So, I kind of hate that I feel compelled to make this video
but my God, I have got to make this video
because what the f*** is wrong with people?!
You all heard about what happened in Steubenville, right?
If you didn't, what the hell are you doing with your life?
Get out from under that rock!
From start to end, Steubenville is litterally a chain
of one terrifying event after another.
From an unconscious drunk girl being raped repeatedly
and then blamed for it
to her peers watching and taking pictures and videos of it
to her rapist seriously claiming that it was consensual
even while referring to her as "the dead girl"
to the mainstream media mourning how awful it must be
to be convincted of rape.
It just, you know, kinda makes me wanna
set myself on fire, or vomit,
or... both!
What Steubenville reminds us is that we live within a rape culture,
a culture where sexual violence is common
but it's considered normal and it is dismissed
in any number of ways.
Even though everyone was calling Jane Doe "the dead girl",
even though Trent Mays took a picture of her passed out
with his come on her,
even though he sent a text that said:
"Lol! She couldn't even move!"
the boys still claimed it was "consensual".
I don't know 'bout you guys,
but I engage in conversations with people
when I'm unconscious all the time.
One of the people said:
"I didn't realize I was rape. It wasn't violent."
"I thought rape was forcing yourself on someone."
Here's why people need to know about rape.
It's not usually violent, it's not always forced,
and it's usually done by somebody that you know.
Rape refers to any sort of penetration
that doesn't come with an explicit: "Yes please, I like that."
Common type of party rape
is that the rapist pushes and pushes
and disrespects boundaries
and the victim feels like they can't say no
or like a "no" would not stop them from doing it.
Which is why consent to sex does not mean
there was no "no".
Consent to sex means there was a "yes".
Because you ask: "Hey, are you into this?"
"Do you like this? Do you want me to keep going?"
Another guess is that both people are actively participating.
It is not:
"Guess that means yes!"
Woops, no it doesn't, guess that means rape.
But what about when alcohol is involved?
It is essential that verbal and non-verbal consent are obtained.
However, this only applies to a certain point.
Once they are slurring, can't walk straight,
throwing up in the street,
passed out in a basement,
they can't give consent under any circumstances!
I mean, who wants to have sex
with someone who isn't participating in it?
Oh right: rapists do.
Many people have expressed the opinion
that one of the most unsettling facts in the case
was the fact that so many people were watching this happen!
And instead of reaching out and saying:
"OK, no more of this, honey, let's take you home."
they laughed, took pictures, filmed it, twitted about it
while two dudes were repeatedly raping her
and offering each other money to pee on her.
Why wouldn't anyone do anything?
Like I said, people thought it was OK,
but there was a kid who spoke out.
He said: "Guys, what are you doing?"
"Just wait till she's awake."
The rapists said: "Don't worry, dude, it's OK."
And given he had no social support
and everyone else was going along with it,
he lost his bravery and he backed down.
This is called "the bystander effect"
and it contributes to rape culture
but a lot of other problems in society too.
Because there are so many people around,
nobody feels personally responsible.
The truth is we're all responsible.
That kid who spoke up was the bravest kid in that house that night.
But we need people to be even braver.
When some shit's going down,
we need people to know that they have to interfere
so long as their personal safety isn't at risk.
People need to know that it doesn't make them
the bad guy or a killjoy,
it makes them a f***ing hero.
Remember that one time I made a video to Jenna Marbles,
and I went on "Dr Phil" and talked about slut shaming,
and I was like: hey guys, guess what,
slut-shaming women is sexist and dehumanizing
and it allows people to reduce someone
from human being status down to whore.
And when we reduce someone down to whore,
she becomes one of "those" girls.
In the mind of the average person,
"those" girls don't have a right to say no.
To many of these kids,
and to people leaving their shitty depraved opinions
all over the Internet,
Jane Doe was just a "whore".
And "whores" should expect to be treated this way.
Even more sadly, she expected it too.
This expectation is what makes victims feel ashamed
and keeps them quiet.
Instead of asking: "How could they think that this was OK?"
rape culture is people asking:
"What was she thinking wearing that skirt?"
"Why on Earth would she get that drunk?"
Here's a radical notion:
women should be able to wear whatever they want,
friggin' go naked if they want,
intoxicated,
and they still shouldn't have to worry
about being punished for it with rape.
How you dress or sobriety don't prevent rape anyway.
People are raped around the world
regardless of what they're wearing,
regardless of how many people they've had sex with,
regardless of how drunk they are.
To combat sexual violence,
women don't need to change how they dress
or change their drinking habits,
we need to educate people about consent
and about sexual violence,
and rapists need to stop raping.
Cherry on the f***ed-up sunday,
it's how the media responded.
After for once in a bajillion cases,
rapists were held accountable for their actions,
CNN reported that it was:
"incredibly difficult to watch as these two young men"
"had such promising carriers"
"and their lives fell apart..."
NBC lamented that they now have to register as sex offenders,
kissing goodbye their dreams of playing college football.
Nooo...
Yahoo reported that the courtroom was filled with sobbing,
and exhausting emotion for this harsh sentence of...
one year in juvy.
Rapists are not victims.
The number of people who are sympathizing with the rapists
as if they were the victims...
If everyone could just stop with that shit ASAP,
I'd be happy.
So, that's some of the stuff that I wanted to say about it.
You're free to say any of the stuff that you wanted to say about it
cause there's a lot of stuff to say about it.
And I'll see you guys again real soon.
Bye bye.