10/07/2026
🌸 “Was It My Fault?” 🌸
In light of the recent situation involving Cornell, I wanted to share this because I think it’s an important reminder.
When conversations about s*xual assault happen, we so often hear questions about what the person was wearing, where they were, who they were with, whether they had been drinking, or what they could have done differently.
But none of those things make someone responsible for another person choosing to hurt them.
In the image, the short skirt, burqa and diaper are representative:
The Short Skirt – representing those in revealing clothing.
The Burqa – representing those in fully covered attire.
The Diaper – representing those in modest or non-s*xualized clothing.
A short skirt doesn't cause s*xual assault.
A burqa doesn't prevent s*xual assault.
A diaper doesn't prevent s*xual assault.
Sexual assault is very often committed by someone the victim knows. It can be a partner, friend, acquaintance, family member, or someone they trusted. This is especially true for children, who are most often abused by someone they already know and trust.
Even when survivors report what happened, that doesn't always mean something is done about it. Many reports never result in criminal charges, and even fewer result in a conviction.
So when someone asks, “Why didn't they report?” or “Why didn't they do something?” maybe we should also ask:
What happens when they do?
We need to stop putting the responsibility of preventing s*xual assault on the person being assaulted.
The responsibility belongs to the person who chooses to cross someone else's boundaries. But it also belongs to all of us as a society.
We ALL need to put more energy into teaching consent, respect, accountability, and how to not hurt other people—instead of teaching people how to dress, behave, or live to avoid being assaulted.
And if you’ve ever blamed yourself for something someone else did to you, I hope you know this:
It was not your fault. 🫶
