For years, women have been oppressed and sexualized because of their bodies. They have been told that the length of their skirt, the cut of their shirt, and the height of their heels determine their worth. And if you happen to be raped for embracing your body and being comfortable in your own skin, well then that’s your own fault. Therefore, in order to protect young girls, schools must enforce dress codes where, basically, your skirt has to be to your ankles and you have to wear a turtleneck. What the school can’t make us do, however, is not wear lipstick. And in the month of April, Sexual Assault Awareness Month, that’s exactly what I challenge you to do.
Throughout the month of April, there is an organization, Red My Lips, that encourages people to wear red lipstick to stand up against victim-blaming and slut-shaming. Victim-blaming is the act of focusing on what a victim did or didn’t do, which implies that the victim “wanted” it to happen. We, as a society, immediately jump to the “Well, what was she wearing?” or “How much did she have to drink?” rationale instead of focusing on the fact that the victim was sexually assaulted. Due to this, many victims of sexual assault don’t file a police report, or even tell anyone that they were sexually assaulted.
According to the Rapist, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), one out of every six women have been the victim of attempted or completed rape, and one in thirty-three men are the victim of attempted or completed rape. These are only the recorded instances of sexual assault.

These facts are to show that rape does happen, and that it doesn’t just happen to girls who weren’t “being safe.” Victims of sexual assault are not at fault. Sexual assault is an act of dominance, entitlement, and violence; it is the decision of an individual to overpower the body of another. It is not sex. It is rape. We, as a society, have perpetuated rape myths (wearing tight clothing, drinking, “letting her guard down”) for far too long. We are the reason that women and men alike are too afraid to step forward and let their voices be heard.

Red My Lips, an international non-profit organization, runs “an annual global awareness and action campaign where our fierce and fearless supporters rock red lipstick all throughout the month of April (Sexual Assault Awareness Month) to demonstrate solidarity and support for survivors and start important conversations with people in their lives.”

Don’t think that lipstick can change the world? It already has.
According to Red My Lips, “In April 2015, over 500,000 Warriors from 99 different countries joined [them] in the fight against sexual violence and victim-blaming.” Slowly, we are making a difference in our culture, and you can make a difference too. Join the fight, buy the brightest shade of red lipstick you can find, and red your lips.

(Originally published on Apr. 4, 2016)