Today is the final day in April. In addition, it’s also the final day of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). However, I would like to point out that everyday, we should work to promote and educate about consent and assault/rape.
Now, we all can agree about the meaning of no, right? It means stop. It means don’t collect $200. It also means that you respect that solid no, and not try to change that into a solid yes.
Back in October, social media exploded with the #MeToo movement. That movement was a huge wake-up call to us, who didn’t realize how big of the magnitude of the problem. But, I must ask you this. Now that we are awake, what are we going to do about this problem?
I have a few ideas.
The first is to create a world where victims of assault and rape feel as though they can come forward without the fear of not believed. Furthermore, this world needs to also offer them the protection of being safe from their perpetrator if they are threatening them. It’s sad to say that many women don’t come forward and get the justice they rightfully deserve. That needs to change.
Additionally, we need to also try to prevent this from happening as much as possible. This means promoting consent, healthy relationships and listening to your partners’ wishes. In addition, this also means healthy communication. It’s hard to achieve sometimes, but you can do so.
At the end of the day, assault and rape isn’t just a woman’s problem. It’s a problem for all genders. Thus, we need to listen to the victims. We need to create a better world where they are not only believed, but also win their justice and are allowed the respect to go through what they need to go through to heal.
Together, I think we can get there.
Therefore, let’s educate our children to respect all of the nos. Let’s learn to believe the woman who says she was raped on campus one late drunken night at a party. Let’s learn to believe the children who were helpless victims in an older person’s path.
I hope that by next April, we are closer to that goal.
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