The National Women’s Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in our society.
Melissa Ing
Melissa Ing is an award-winning health educator, artist, and advocate for survivors of gender-based violence. She is also a survivor of workplace sex harassment and retaliation. Inspired by her rescue cat Lilly, Melissa recently founded Inspiring Quotophile, which offers products to empower others and encourage positivity.
Cards of Courage
In 2017, when I reported my sexual harasser, a male coworker with a known serial history of misogyny, sexual discrimination, and of harassing dental students and faculty, I took a leap of faith that my employer would advocate for me.
Instead, I was retaliated against and denied promotion to full professor, while at the same time eight men were held to a lower standard—and promoted. I was severely punished by a network of complicit enablers who were central in protecting the perpetrator and the university. And when I was eventually forced out of my 30-year, award-winning career, I suffered mental, physical, and financial anguish during and after and still do, to this day. And to make matters even worse, I know that the sexual abuse and retaliation continues to be covered up.
While experiencing this harassment and discrimination, because of my incurable stroke disorder, I had two consequential brain surgeries and a brain tumor, only further compounding my trauma and the institutional betrayal I felt when my university failed to protect me and instead bullied and retaliated against me.
I was forcibly silenced with a protective order, prohibited from speaking about documented truth, which is against U.S. Title IX law and our First Amendment rights.
Trauma has no time stamp. The smallest symptoms trigger tears. I have terrible nightmares about my perpetrators and the cover up. My recovery is painfully slow.
Yet, I am attempting to move from betrayal to restored faith in people; from being powerless to being empowered; from being angry to being an activist.
I build awareness, working on public policy to stop sexual abuse, and even lobbied to help pass a federal bill that protects survivors from online harassment and abuse. The progress is slow; sometimes while pushing forward, we are pushed down by those who want the truth hidden from the public. That is not going to prevent my voice, including through my legislative and advocacy efforts, from becoming lifelines for those who suffer similar experiences. I am committed to work to provide protections for the next generation.
I went back to school at age 58 and received my MBA. I founded a small business, called Inspiring Quotophile, producing sustainable playing cards that each include affirmations. I design these cards to uplift and encourage others.
My business mission promotes kindness and positivity in a world that is often cloaked in darkness and negativity. While I still mourn the loss of my beloved oral health career, my legacy encompasses truth, hope, resilience, and empowerment for others. My story is one that I continue to re-write, one card at a time.
