By: Shakristal Williams
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a month that focuses on ways that individuals and their communities can help prevent sexual violence. Nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men are victims of sexual assault. What is sexual assault though? It can be defined as any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. They may be forced or coerced into sexual intercourse, sodomy, molestation, incest, fondling, and attempted rape. Although there may be some sexual pleasure or desire derived from these activities by the perpetrator, the main idea of this form of interpersonal violence is the power and control that creates and fosters it. Anyone can be a perpetrator or a victim; there is no ideal victim or rapist. Sexual violence creates a climate of fear, anger, disbelief, and often victim blaming in workplaces, communities, and campuses especially.
This causes many sexual assaults to be severely underreported and highly prevalent on college campuses. Many survivors are blamed, told that their experiences are normalized, and afraid there aren’t resources that will help them heal and find justice. Also, with the increased usage of drugs/alcohol and the lack of proper sex education, many students attend college without a full understanding of consent and healthy relationships and become victims or perpetrators of sexual assault easily. There are subconscious behaviors and beliefs that reinforce this culture and it can be a hard thing to acknowledge at first.
It may seem like preventing such a deeply enriched and problematic facet of our society such as sexual violence is impossible to eliminate, but prevention can start with the individual-not just with self-defense classes and tools but with challenges to the culture that fosters sexual assault.
How can people challenge this culture of sexual assault?
This causes many sexual assaults to be severely underreported and highly prevalent on college campuses. Many survivors are blamed, told that their experiences are normalized, and afraid there aren’t resources that will help them heal and find justice. Also, with the increased usage of drugs/alcohol and the lack of proper sex education, many students attend college without a full understanding of consent and healthy relationships and become victims or perpetrators of sexual assault easily. There are subconscious behaviors and beliefs that reinforce this culture and it can be a hard thing to acknowledge at first.
It may seem like preventing such a deeply enriched and problematic facet of our society such as sexual violence is impossible to eliminate, but prevention can start with the individual-not just with self-defense classes and tools but with challenges to the culture that fosters sexual assault.
How can people challenge this culture of sexual assault?
- Challenge victim blaming and believe and support when, and if, survivors disclose their trauma
- Begin and model supportive relationships and behaviors
- Call out harmful attitudes and stereotypes
- Fight against the normalization of rape and sexual assault
- Implement policies that promote safety, respect, and justice for all