by Tarana Burke
“For every Harvey Weinstein, there's three or four thousand other pastors, coaches, teachers, uncles, cousins, and stepfathers who are committing the same crimes. We have to keep that in focus and we have to keep talking about it.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public advocacy on sexual abuse, 2017
Many people in positions of trust commit similar harms, highlighting systemic abuse beyond high‑profile cases.
In simple terms: Abuse is widespread among trusted adults.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and address hidden abuse.
Themes
justice
accountability
systemic abuse
Mood
urgent
determined
Type
advocacy
call to action
When to use this quote
- education
- policy reform
- community support
- victim advocacy
Key Concepts
power dynamics
trust violation
social responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- How can communities better identify hidden abusers?
- What systemic changes reduce such widespread misconduct?
A Different Perspective
Focusing on individual cases can overlook broader cultural factors.
![“The citizens of a city are not guilty of the crimes committed in their city; but they are guilty as participants in the destiny of [humanity] as a whole and in the destiny of their city in particular; for their acts in which freedom was united with destiny have contributed to the destiny in which…” quote by Paul Tillich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/063/paul-tillich-3183_accused_the-citizens-of-a-city-are-not-guilty-of_285535.jpg)
