Coercion isn't Consent

By Charlotte White

A recent horrifying statistic reports that almost 1 in 10 high school and college-aged people have reported forcing someone into sexual activity against his or her own will, as shocking as this is, it's added that the majority of those interviewed believe that the victim is at least partly to blame for their actions. This is known as sexual coercion, and it is a disgusting reality for the majority of America’s youth. 

Since the #metoo movement, people have finally begun to wake up to the ubiquity of inappropriate sexual behavior however, an issue seemingly going unnoticed is the flood of sexual manipulation overflowing into America’s high schools and colleges. While the beast of sexual coercion can come in various forms, some of the most common range from guilt-tripping, badgering, and love bombing all the way to intentionally trying to get you intoxicated. A study suggests that nearly 76% of women under the age of 21 have experienced sexual coercion in some capacity and almost 56% of women reported feeling pressured into having sex their first time. The sad truths of both of these statistics point to a larger issue at hand, the culture.

Media portrayals of relationships often blur the lines between consent and coercion, while society may outright condone aggressive pursuit and persistence in romance. These cultural influences create an environment where coercive behaviors are normalized and even encouraged, however neither of these factors perpetuate coercive sexual behavior more than the victim-blaming attitude that many people hold.

Victim-blaming shifts the responsibility of a crime, trauma, or hardship onto the victim rather than the perpetrator. It’s concluded that roughly 75% of all sexual assault victims are either partially or entirely blamed by their abuser, thus exacerbating their suffering and discouraging them from seeking help. 

Due to the huge focus on social dynamics in high school and college settings, victim-blaming mindsets often runs rampant. This toxic culture not only isolates the victims but also enables offenders to continue their abusive behavior without accountability.

Sexual coercion is everywhere and in order to effectively put an end to the silent suffering of victims all over we must call more attention to this predatory and perverse behavior. 

Consent is not the absence of a ‘no’; it is the presence of an enthusiastic ‘yes’