Ellie Rogers and Joe Frankel

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In middle school, we are taught about

 puberty and sexual education. This would also be a great time to teach students about sexual assault. Teachers would inform everyone, especially boys, to not sexually harass other students. Teach “don’t rape” instead of “don’t get raped”. It is necessary to inform students of what rape is and how it can affect the victim. All should be aware of the physical and psychological trauma a rape victim is subjected to, including but not limited to STIs, pregnancy, and PTSD. In addition to an education on rape, students should also be taught about sexual harassment and sexual assault. These two concepts are commonly confused. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome, inappropriate sexual advances while sexual assault is a form of sexual violence that can range from groping to rape, and never with consent from the victim. These topics need to be covered in sexual health units because they are more common than we think. Slapping a girl’s ass and calling her “baby girl” is sexual harassment. Catcalling is sexual harassment. These things happen everyday and many of the men and women who perpetrate them are unaware of how hurtful their actions can be.

People who have experiences sexual assault and are alive and well to tell their story are some of the most powerful people in our community. No one can truly understand what it is like to be sexually assaulted unless they have been. Since youth, women have been trained to protect their sexual organs, and to have that violated is to destruct all we have ever known. It is the individual’s choice if they would like to speak out against sexual assault, but those who do may be able to save another from falling victim.
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Know Your IX was founded in 2013 by students from around the nation and affiliates of Advocates for Youth.  This organization aims for a world in which students feel empowered enough to end sexual and dating violence in their educational institutions.  Know Your IX also facilitates training and educational sessions about how one can actively stand up to sexual assault on campus, both on the administrative and emotional level.  This organization has been funded by a number of outside private benefactors as well as larger institutions like the American Association of University Women and the National Women’s Law Center.  This organization has had a relatively good public life.  Although there is some obvious fireback from rigid right wing media services and politicians on all organizations of this matter, the organization remains a strong influence on college campuses.

Finally, we believe there needs to be more light shed to the matter of sexual assault as a whole.  We live in a world right now in which sexual assault has become a huge topic of discussion.  It has become so embedded in American society that our president is an openly admitted rapist.  In order to end sexual assault on campus and in the nation at large, we need to be more awareness around the issue, and the perpetuation of taking a stand against “untouchable” assailants like Harvey Weinstein.  With more awareness and understanding comes more love, and we as a nation need to share the love both on and off campus for those who have been victims of sexual assault.  Along with organizations like Know Your IX and EROC, we can help begin the restorative process and seek justice for those who have not had a voice in the past.

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