Today
This Month in the World
Sexual Assault Awareness
By Alex Perez ('23) & Sarah Douglass ('23)
Trigger Warning: Mentions of Rape Sexual Assault
Research proves that more than ⅓ of the female population in the world will experience some form of sexual assault at least one time in their life. Traditionally, there is a negative stigma around the discussion of sexual assault, but in an evolving world, conversations to discuss this issue are growing more common. Starting this conversation is very important to the safety of women and encouraging them to speak up and protect themselves.
Following traumatic events, it's important to assure the survivor and hold a safe space for them to share their story in their own timeframe; discussing these things is not easy. The victim is not at fault, regardless of where they were, what they were wearing, how they were behaving, or what they were doing. Every person in this situation should be treated with respect and trust. Most survivors are scared, embarrassed, or in shock, so discussing the trauma can be triggering to them and make it very difficult to speak out. Many end up invalidating their experiences, most commonly when the assault was by a trusted individual. In sexual assault, remember that consent is key, and that your experience is valid if the situation was unsolicited and/or uncomfortable.
One part of starting the conversation includes discussing the more extreme side of the sexual assault spectrum. While rape culture is definitely a more difficult topic to discuss, it is just as important in raising awareness. Rape culture affects every single woman, even those who have not been assaulted. Rape culture means that certain sexual violences against women have been normalized to the point where the new solution to rape itself is improving behavior of rape/assault victims rather than the attacker. Examples of this is the objectification of women’s bodies, expectation/fear of rape, women feeling unable to walk home alone, tolerating “mild” assault, and creating stigmas like “boys will be boys” that normalize dangerous behaviors. These create a society in which women are raised to expect poor behavior from men and are automatically taught to not walk at night by themselves, to always go places with a friend, keep your drink with you, etc. Rape culture also creates dangerous stereotypes for women, like “slut shaming” that gives an opening for victim blaming. Ways to fight rape culture include setting boundaries, erasing dangerous masculine and feminine stereotypes, blaming the attacker (not the victim), speaking out against it rather than complying with expectations, and creating a healthy environment where you may get involved and educate those around you.
The importance of awareness is that it is the key to creating a safe world for everyone. Discussed above is the effects of sexual assault on women, but many men also fall victim to sexual assault. The most important thing is to know your personal boundaries and do everything in your power to make good decisions to avoid situations that could present a potential unsafe situation. Always make your safety a priority and know that it is normal to discuss sexual assault.
However, even though awareness is starting to spread, we do live in an unsafe world and one must know how to stay safe in it. If you’re going out, try to go out with a friend if possible. When going home, try to catch a ride with a friend, call an Uber together, or walk home in a group if need be. It’s always best to be prepared, rather than feel lost or hopeless in certain situations.
Some ways to stay safe include:
carrying protection (pepper spray)
carrying emergency contact information
going out with a trusted individual so you’re not alone
making sure a friend or family member knows where you are at all times
Even though it is wrong that we live in a society in which we have to take daily precautions to stay safe, that is the way it is right now, and until we evolve into a safer one, it is best to do what you can. Stay safe, and remember that you are never alone in this.
Ukraine - What You Need To Know
By Danielle Bartholet ('23)
Our world had been holding its breath, watching and waiting. Now, we have gotten the answer we most feared. The Ukrainian crisis has escalated beyond what was initially expected and turned into a full scale war between Ukraine and Russia. With NATO’s terse consideration of establishing a no fly zone over Ukraine, an act that could easily plunge the globe into another world war, people all over have wondered: What happens next?
Despite the effects of the war on the economy and the relations between countries, the real victims of this attack have been the innocent Ukrainian people. Thousands have fled and more are expected to, and as a result Europe finds itself in a refugee crisis. Countries like Austria and Poland have prepared for and are already accepting refugees. The U.S. has responded by sending aid like food, water, and medical care to these countries for the Ukrainian people. Heavy sanctions have been imposed on Russia by the majority of the NATO countries, but still some wonder if more steps, like the controversial no fly zone, need to be taken to stop this invasion before it can grow further.
This war plays out on a new world stage: the era of social media. Videos of destruction, fighting, and stories of the people on the front lines are shared through sites like Instagram and notably, TikTok. Big time news channels like CBS have even taken to TikTok to share live videos from Ukraine, recording events such as a recent bombing of a maternity ward in a Ukrainian hospital, where patients had to be evacuated on makeshift stretchers.
Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has also taken to social media with videos from the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. He stands out as an exemplary world leader in his handling of the crisis. He remained in Kyiv, turning down the U.S. offer of evacuation. He continues to work on the front lines with his people to combat the invasion.
The situation is tenuous, the news ever changing. Many see startling parallels to the beginning of WW2, as many actions of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, appear eerily similar to that of Hitler in the 1930’s. All across the globe, people rally in support of Ukraine. American people are urging President Biden to take stronger action. But with every move NATO makes against Russia, there looms the threat of a global, nuclear war, on a scale likely never before seen.
It is a game of waiting, of wondering, of hoping for peace but preparing for war. This is a defining moment of this generation and this century, one that will determine the course of the free world in the decades to come.