So nobody ever told you baby, how it was gonna be.

Examples of rape culture:

Blaming the victim (“They asked for it!”)

Trivializing sexual assault (“Boys will be boys!”)

Sexually explicit jokes

Tolerance of sexual harassment

Inflating false sexual assault report statistics

Publicly scrutinizing a victim’s dress, mental state, motives, and history

Gratuitous gendered violence in movies and television

Defining “manhood” as dominant and sexually aggressive

Defining “womanhood” as submissive and sexually passive

Pressure on men to “score”

Pressure on women to not appear “cold”

Assuming only promiscuous people get sexually assaulted

Assuming that men don’t get sexually assaulted or that only “weak” men get sexually assaulted

Refusing to take sexual assault accusations seriously

Teaching women to avoid getting assault instead of teaching men not to assault people

How can people combat rape culture?

Avoid using language that objectifies or degrades people.

Speak out if you hear someone else making an offensive joke or trivializing assault.

If a friend says they have been sexually assaulted, take them seriously and be supportive.

Think critically about the media’s messages about gender, relationships, and violence.

Be respectful of others’ physical space even in casual situations.

Always communicate with sexual partners and do not assume consent.

Define your own gender— manhood, womanhood, or otherwise. 

Do not let stereotypes shape your actions.

Get involved! Join a student or community group working to end sexual assault.