Gainesville, FL – Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) held a banner-signing event, asking students to pledge to stand against rape and sexual violence both on and off campus. SDS also provided literature on consent and ways for students to help prevent sexual assault. By the end of the day, around 50 students had signed the pledge banner.

The event comes just weeks after the latest in a string of sexual assaults on and around the University of Florida (UF) campus. The event was in response to a UF Student Government event, asking students to sign a pledge to “Never Walk Alone.” An SDS organizer explained, “Such language puts blame on victims of sexual violence and does nothing to address the true cause of sexual assault.”

The anti-rape banner had the hashtags #ItsNotGreatUF and #WeAreAware, playing off of and satirizing the hashtags, #ItsGreatUF and #BeAware, that UF Student Government used during their event.

Every hour, during the 15-minute class change period, SDS members made short speeches to crowds of students while handing out flyers about consent. Using humor and sarcasm to win over students, SDSers leafleted the “10 Top Tips to End Rape.” Including tips such as, “6. Use the buddy system! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.”

Farah Khan, lead organizer with SDS said “I think this type of event is necessary as it’s quite obvious that UF and UFPD have no interest in targeting the actual problem we have here: rape culture and patriarchy.”

McKenzie Walker, an SDS member, noted, “Despite the negative responses from some men, those that signed gave us hope. There is a strata of men on campus who want to end, rather than fuel, rape culture and share their support with others.”

#GainesvilleFL #StudentMovement #SDS #GainesvilleSDS #antirape #rapeCulture

Tallahassee, FL – Over 30 Florida State University (FSU) students and Tallahassee community members gathered on campus to speak out and march against rape culture on April 12. The F-Word (a feminist campus organization), Students for a Democratic Society and Dream Defenders organized the rally.

Protesters marched from Oglesby Union to Landis Green, a popular hangout spot for students.

Representatives from the Center for Participant Education, The Outlet (a mental health non-profit) and Advocates for Immigrant and Refugee Rights spoke at the rally. The speakers educated the crowd by defining rape culture and acquaintance rape, describing how to be an ally to survivors, the effect of rape culture on African-American, Latina and other oppressed nationality women, and how immigrants are oppressed by rape culture. A spoken word artist captured everyone’s attention with a passionate piece about sexual assault.

The rally was part of Rape Culture Awareness Week, sponsored by the FSU groups, including the Women’s Student Union. The purpose of the rally was to raise people’s consciousness about rape culture, which is a society that permits rape to occur through gendered socialization, victim blaming and slut shaming. The F-Word tabled with resources from the Refuge House, a domestic violence shelter; the Victim Advocate Program, a campus center for survivors of sexual assault and a resource list of local and national organizations.

“My parents taught my sister how to protect herself from rape, but never sat me down and taught me not to rape,” said Andrew Arachikavitz, lead coordinator for Students for a Democratic Society.

Maressa Simmons, a member of The F-Word, stated, “I went because rape is a crime that can affect anyone at any time; and hoped to raise awareness about what rape is and its effects on everyone.”

Students for a Democratic Society and The F-Word hope to partner up in the fall for a campaign against rape culture.

#TallahasseeFL #StudentsForADemocraticSociety #womensMovement #antirape #rapeCulture #feminism #TheFWord