"NO MEANS yes! Yes means anal! No means yes! Yes means anal!" Last October, Yale University students marched past the Old Campus, where most first-year women are housed, with this message as a welcome to college. The chant was caught on tape, posted online and quickly went viral.
This goes far beyond just a chant by Yale frat bros, however. The incident has spurred an ongoing national debate about what universities can do to foster a safe environment for students. The discussion illuminates all kinds of responsibilities, yet most efforts focus primarily on teaching potential victims how to avoid being assaulted. But is this really the best strategy? After all, predators are the ones who need the mentality shift and education.
Rather than looking at this topic as solely a women's issue, we should approach it as a men's issue as well, and view men not only as possible offenders, but also as empowered bystanders who can confront abusive peers.
To end sexual violence, a culture change is necessary. Truly embracing and upholding a community of individuals who care about one another is what will make a real difference. To do this, we must take ownership of the community in which we want to live.
While the overall number of sexual assault incidents is startlingly high, the real problem lies not in the statistics but in the hearts of the affected individuals. Sexual assault is traumatic and humiliating, whether it is an assault by a stranger, a family member, a friend or an ex-boyfriend. Although we cannot go back in time to erase the past or to eliminate the atrocities of assault, there is one thing we can do: break the silence and make sexual misconduct a less taboo topic. The only way to change this is to talk openly about it. The more we talk about it, the more we can change it.
Student advocacy groups on Grounds such as Sexual Assault Facts and Education (SAFE), Sexual Assault Peer Advocacy (SAPA) and One in Four work to facilitate such authentic conversations and responsive campaigns. SAFE is a peer education group designed to provide sexual assault and dating violence education for the University community. SAFE members are University students, both male and female, trained in sexual and dating violence education who seek to start a positive dialogue on these important issues.
SAPA is a sexual assault education group that advocates for survivors of rape and sexual assault living in the University community. Members present a one-hour program that focuses on ways friends can help and support survivors.
One in Four is an all-male sexual assault peer education group that presents a one-hour program, "How to Help a Sexual Assault Survivor: What Men Can Do," to groups of men including sports teams, residence hall students, student organizations and fraternities. They seek to be the ones who inform other men how to help women recover from a rape experience.
If you are interested in joining one of the student advocacy groups mentioned above, look out for the recruitment period coming up! If you have questions, send them to aim9f@virginia.edu.
Andrea Mousouris is the external chair of the Sexual Assault Leadership Council.
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