Sexual Violence Prevention: What You Can Do

Actions big and small can help prevent sexual violence. Here are ways you can create a positive impact.

Support victims and survivors by believing them when they trust you with their experience and by practicing the T.A.L.K method, whose steps include:

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Thank them for telling you.
Ask how you can help.
Listen without judgment.
Keep supporting them after the initial conversation.

Make sure you understand consent and practicing it regularly. Key components of consent include:

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It is given freely without feeling pressure, forced, or manipulated.
It is always reversible. It is okay to change your mind or withdraw your consent at any time.
It needs to be informed. You and your partner need to understand what act you are consenting to.
It should be enthusiastic. If there is any confusion between parties, consent has not been clearly given.
It is always specific to what is going in in that moment. Consent needs to be regiven and does not apply to future acts. Ask for consent every time.

Be an active bystander when you see what looks like an unsafe situation by practicing the three Ds:

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Directly ask someone who appears to be in the unsafe situation if they need help or if you feel it is safe to do so, telling the other person to stop the harmful behavior.
Delegate to authority or seek help from others around you, such as calling 911 or alerting an employee or staff member.
Distract from the situation by drawing the attention of one of the individuals away from the situation.

Shift harmful norms by confronting and interrupting victim blaming. Some ways to avoid victim blaming include:

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Not making assumptions based on prior sexual experiences.
Avoid passing judgment based on appearance or how someone is dressed.
Never using prior consent to justify the abuse.
Do not assume consent was given because the individual was not sober.
Stop using terms designed to shame or place blame on the victim.

Learn about and support organizations and events in your community that are working to end sexual violence. Find organizations in your area and connect with a service provider near you by visiting the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA) website.

Glossary