Reflections on popular prevention videos from the Safe Passage Marketing Intern:
I have actually viewed this video on multiple occasions in high school gym class or in different clubs/organizations I have been a part of. There has almost always been an overall humorous reaction from viewers. I remember very specifically sitting in my high school auditorium with my gym teachers speaking about mental health and relationships and after a bit of lecturing they pulled up YouTube and started “Tea is consent”. Immediately students started laughing and making jokes about the video. I’ll admit, I also found the video amusing and didn’t give it much thought. I don’t think that the amusement was intended to diminish the seriousness of the subject, but rather an effect of ignorance and the nature of the video. Watching the video now, however, I don’t find it that funny. I have learned through organizations and hearing stories from people I am close to the reality of sexual assault. The importance of consent and learning what that truly means is pivotal and yet is so simple.
I knew a person back in high school who was going out with this guy and they had been together for a few months. They both seemed to be happy in their relationship; everyone saw them as being the “perfect” couple. I remember sitting with her at lunch and talking about relationships or boys and she brought up the subject of their own relationship. Thinking that they were perfect and did everything right, I expressed how jealous I was and how they were going to be together forever as “high school sweethearts”. She didn’t reciprocate the thought and when I asked her what was wrong, she stated that they were not perfect. They had been fighting behind closed doors for some time now without anyone knowing. She went on to explain that her partner was a bit aggressive when it came to wanting sex. When she refused, he would get upset and basically force it upon her.
Consent is everything! The video explains this nice and simple, sex is not something that should be required of someone. It is not something that should be forced upon someone or used to hang over someone’s head. The video does a nice job expressing how simple this process can be, even if it does so in a light hearted way.
