A letter from the editors,
Due to the recent attentiveness on sexual assault and in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, it is more important now than ever to cover this important topic.
As an Editorial Board, especially one of all women, we see the importance and the urgency to take the global issue and bring it to what we know best; the Northview community.
We stand with all of the girls who came forward anonymously to tell their stories, knowing how much bravery that takes. All names were also changed to protect the identity of all the participants of the story.
Olivia Austin, Doretta Schat Beimers and Victoria Scovel
2020/21 Editorial Board
A recent study by the United Nations revealed that 97 percent of women in the United Kingdom aged 18 to 24 have been victims of sexual harassment in public spaces. After this study was released, people everywhere have been speaking out about their experiences with abuse and harassment, including students.
This research has prompted activists to repost statistics and stories about sexual assault on Instagram, Tik Tok, and other social media. Spreading awareness about sexual assault can be beneficial, but sometimes it does more harm than good.
Many things can be triggering for a survivor of sexual assault, and social media adds a whole new aspect. After Sara* was sexually assaulted and when posts started to circulate more, she found herself being reminded of what happened every time she went on Instagram.
“The whole 97% thing has become a trend like ‘oh, I got catcalled one time.’ It’s not the same thing. You can’t group yourself in with them. Harassment is not the same thing as assault,” Sara said.
While raising awareness is important, it’s essential to be aware of how words can affect others to avoid potentially triggering someone.
For Sara, seeing constant posts about sexual assault wore her down and rekindled all of the bad memories of what happened. To combat this she joined a sexual assault support group. She found that talking to people who shared similar experiences to hers helped her cope with the situation.
Along with social media, victim blaming is another harmful pattern that comes along with sexual assault. It’s the idea suggesting that the victim did something to provoke the violence. This can make it harder for survivors to come forward by blaming them for what happened.
“The way people victim blame is disgusting. No one would ask for any of these things to be done to them,” Mia* said. “People need to understand that it doesn’t matter what you wear, you’re just a sex object to them and you could end up on the side of a road dead if you aren’t careful.”
Oftentimes, victim blaming happens when a person will say that it happened because they “deserved it” or “provoked them” with what they were wearing. That is not the case.
“I remember what I was wearing because a lot of times they blame it on what you’re wearing, but I was a child. It was my favorite outfit,” Mia* said.
Feeling objectified by men is a familiar experience shared by many women. The media frequently oversexualizes women in song lyrics, movies, and magazines. Catcalling and sexist remarks can also cause women to feel objectified, leading to mental health conditions such as eating disorders or depression, according to a study done by SAGE Publications.
“When I’m in public I feel like a piece of meat to men and that I’m something that they possess,” Sadie* said.
Along with that, Sadie has experienced many boys asking her for nudes and harassing her when she says no. Boys have groped her, and a group took a video looking up her skirt.
“I’ve noticed it’s kind of just this game to them and it’s just a prank or whatever, but honestly it’s scarring and uncomfortable,” Sadie* said.
Rylie* has experienced feeling objectified by guys. Even though the comments were technically “compliments,” they stuck with her long after it happened and caused damage to her mental health.
“It makes you feel good but at the same time they’re not looking at you as a person they’re only looking at you physically,” Rylie said.
Catcalling can be detrimental to mental health and create unrealistic standards and expectations for girls and their appearances. Rylie* experienced body dysmorphia and hyper fixated on her appearance, which created more insecurities due to the comments that were made towards her.
“It spirals into different things and this one comment can stick with you,” Rylie said. “Even if it’s seen as positive at the moment, you’re going to look back at that and see that as how you should be, and maybe you’re just having a bad couple of months. You start to idealize that version of yourself.”
The language used to describe sexual assault survivors can also have a big impact on how they view themselves.
When talking to someone about their experiences, ask them their preference and if the term ‘victim’ or ‘survivor’ is better. Rylie found that being referred to as a victim was unappealing to her, and the fear of being looked upon like that kept her from coming forward immediately.
“I feel like they’re going to look at me like I’m a victim and that just sucks,” Rylie said. “That title isn’t appealing. I think it’s the fear of being looked down upon and being looked at as lesser.”
Rylie wanted to be seen as a survivor rather than a victim, but it can be different for everyone. She also experienced victim blaming. Opening up to close friends and family wasn’t easy, because she didn’t want them to view her differently.
“People make it so hard to be open about it, primarily because you feel guilty for even bringing it up,” Rylie said.
Overcoming sexual assault can be a very difficult process and healing is different for everyone. Some of these girls were open about their experiences with others, which helped them.
“I’ve always had a firm belief that everyone can help everyone, and for me that’s something that I couldn’t change. If I can tell people about it then it will help me cope with it,” Rylie* said. “If there’s another girl that I can help out by either knowing the signs or preventing or just letting them talk about it and knowing that somebody has gone through that it helps me out.”
Maddie* is now wary of her surroundings at all times, and immediately removes herself from situations that could be potentially dangerous. Many of the other girls also described how they are constantly alert and aware of everything around them so they can protect themselves against assault.
Opening up and getting help can be also beneficial in moving forward and healing from the incident. Lydia* reached out, got help, and encouraged others to do the same.
“To other survivors who may read this,” Lydia* said, “it’s not their fault and it’s okay to come forward and you are not alone. You are loved. We can relate to what you’ve been through and can help you see that you are better than the trauma associated with your experience.”
