We all know Lady Gaga as a woman who isn’t afraid to do things out of the ordinary. Her actions, as well as her ridiculous outfits, over the past few years have been more than enough to make a few headlines. The release of her new music video, "Till It Happens To You," has certainly made a few headlines of its own. Gaga teamed up with the makers of the documentary, "The Hunting Ground," to make a video that connects with an audience who have suffered due to sexual assault. The video begins with a disclaimer about the graphic and emotionally upsetting scenes and progresses from there. Throughout the video we see scenes of men putting date rape drugs into plenty of drinks that girls are holding, we see rape, and we see how these disgusting actions take a toll on the victims. The video portrays the victims suffering through self-doubt, feelings of worthlessness, and isolation. However, the end of the video does shine some light on the victims and depicts the them surrounded by love and support of their friends and family, encouraging them to live life and become strong again.
It’s a terrifying fact, but sexual assault actually happens to one in five college students throughout their college career. What's an even more unsettling fact is that there are thousands of cases that go unreported, and therefore aren't recognized in those statistics. Girls, especially, are lectured on and on again about how to stay safe. My parents always tell me to “use the buddy system,” but how effective is the buddy system when you get separated in overwhelming crowds of people when you go out to a club or a bar?
No matter where you are, anything could happen. The statistics don't lie, and sexual assault could occur at two in the afternoon or three in the morning. It doesn't matter what the circumstances are, and it could happen to anyone. Being a student at Florida State University, I know that these repulsive actions have occurred more than once, both on campus and off. Recently, we have had many reported cases of attempted abductions and, unfortunately, we’ve had scandals in the past regarding some of our football players (looking at you, Jameis Winston) and their abusive actions.
The makers of "The Hunting Ground," Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, are actually covering the Jameis Winston alleged rape case, as well as many other reported rape cases in their documentary. I, for one, am happy that those who were unable to voice their issues at the time are now being presented with an opportunity to be heard, even if it means shaming one of our previous star football players.
For Gaga to come out with such a realistic video helps people like me, who have never encountered (and God forbid anyone does) such actions. I know that I am unable to relate to the victims of sexual assault, but I will try my best to console them in any way possible. I have friends who have endured battles of self doubt and feelings of worthlessness, and I’ve seen what it has done to them. I couldn’t even fathom what must go through their mind when it comes to opening up to new people, let alone trying to date someone new.
With such prevalent cases of rape in the news, you would think that such brutal acts of savagery would be dwindling, but instead the cases just keep growing. It is up to us to educate our peers, as well as younger generations about the effects of sexual assault and how easy it is to put yourself into a situation where you could be sexually assaulted. With major celebrities, like Lady Gaga, coming out and speaking about these monstrous acts means that we are moving in the right direction, but there is still so much to be done. Ultimately, it’s on us to put an end to the appalling acts of rape. It's up to us to give those who have been affected by sexual assault a place where they can feel safe and encouraged.
