Dakota Johnson would like all women who had been victims of sexual assault to please give her a call, so that she may help “tell your story.”
As reported by E! News , the 2018 Global Citizens Festival was held in New York City’s Central Park on Saturday and while the main purpose of the annual event, which began in 2012, is to combat extreme poverty, the theme of this year’s music festival sang a much different tune—addressing sexual assault.
Taking to the stage, the Fifty Shades star stood in front the crowd and personally reached out to the attending women by offering up her phone number in the hopes that those who have suffered sexual assault might find the courage to finally tell their story.
“I want to help you—women and girls around the world—tell your story,” she began. “This is my phone number. I want you to call me and tell me your story in a voicemail,” she continued.
For women who might not feel comfortable speaking on the phone, Johnson, 28, also offered her email address to encourage any female to get her voice heard “in the world that’s been suffering.”
“If we don’t speak the same language, that’s ok. We have a team for that. We’ll translate it,” she went on to say.
Johnson’s hope for her mission is to gather all the stories and put them out in the world, so that “together, we can achieve a world where she is equal.”
Janet Jackson also took the time to make an impassioned statement during her performance.
“I know about verbal abuse. I know about physical abuse” ~ @JanetJackson at #GlobalCitizen pic.twitter.com/XLPKSJWAht
— C H A M ? L ? O N (@Chameleon876) September 30, 2018
It is not surprising that Johnson, Jackson and many other women took the stage on Saturday night to take aim at the growing stigma that is currently circling survivors of sexual assault as a result of the Brett Kavanaugh sexual allegations scandal.
On Thursday, Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh faced a judiciary committee hearing following sexual assault allegations made by Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, who also testified in front of the committee on the same day.
Before her performance, Janelle Monae briefly spoke on the past week’s events in relation to Dr. Ford, as well as Anita Hill—the attorney who testified back in 1991 that Supreme Court nominee, Clarence Thomas, had sexually harassed during her time working with him.
“This past week was a brutal, brutal week for a lot of us women. It was an especially hard week for survivors of sexual violence I dedicate this to Dr. Ford, I dedicate this to Anita Hill, I dedicate this to anyone who is trying to make this place a better world,” Monae said.
Shawn Mendes, The Weeknd, and Cardi B were also a part of the evening’s lineup while Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, served as the emcee.