Softcult stand in solidarity with survivors of assault on new single, "She Said, He Said"

“‘She Said, He Said’ is a song about believing survivors of assault. It’s known that SA cases are historically under-reported, and most victims don’t come forward for fear of being accused of lying. When survivors do come forward they are all too often blamed for encouraging the situation that led to the assault in the first place. Myths and bogus claims aiming to dismiss allegations of assault perpetuate misinformation that leads to mistrust and suspicion of survivors when they decide to share their stories,” shares vocalist Mercedes Arn-Horn.

“This culture of misogynistic skepticism contributes to the silencing of survivors, enabling predators to continue with their mistreatment while escaping accountability. This song tells a story that is all too familiar; the “nice guy” that coerces and pressures his victim instead of asking for consent.”

On the track’s accompanying official music video, Mercedes continues, “We wanted to create a visual that tackles this very poignant and nuanced subject matter in a respectful way, while still resonating and getting the intended message across. We decided to focus on the frustration many women feel when we tell traumatic stories and are met with suspicion and accusations. We chose an interrogation room setting to capture the feeling of “making a case” for our truth to be heard and believed.

We included some Easter eggs referencing other videos from this album cycle, which represent a common theme of patriarchal oppression and abuse. The clues displayed as evidence on the interrogation room table lead directly to the anonymous male characters in other videos (Naive, 16/25). However, the detective fails to make the connection, blinded by patriarchal bias, and instead casts suspicion and classically blames the victim.”