The sarcastic thread flips the advice men often give women and is aimed at men so they stop sexually assaulting others.
Warning: This story contains themes of sexual assault that some readers may find distressing.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on August 19, 2021
Men are often quick with advice about how to deal with sexual assault when anyone brings up the topic. The blame is almost always placed on women, and this means that men are rarely held accountable for their actions. A recent survey found that among U.K. women aged 18-24, 86% said they had been sexually harassed in public spaces, with 3% saying they didn't recall experiencing sexually harassing behavior. The remaining 11% chose not to answer the question, reported The Guardian. It just shows how vulnerable women are and how the solutions men offer are often insulting.
Twitter user Raeli Nicole Williams, who goes by the handle @xcrazyraerae, posted a satirical thread that flips the advice men often dole out. The thread starts, "How to avoid sexual assault," but Williams' tweets are all advice to men on how not to sexually assault someone; it's both hilarious and also as straightforward as one can get on not sexually assaulting others. She had come up with the idea after constantly hearing men hand out absurd advice. “I have a sarcastic personality and just started snapping back when people would say those kinds of things to remind people that sexual assault is a male problem instead of a female problem,” Williams told Bored Panda. Many read the first tweets and jumped the gun, but she told them carefully read the tweets. “They didn’t understand it at first and definitely came at me. I just had to remind them to take the time to read it, and after that, they understood the comedy I was going for.”
beware of drugs! do not put drugs in drinks that are not yours.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
watch what you are wearing! if you feel you may sexually assault somebody, it is best to wear a shirt that says “rapist” so that others can steer clear.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
when somebody is helping you with car troubles (or you are helping somebody else), do not sexually assault them.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
be mindful of others in your neighborhood. do not follow, harass, break in, or sexually assault them.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
when encountering someone who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not sexually assault them.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
be careful around alcohol if it causes you to become violent or sexually assault others.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
use the buddy system! if it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from sexually assaulting someone, carry a guardian with you at all times.
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
some of these tips are from fort saskatchewan victim services unit, feel free to add your own and continue to help others avoid sexual assault!!!
— wtf rae (@notraelwilliams) June 26, 2019
She added that the root cause of sexual violence comes down to patriarchy and the idea that men are superior. "There is a deep-rooted idea that women are meant to serve men and that men can do no wrong. Therefore, the blame for assault is directed at women rather than men,” said the author. She added that it has also made it hard for men to report sexual assault because they are seen as strong and superior.
i was bout to be real mad at this thread and then I read it (;
— Bray Holmes🌸 (@holmes_bray) June 26, 2019
When someone explicitly asked if the thread was a joke, she replied, "Yes, and no. Like it’s a joke reflecting how stupid the 'advice' is that women are given to sexual assault but at the same time it’s not a joke because ppl literally need to follow these rules but don’t lmao."
me seeing the title vs me reading the tread pic.twitter.com/Ww2qNUDqw9
— tori (@chattoria) June 27, 2019
OOF when i saw “watch what you’re wearing” i got SO heated for .2 seconds and was ready to write a damn essay 😂 pic.twitter.com/9Sm4Jfm4Ya
— ireland 🍀🖤 (@ireland__skye) June 28, 2019
If you are being subjected to sexual assault, or know of anyone who is in the United States, please call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673)