When you hear the word "slut," you already have an automatic reaction to the word. It is a derogatory term used to degrade women.

South Mountain High School students are bringing awareness of not only the rape culture, but the double standard that celebrates man, but also puts down women. Katie Cappiello, who wrote the play, “Slut: a new play about a Destructive word” to shed light on a culture that many like to keep hidden.

Cappiello is alumni of New York University and the artistic director of The Arts Effect Theater which is co-owned with her partner, Meg Inerney, who is also an alumni of New York University. They get together with a group once a week for three hours . One day, the group started talking about sex, sexuality, rape and the word slut and how it came up so much to describe people, women in video games, and music videos. Cappiello said the title was developed with a group of high school students.

“It seemed like we were pulling punches if were to title the play Joe’s bad night or what happened in the taxi or something that didn't capture the intensity of the issue. Three and a half year later still feels like the perfect title.”

The title is very eye catching. The word slut is usually used as a word to devalue women and with this title of the play, “it is supposed to give ideas of the complexity of what it's like to be young and female in a world of that is dominated by men,” said Cappiello.

Inerney says that the word is damaging and challenging in a way that degrades female sexuality. “It is often used to excuse rape. During the time that the play was being developed three and a half years ago, there were a lot of rapes happening around the world and in the country and it started to get a lot of media coverage,” she said .

“It led us to start talking about rape and sexual assault and girls in our group started to revise their experience with rape and sexual assault,” Inerney said.

When people rape others it's not for sex but mostly for the power.

“So we knew if this was impacting the girls, that it was impacting people everywhere and we wanted to create a play that processed it and sheds light on it,” said Inermey

According to their website, this is the description of the play: “Slut: a new play about a Destructive Word.”

“One Friday night, 16-year-old Joey Del Marco parties with three of her best guy friends…and her world comes tumbling down. In a culture where silence, judgement, and slut shaming allow sexual violence to thrive, will Joey find support and justice? When past choices and actions are used against her, will her voice be heard? How will one night forever change not just Joey, but her whole community?”

Cappiello and Meg Inerney who is the managing director, also is a alumni of New York University. They both run and own The Arts Effect Institute in New York City.

This a topic that we shouldn't just allow to slide off of people's shoulders and have a blind eye to. It does need to be talked about. Rape happens all the time on college campuses. So if you see it on campus or even off campus, let somebody know because speaking up can drastically change their life forever.