Sexual Assault Awareness Month Part 2

SHARPP just had another event this afternoon, which was a viewing of Dream Worlds 3 and a facilitated discussion. We ended up having 65 students attend, which was a great turnout. The documentary examines the stories contemporary music videos tell women, as well as encouaging viewers to consider how these stories shape individual attitudes. It is a very interesting and intriguing documentary by Sut Jhally. It really explains how music videos play a role in violence against women and also how men are supposed to act according to these "stories" and images. It is graphic and can be disturbing for some, but try it out.
This event brought to mind different ideas for different people. Some of whom felt that these videos made women feel like they needed to dress a certain way or dance like the women in the videos. Others felt there needed to be more interaction at schools and at home to discuss these images and how they impact boys and girls. Discussion about double standards and the hypocritical nature of society went on with several students. There was also discussion on how these music videos play a role in how people act in everyday life; one example was the parade in NYC in 2001 where men started pouring water and assaulting women in Central Park seemingly thinking that what they were doing was acceptable.
Not all men and women are influenced by the images in music videos, but many are. Everyone is not awful and everyone would not perpetrate, but we need to work together as a society to show that it is unacceptable for these events to happen.