"How to Avoid getting Raped"

[Bicoastal]

55. This is one of those incendiary things where more info is needed.

And as such, I won't rec it. I'm not anti-Feminism by any means, but...

"How to Avoid Getting Raped" could mean anything from horrible ("Don't wear slutty clothing, ya sluts!&quot to actually useful ("Take a cab if you've had a few drinks; know your route home ahead of time, etc.&quot The former category is undeniably offensive, and I think everyone here knows it. But if you're on you're own in a large city for the first time in your young life, the latter category is simply being smart and safe--my girlfriend wasn't at all insulted when she moved to Brooklyn and her roommate told her which empty, warehouse-lined streets to avoid late at night, regardless of her attire. But again, we don't know the details.

As for the starkly worded "Don't Rape," it's illegal and most people smart enough to be at college know it's illegal. If you're 18 years old and you don't understand that yet, why would a lecture from your freshman college orientation change your mind? If someone set 18-year-old me down in a room with other guys and told me "You know, you really shouldn't be thinking about raping people," I'd be insulted as hell. But again, we don't know the details.

Now, if she means "no means no" education, she has a point, I guess--although that isn't strictly a safety issue and thus really doesn't fall under the responsibility of freshman orientation, which (last time I went through it) was mostly about getting you through the next four years in one piece. It's more in the realm of High School Health, which I remember covered sexual assault pretty thoroughly. Should they cover this issue just in case young men didn't receive this education? And then go on to cover other issues like drugs and suicide and gun violence and...this is ORIENTATION. Usually organized by student volunteers. Their responsibility for the decisions legally-adult students choose to make over the last 4 years is LIMITED at best. BUT. ONCE AGAIN. WE DON'T KNOW THE DETAILS of this college and this young woman.

I'm anti-rape and pro-woman, but I dislike hollow context-free self-righteousness for its own sake. And I'm bored at work, which explains why this went on so long.