So you want to be woke on Sexual Assault.
The term sexual assault refers to sexual contact or behavior that occurs without explicit consent of the victim. Some forms of sexual assault include:
Talking to a survivor of sexual assault can be hard -- especially when you don't know what to say. This guide by RAINN provides helpful phrases and approaches for having these types of conversations.
People of all gender identities can be the victims of sexual assault. This articles explores assault against men/boys and the stigmas against them to speak up about these types of incidents as well as covering common reactions and questions they face as a result of sexual violence.
This piece explores the concept of rape culture — environments where rape is normalized and excused in the media and pop culture. It explores common examples that blame the victim for an assault rather than the assaulter and offers ways to avoid contributing to this toxic culture.
The me too movement was founded to support survivors of sexual violence (especially low-income women of color). Their site offers a vast collection of resources and ways in which you can support the movement and help in reframing the global conversation around sexual violence.
There are a lot of misconceptions around sexual assault. Even thought most people would say they abhor people who commit acts of sexual violence, they may unknowingly be doing or saying things that contribute to rape culture. This guide provides a few misconceptions around sexual assaults and the real truths behind them.
People often wonder what they can do to help prevent sexual assaults. RAINN compiled a helpful guide with actionable steps one can take to help prevent an assault you might see happening around you.
This video does a great job of explaining consent using tea as a metaphor. It is a great resource for explaining the need for consent and when you do/do not have it from another sexual partner.
As part of fostering conversation about sexual assault, RAINN has compiled stories of survivors talking about their experiences. In this story, Samentha discusses her story after being raped multiple times and her experience reaching out to RAINN's National Sexual Assault Hotline.
This piece explores the stories of current and recent college students across the United States who are the survivors of sexual assault who shared their experiences and how they were affected.
Photos above from Unsplash.