Earlier this week, Lady Gaga released a brand new and incredibly important music video. The song, "Til It Happens To You," is a powerful ballad which details the stereotypical, negative culture that surrounds sexual assault and rape on college campuses. When paired with the haunting images seen in the video, the song is bound to make any viewer stop and think about this highly sensitive issue.
The song, written by Diane Warren and Lady Gaga, is featured in "The Hunting Ground," a documentary film that details the backward image of campus sexual assaults. The film aims to expose the great lengths that campuses and universities go to in an attempt to hide these issues from the public sphere. Not only does the film target the victim-blaming culture, but it aims to educate the masses on effective ways to put a stop to this frightening epidemic. You can watch the trailer, view the film itself, obtain helpful resources, and find out important information about the film's message on their official website.
Although it can be easier to jump to conclusions, question facts and deny the obvious, sexual assault and rape is not something to be taken lightly. A topic that may seem like a joke to you is a life-altering, traumatizing event for another. In order to change the stigmas that surround sexual assault, we must first target the source of the problem. The victim is just that, a victim. No amount of alcohol, scandalous clothing or "flirtation" can justify a sexual act that a person did not consent to. Plain and simple, no means no. And in fact, lack of a proper "yes" means no, too.
But sure, we hear these things all the time. It almost seems like a broken record to some. And that is why Lady Gaga's video is vital in creating change. If you sit down and truly listen to the words, Gaga addresses the stereotypes that are all too commonly heard. She portrays how victims are expected to just "move on," "be strong," and "hold [their] heads up high." But she goes even further. "Til It happens to you, you don't know how it feels." This is an aspect that people tend to lose sight of. Sure, blaming the victim is easy from the outside looking in. But what if the victim was you? Or your sibling? Or your significant other? Or your best friend? Would you still say that they were "asking for it"?
This music video and film, in general, are a step in the right direction to an unfortunate problem that is far from over. It is an ideal example of how celebrities and people of power can draw positive attention to an issue in order to make a significant change. Although there is a long way to go until the negative culture is completely eliminated, Gaga has taken the opportunity to send a strong wake up call to people everywhere. I can only hope that others will enthusiastically follow her lead. It's time to stop blaming the victims and start putting some blame on those who are actually worthy of it. Next time you are quick to judge, put yourself in the shoes of another person whose life may have been uprooted by a sexual assault. "This is no joke."
National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline (US): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
