8 ways you can prevent sexual assault (continued)

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3) Roles-schmoles: Look closely at gender roles and stereotypes. Studies find that most perpetrators have a rigid sense of gender roles, masculinity, femininity, and homophobia. Next time you tell a child, “Girls don’t play with trucks!” or “That’s not a boy’s color!”, think about what message is underneath that and where it comes from. Homophobia has a direct link to sexism and sexual violence. 

4) Analyze this: Stop and think about what our media feeds us. Take a moment to look for yourself at what the media tells us about the way men and women should be and interact with each other. Spend time with loved ones or kids helping them start to see the hidden messages of violence and sexual violence in our media. Don’t just take it in without critically thinking.

5) Be the change you wish to see: Model healthy relationships to others. Making an effort to continually treat people with respect sends many positive messages to our friends and family. You deserve healthy relationships!

6) Rape isn’t funny: Yes, people do make jokes about rape and sexual assault. If you hear a joke like that, politely explain that it is a real issue that dramatically impacts people’s lives. You might get negative attention for being “a downer,” but isn’t it worth it in the long run?

7) Don’t fund sexism: Consumer activism is powerful. Don’t buy magazines, rent movies or subscribe to websites that portray women or men in sexually degrading ways.

8) Speak up for survivors: Let people in your life know that you are connected to resources for survivors or willing to talk about the sensitive issues of sexual violence when they arise. This will mean a great deal to anyone in their time of need.

There are many other ways to work to end sexual violence in our community. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to learn more, or if you want to volunteer or donate.