Something that I find extremely discouraging in our society is the rush to victim blame. So much of the conversation around sexual assault/violence is centered on preventative measures that the victim "should have taken".

This leads to a sense of self-blame for sexual assault and actively discourages victims to come forward with their stories. The onus is not on women to learn ways in which not to be assaulted/beaten/raped. The onus is on men to not do these things.

A victim of sexual assault should never have to ask themselves what they did wrong. Or wonder what they could have done differently. How many stories go untold because of self blame, or immediate public doubt? This is a real conversation that needs to be had

It breeds a tendency, especially amongst men to assume stories are either false, or fabricated. It is engrained into our culture that the victim must have played a role in their own assault/violation/rape. It is imperative that our views fundamentally shift from this.