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Margaret Cho debuts empowerment single ‘I Want To Kill My Rapist’

November 13, 2015

Margaret Cho in “I Want To Kill My Rapist” (screen capture)

By Tae Hong

“I want to kill my rapist,” Margaret Cho sings in her new single, released Friday, “I want to kill my rapist. I thought I forgave you, but I’d mistake you. I’ll shake you and I’ll bake you. You better run now while I’m having fun now. Here comes the sun now, and you’ll be done now.”

The song, “I Want To Kill My Rapist,” is a part of an empowerment effort to encourage women to vocalize their own stories of sexual assault without fear or embarrassment.

Cho called the song a metaphor for moving on from her personal traumatic experience of being a victim of sexual abuse.

Cho — a famously bold comedian whose career has been dotted by outspoken advocacy for a range of issues, including gay rights and homelessness outreach — previously had confessed she was victimized by a family friend beginning when she was 5 years old.

She started a campaign, #12DaysofRage, on Twitter Nov. 1 inviting others to share their experiences. The music video for “I Want To Kill My Rapist” premiered on PerezHilton.com Friday.

“I do not condone violence, but cathartic rage has its place in art,” Cho said. “I believe if you have been sexually abused, you must ‘murder’ your rapist in your mind. Abuse leads to self abuse, drug addiction, depression, eating disorders, suicide. I want to kill it before it kills me. I’m grateful to all the incredible artists who went into the creation of this song and video, especially the young people who lent their fierce fighting talents. I can already see that kids are building a better world than the one we are currently in.”