# Poster on tips to avoid sexual assault. Does it provide good advice, or does it blame the victim? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 9, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835 "2013-08-09T20:44:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/1 "2013-08-09T20:44:01Z")
[This](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/PosteratWPAFB.jpg) is a poster hanging in a women’s restroom where I work. [Story here](http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/08/09/sex-assault-prevention-poster-gets-attention.html). Do you think the poster provides good advice? Or do you think it only serves to blame the victim? ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/2 "2013-08-09T20:49:41Z")
It all looks like good advice to me. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/3 "2013-08-09T20:52:28Z")
I’m hard-pressed to think of _any_ advice one could give in hopes of helping a person avoid being a victim that couldn’t be construed as “blaming the victim”. If you say “Stay alert”, and the person gets victimized anyway, can you then say “Well, you didn’t stay alert enough!” The advice looks okay to me, but I don’t hang around bars generally. My main advice would be “go for the eyes!” ---
**Author:** ![Bozuit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/edb3f5/32.png) [@Bozuit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bozuit)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/4 "2013-08-09T20:53:11Z")
Taking the latter position would be ridiculous. Let’s consider some other crimes: Tips for avoiding: [ul] [li]Getting mugged[/li][li]Getting beaten[/li][li]Getting burgled[/li][li]Having your identity stolen[/li][/ul] These all seem reasonable, don’t they? I’m sure I’ve been on the receiving end of such tips many times. Yeah, you should be able to walk in all the dark alleys you want. You should be able to walk around any neighbourhood proclaiming your love for any team or “social club”, without risking a beating or shooting. You should be able to leave your front door unlocked and have 1234 as your PIN. But sometimes the harsh reality is that these things make it more likely you will become a victim of crime. Anyone against advice to help avoid becoming a victim is too caught up in the principles of what should be, not the realities of the world. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/5 "2013-08-09T20:54:19Z")
I think it’s OK to give tips like that, but they have to be a secondary component of trying to stop the harassment from happening the first place and punishing it severely when it does happen. A lot of people in the military don’t feel like those things are happening right now, so perhaps you can see where they would be annoyed if there is a huge controversy about sexual assault in the military and the response is a poster that says “tips to avoid sexual harassment.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/6 "2013-08-09T20:57:58Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > [This](http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g471/ohio_rifleman/PosteratWPAFB.jpg) is a poster hanging in a women’s restroom where I work. > > [Story here](http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/08/09/sex-assault-prevention-poster-gets-attention.html). > > Do you think the poster provides good advice? Or do you think it only serves to blame the victim? Those are commonsensical tips on preventing sexual **assault.** It is hard to think of any tips on preventing sexual **harassment** that would not be blaming-the-victim. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/7 "2013-08-09T21:08:00Z")
I just came in here to make the exact point that **BrainGlutton** just made. From the thread title, I thought this would be about sexual harassment, and I was prepared to argue strenously against the poster. Then I saw that it was about sexual assault, and completely changed my opinion. In general, people who commit sexual harassment think that what they are doing is O.K. Prevention measures should be aimed at the perpetrators, to teach them what sexual harassment is, explain why it is wrong, and let them know the consequences. In general, people who commit sexual assault know that it’s wrong and don’t care (or have psychological problems that prevent them from understanding that it’s wrong). Prevention has to be aimed primarily at potential victims, because you’re not going to be able to retrain the perpetrators. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/8 "2013-08-09T21:25:26Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > My main advice would be “go for the eyes!” Only if ‘eyes’ is a euphemism for ‘testicles’. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/9 "2013-08-09T21:27:15Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Those are commonsensical tips on preventing sexual **assault.** It is hard to think of any tips on preventing sexual **harassment** that would not be blaming-the-victim. “Directly inform your harasser that you feel their behavior is harassing and you want it to stop immediately.” ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/10 "2013-08-09T22:14:09Z")
I don’t have a problem with this poster. I think these kinds of tips are inappropriate after an assault, but as general information, in tandem with education about consent and zealous prosecution, I think it’s fine. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/11 "2013-08-09T23:51:12Z")
I don’t think the poster is terrible as a concept. Although the graphic design looks like it was created by a complete amateur and that makes me want to set it on fire. ---
**Author:** ![TheSeaOtter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@TheSeaOtter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSeaOtter)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/12 "2013-08-09T23:56:48Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > “Directly inform your harasser that you feel their behavior is harassing and you want it to stop immediately.” By the time this advice is beneficial, you’re already been harassed. It’s not really an ‘avoidance’ tip, per se. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/13 "2013-08-10T00:19:45Z")
Who exactly is the audience here? Women who are newly emerged from the convent? Most women have been dealing with sexual harassment and potentially sexual dangerous situations since they were 12 or so. Advice like “try to avoid areas that are secluded” are useless and patronizing. It’s like a poster on “How to avoid broken bones” that’s full of helpful advice like “be careful when you walk” and “avoid walking on ice.” If they really need to make a sexual assault prevention poster aimed at women, at the very least include some useful information. Last time I joined an organization where it was an issue, they told use straight up “X number of women in this program have been assaulted in the past years, the perpetrators were A, B and C. We had once case where D occurred. Alcohol was involved in Z% of cases. Ultimately Q people were arrested and U saw jail time. If you are a victim of assault, here is the process for reporting and the health and confidentiality information associated with it. Here are a few case studies showing what we’ve found to be typical cases of assault among people in your sitution, and here is some advice from women currently in your position who can speak to what they’ve done to feel safer. If you find yourself in a situation that feels unsafe, call this number, and if you want to report an assault, call this number.” ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/14 "2013-08-10T01:22:35Z")
Are you supposed to call the “Sexual Assault Response Coordinator” before you call the police? Because that bright red FIRST makes me think they are more concerned with controlling institutional response than justice. And some of that advice I consider problematic in a workplace: if a woman in the Air Force ought not walk from one end of the base to the other after dark, or walk away from the group with another member of the military that she doesn’t know well . . .how does that not compromise her career? How can she do her job effectively if she can’t be alone with people she doesn’t know well? And if they are only talking about off-base, why call the coordinator? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/15 "2013-08-10T01:26:00Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > “Directly inform your harasser that you feel their behavior is harassing and you want it to stop immediately.” > [@TheSeaOtter](#): > > By the time this advice is beneficial, you’re already been harassed. It’s not really an ‘avoidance’ tip, per se. Well, it can help you avoid being harassed _again_ by someone who’s merely clueless rather than predatory. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/16 "2013-08-10T01:50:10Z")
If this was not a military base, acknowledging that “there are bad people out there and we haven’t succeeded in locking them all up yet, so here’s some tips to avoid them” would not be offensive. What makes it offensive is the way the military treats rape victims, up to and including threatening them with court martials. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/17 "2013-08-10T01:58:40Z")
They left one off of the list > [@](#): > > Avoid men who have seen this poster in the women’s restroom. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/18 "2013-08-10T02:10:08Z")
I agree with Sven - its patronizing. And its about assault, not harassment - a whole different deal This has been linked to before: [http://hilaroar.tumblr.com/post/45957899437/safetytipsforladies-or-why-victim-blaming-is](http://hilaroar.tumblr.com/post/45957899437/safetytipsforladies-or-why-victim-blaming-is) ---
**Author:** ![iftheresaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecae2f/32.png) [@iftheresaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iftheresaway)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/19 "2013-08-10T02:41:37Z")
Those safety tips for ladies changed (and almost certainly saved!) my life. I’m following them all simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835/20 "2013-08-10T02:53:56Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Those are commonsensical tips on preventing sexual **assault.** It is hard to think of any tips on preventing sexual **harassment** that would not be blaming-the-victim. At the OP’s request, I’ve changed the word “harassment” in the thread title to “assault.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poster-on-tips-to-avoid-sexual-assault-does-it-provide-good-advice-or-does-it-blame-the-victim/665835.md?page=2)