 
Hey, guys!
 
Look at my cake!
What’s wrong
with you guys?
I can’t believe
what happened to Megan.
 
I know.
 
It’s so upsetting.
Really? How do you know
she’s telling the truth?
 
Maybe it didn’t even happen.
Why would you even think
she’s not telling the truth?
 
She was really drunk, so...
How can we believe
what she says happened?
But doesn’t that mean
she’d be too drunk to consent?
Did you see what she was wearing?
It was pretty see-through.
What does that
have to do with anything?
Don’t get me wrong,
I like Megan.
But this whole
“sexual assault” thing...
What do you mean,
“sexual assault”?
Why are you
saying it like that?
Does groping even
count as assault?
 
Yes!
She’s done a lot more
with other guys.
 
So?
 
So, whatever.
 
Guys, what are you doing?
 
Oh!
You didn’t want me to eat your cake?
You didn’t say no.
So I assumed
you’re okay with it.
- That’s gross.
- Mmm!
If you didn’t want us
to eat your cake,
you shouldn’t have
dressed it up so nicely
 
with all those sprinkles.
 
Oh my God!
Lip sprinkles as well!
That’s pretty suggestive.
 
That’s so suggestive!
Everyone knows lip sprinkles
means you’re asking for it.
 
Okay?
 
Not cool, guys.
 
Oh my God. Look!
 
Gumballs? So slutty!
 
So slutty!
 
Is there booze in this icing?
 
How could I control myself?
You couldn’t!
And everyone knows...
You share your cake
with a lot of people, so...
- So?
- So... whatever.
 
It’s a good cake, though.
 
It’s a really good cake.
 
It’s really so good.
 
Mmm... Good!
 
Mmm! “Real good”!
 
All right, I get it.
Sexual assault is defined
as any act of a sexual nature,
whether it involves
physical contact or not,
for which a person
hasn’t given consent.
 
It is a criminal act.
Without consent, kissing,
touching or penetration
are all considered
sexual assault.
 
Sexual harassment,
be it an unwanted
sexual gesture, words or action
that causes discomfort or fear,
is also against the law.
Sexual assaults
are often committed
by someone
the person knows,
 
and rarely by a stranger.
Sexual assault does not always
involve violence or force.
The abuser may sometimes resort
to emotional manipulation,
blackmail or pressure
to achieve their goal. 
A person can give consent
for sexual contact
but change his, her,
or their mind along the way. 
 
This decision must be respected.
Not to do so results
in sexual assault.
Survivors are never
responsible for an assault.
Staying out late, drinking,
wearing certain clothes
or demonstrating
interest in someone
 
does not justify assault.
Being a survivor
of sexual assault
involves physical and
psychological consequences.
Getting help can
reduce the impacts
 
and make you feel less alone.
Numerous sexual assault helplines
across the country
allow you to speak
confidentially to counselors
 
who will listen, inform,
and direct you
to the right resources.
Another possibility is to get help
from a trusted adult,
such as your doctor,
a school counsellor
or your local community
health center. 
 If a survivor of sexual assault
confides in you,
you must believe their story
and take it seriously.
In addition to supporting the person
for speaking about it, 
you can also encourage them
to find helpful resources.
By not making jokes and
inappropriate sexual comments,
and by asking
your partner’s consent 
at all times
during sexual contact,
everyone can do their part
to create an environment
where inappropriate behavior
and sexual assault
 
are no longer tolerated.
Yeah, I do worry about
being sexually assaulted.
Because I’ve already
been in the past.
I think sexual assault
is a very common thing
 
in today’s society.
 
We hear about it, but...
 
Some of us don’t really...
Don’t necessarily...
talk about our experiences.
Because the percentage
is pretty high.
I think it’s 1 in 3 women
is a victim of sexual assault.
I myself have been a victim
of sexual assault, so...
I have a lot of friends
who were sexually assaulted.
 
Most of them girls,
but it does happen
to boys as well.
Yes, guys do get
sexually assaulted.
And it is very taboo
to talk about it,
because it is often
seen as weak.
It’s really sad
when us women,
and men, too,
have to go through it,
and not being able
to talk about it all the time,
because it’s something
that nobody does talk about.
 
I was at a party,
and there was a lot
of alcohol involved,
so I was not really
responsive anymore.
And at one point, I was alone
with this one person...
In creating an environment
where we prevent sexual assault,
I think that not being
a bystander,
being an active bystander
is very important.
 
Always staying in groups,
and being aware of
where your friends are,
and looking out to
who they’re talking to...
 
He... came closer to me.
And he positioned himself
just right above me,
so he could wrap
his one arm around me.
Then he started
feeling my breasts,
And he went
a little bit further
 
and got further down.
 
I was kind of frozen,
because I did not know
how to react to that.
I have a lot of friends
who feel so guilty,
 
because they sort of froze,
and so they said no,
but they didn’t fight back,
so in their minds,
it’s still their fault.
I told a friend immediately
what happened.
However, her reaction
really shook me,
because what
she basically said was:
“You have to get used to it,
this is the way men treat us”.
 
You hear left and right:
 
“Oh, don’t wear this!”
- You shouldn’t have...
- Drank that drink.
 
Yeah, or like...
 
Don’t do this.
 
Don’t get too drunk.
The fear of having something
slipped into my cup...
And you should have
not seemed as flirty,
 
or something like that.
At that point in their life,
they don’t need advice.
They don’t need to be told
what they should have done.
 
It wasn’t their fault.
After that experience
happened,
it made me feel
powerless.
I felt like I did not have control
about my body anymore.
How I moved forward from
being sexually assaulted
was that I started
seeing a psychologist.
Definitely talking about it
has helped me
come to terms
with what happened.
And being open to my friends
also really helped.
Obviously, it’s left
their marks on them.
You just try to be there
for them and console them.
Present yourself as someone
that can be there
 
in a time of need.
And that’s all they really
want from you.
They know you’re not
a specialist.
 
You just have to be there.
I hate... the fact that we have to talk
about sexual assault today.
Because it shouldn’t
even happen.
The fact that it is
is just extremely sad.
I feel like we could
stand up more,
 
and we could help people
who come forward
with their stories more.
 
And believe them.
It’s about informing people
and educating them,
in what our limits are
and what we should be doing,
 
and how that’s...
 
How to behave appropriately.
People can always be like:
“I would never do that”.
 
And in the situation,
they wouldn’t even realize
they’re doing it.
I think that’s
an important part of it
that has to be
spoken about more.
Teach people
that it’s not okay.
Raise people to be
respectful of others,
and know boundaries
and stuff.
People need to be
educated about it,
but at the same time,
we can’t let it go either.
 
And we can’t...
We can’t forgive
people for ignorance.
If we helped each other
a little bit more,
I feel like we could definitely
contribute to a society
where sexual assault,
at one point, stops.
 
Or lessens at least.
