This power video demonstrates easy ways to look out for each other and speak up.
This video is heart stopping. It shows just how all of us are complicit in the vicious cycle that is sexual assault. Each one of us have a role in these stories that happen every single day, and this video shows just how simple it is to do the right thing and speak up.
As the video shows, it’s actually not that complicated. All it takes is a little bit of attention by looking out for the friends you came with or watching for signs to prevent sexual assault from happening.
I think this is extremely powerful because no one in this video had to make a long speech. They just had to have the courage to say something.
If you live in New Zealand, the website behind this video, WhoAreYou.co.nz, has huge list of 24/7 hotlines and local organizations actively working in sexual violence crisis and support services in your area. In 2013 they will also be sending out kits with this short film to show to a discussion group.
We need to share this message like crazy.
You CAN change the story.
Thank you to Bruce for spotting the video and for sharing!
Yesterday, on the train, I wrote up a piece on this skit that includes not less than 8 sexist and rascist stereotypes that are promoted in this piece of theatre…
A free TShirt to the first person who lists 4.
Hint: the majority of the slurs are not about heterosexual men, but deal with women and minority males.
The answers are all in your blog post, aren’t they.
Stereotype #1: Blonde women are complete idiots.
Why isn’t the central character responsible for any of her decisions throughout this video? Yes, bystanders can step in and save a damsel who’s drank herself into serious distress, and should. But damsels these days are also expected to use their brains. That video should have rewinded farther to allow her to choose to drink less, and go home after the party instead of to the bar.
Don’t you know that young women drinking automatically have zero responsibility in drinking responsibly:P
Regardless of whether she is drunk, drugged, sick, she should be kept safe though as we all should.
@Justin FFS did you not notice that she’s blond?
What’s next blaming people who run extension cords under the carpet when the house catches fire?
And Boozed up is the new normal…
Time after time it is a 3 legged stool.
Aggressor
Victim
Booze
During the rewind, I’d probably be more suspicious of the sober guy who goes out of his way to break them apart and put her in the backseat of his car.
Nevermind, I didn’t see the taxi sign on top, so it looked like it was just any old car. Though that’s also not good for someone in her state of drunkeness. She couldn’t even tell the bartender where she was from, can she afford the cab, where’s he going to take her?
I know being stuck in a cab on your own has ended poorly for people I know. Not as poorly as the sexual assault scenario here, at least, but certainly not ideal.
Adam, I wondered about the cab thing too. I’ve never been in that situation so I’m not sure how the cab driver would handle it. Maybe handing her a $20 and asking her where she lived first would have been better? Or perhaps even, “Is there someone I can call for you?”
There are so many things to say, but I’ve found it’s largely a waste of time on this issue. Every person has to figure the truth out for themselves it seems. I will say that if you reach a point during your intersession that you lay hands on a guy, make sure you don’t turn your back on him. Very few male predators in this situation are just going to turn tail and run. And I would suggest you have people who can back you up physically and as witnesses after the fact. This could easily turn into an assault… Read more »
You’re right, talking is the easy part. And you’re right that there are totally times when the abuse is happening away from everyone and can’t be prevented by people in a bar. But we can’t be afraid to intervene ever because someone might hit us. I think you really have to use your judgement. And there are lots of ways to “step in”: whether stepping in means actually, physically stepping in, giving information to a friend, asking the tough questions to make sure they aren’t in an abusive relationship, or something else more. I think there are a lot of… Read more »
And the winner for most at fault apart from the rapist, is the flatmate, with runner up the bartender for giving someone alcohol who was drunk already. I’ve seen drunk couples walking home before, both staggering, and it’s pretty much 50-100 couples per night doing this, which of them am I supposed to stop? Every one that I saw had both merrily stumbling to the taxi and seemed to be quite happy, intervening 50-100 couples get’s a bit much and the threat of violence against you from drunk people increases dramatically. These situations are not always easy to spot, I’ve… Read more »
Archy, you make a great point about couples stumbling home who are likely just dating and happy. One of the reasons why I thought this one was great was because it gave multiple, specific role-playing examples of how you might witness this type of thing. And it’s not the only scenario or set of examples in the real world. So, I guess I just really like this one for how much further it goes than a lot of other videos, and how it gives people the chance to look at the situation play-by-play. Also, I agree it would be awesome… Read more »
Yeah, I don’t drink much myself but if I have a partner who drinks a lot I would protect her like a tiger but others may see a sober man with a drunk woman and think the worst. I would appreciate their concern but I’d hope I’d be trusted, because I don’t trust them to get her home safely as I don’t know them. And of course the only thing I’d be doing at home is getting her safely into bed, making sure she doesn’t throw up n choke and there’s no sex till she’s sober and fully able to… Read more »
You are very welcome and thank YOU for your work and words.