Why We Must Stop Believing Myths About Sexual Violence – And How to Challenge These Views

In 2 previous posts, we’ve explored 12 key myths about sexual violence against women and girls that are 100% false.

To recap these myths, you can check out the posts here:

• 6 VAWG Myths We Need to Challenge
• ‘She Was Asking for It’ – 6 More Myths That Enable Sexual Violence

But as a quick recap, here is a list of the myths we’ve debunked on this blog:

1. Teenagers engage in risky behavior, making them more likely to be victims of sexual violence.
2. Once someone is 18 years old, they are no longer vulnerable and don’t need protection.
3. Teenagers cry rape and sexual assault because they lack sexual experience.
4. Teenagers experience sexual violence from people they don’t know.
5. Rape and sexual assault towards teenagers doesn’t happen where I live.
6. Sexual harassment and assault are just things that happen to young women. They’ll get over it.
7. The fashions teenage girls wear make them look like they’re asking for it.
8. If a teenage girl is in a relationship and over 16, it isn’t rape.
9. Once a man is turned on, he needs to have sex.
10. Those who have been sexually abused go on to commit sexual violence.
11. Girls shouldn’t walk home late at night alone.
12. She was dancing/kissing/chatting/drinking with him earlier in the evening. She was leading him on.

We also wrote this post where we explored why Teens Do Not Encourage Sexual Violence – Another VAWG Myth We Need to Tackle. You can read that post here.

With all the above myths in mind, I’ve come to conclude that there are several ways in which we as a society can work to challenge these myths.

Challenging these myths is a must for avoiding victim-blaming culture and for supporting victims of these crimes.

The Harmful Impact of Believing These Myths

These myths about sexual violence against women and girls are not harmless. They have a real impact on how society views victims of sexual violence.

Young women, especially teenagers, are often the targets of these damaging stereotypes.

When these myths are believed, it leads to:

• Victims feeling that they won’t be believed or that they somehow invited the violence because of these myths. This in turn leads to victims of these crimes feeling silenced.
• If Society believing that sexual harassment or assault is just ‘something that happens.’ It becomes easier to brush off these incidents as no big deal and essentially normalises abuse.
• Believing these myths excuses the behaviour of abusers, suggesting that their actions were inevitable or the victim’s fault. This is never true. Sexual violence is always the fault of the perpetrator.

Challenging Myths About Sexual Violence

There are four key ways in which we can challenge myths about sexual violence against women and girls.

These are education, creating safe spaces, keeping updated with safeguarding practices, and understanding and respecting the experiences of others.

Education

Education about consent from a young age is crucial for fostering a culture of respect and understanding that extends throughout a person’s life.

At my local primary school, consent education begins at age four, emphasising the importance of children knowing it is okay to say no to anything they are uncomfortable with, whether sexual or not.

This early, age-appropriate education sets the foundation for recognising personal boundaries and respecting the boundaries of others.

Teaching consent in an age-appropriate way also ensures that children grasp the concept of bodily autonomy and the importance of mutual agreement in all interactions. Education also helps prevent myths about sexual violence from forming in the first place, because children are already prepared with the facts about violence against women and girls (VAWG) before becoming adults.

Creating Safe Spaces

Children and teenagers need safe spaces where they can talk to trusted adults about their experiences of sexual violence without fear of blame or punishment.

When children feel supported and believed, they are more likely to report any inappropriate behaviour they encounter.

Creating an environment where children and young people feel safe to disclose abuse is essential for their protection and well-being.

Studies have shown that children are more likely to report concerns about sexual violence to teachers than their parents.

Keeping Updated with Safeguarding Practice

Adults working with children and teenagers have a responsibility to stay informed about safeguarding practices and to challenge harmful myths about sexual violence.

There is a need for continuous training and education for adults in safeguarding roles to ensure they are equipped to recognise signs of abuse and respond appropriately.

This includes dispelling myths such as those discussed earlier in this chapter, which can contribute to victim-blaming and prevent survivors from seeking help.

Understanding and Respecting

Understanding and respecting the experiences of children and teenagers who have been victims of sexual violence is vital.

Research shows that trauma-informed care, which prioritises the survivor’s perspective and provides empathetic support, is crucial for healing.

This approach acknowledges the profound impact of sexual violence on a young person’s mental health and helps them rebuild trust and safety.

Closing Thoughts 

Societal myths about victims of sexual assault are pervasive and damaging.

They dictate how victims should behave, recover, or even feel, taking away the autonomy of the victim.

These narratives, whether about how much pain is ‘acceptable,’ how someone ‘should be feeling,’ or how quickly someone should ‘move on,’ invalidate individual experiences. Moving society on from these myths requires rejecting them and being vocal when these myths arise in conversation.

There is no one-size-fits-all path to healing from sexual assault and victims deserve to navigate their healing journey without judgement and dated stereotypes that contribute to victim-blaming narratives.

To help challenge these myths, here are some tips you might find helpful:

Start Conversations

Whether with friends, family, or in your community, talking about these myths is a great first step.

Educate those around you about the reality of sexual violence.

Support Victims and Survivors

Believe survivors when they come forward and challenge anyone who tries to blame the victim.

Offering support and compassion can make all the difference.

Learn About Consent

Understanding and teaching what real consent looks like is crucial.

It’s not just about saying ‘yes.’ It’s about ongoing, enthusiastic participation in any sexual activity.

Challenge Victim-Blaming

If you hear someone perpetuating these myths, challenge them!

Help them see how harmful their words can be. Sometimes, people don’t even realise that the views they hold feed into victim-blaming cultures. Open conversation can help to challenge views that are outdated and potentially harmful to victims and survivors of sexual violence against women and girls.