After sexual-assault-prevention sessions, people often mock the material as a defense against discomfort. But survivors may overhear and be hurt. Ask mockers, "What about this is funny to you?" If they get defensive, say "That's interesting, I plan on it" and move on.
Some of you are going to leave the room and hear people make a joke or mock a session like this. How many agree it's possible that you could hear mockery of this kind of discussion when you leave the room? Agree that's possible? So yes, it is. Yes. Now, if you're going, well, they're just cracking jokes, at the expense of who? Survivors are hearing your jokes. Imagine being a survivor at this school, walking behind a friend who's mocking what was done to you. They don't have a clue it was you it was done to, and they don't have a right to know that without you wanting them to know that. And the harm they're doing thinking they're being funny. Usually what we find, they're mocking something they're uncomfortable with. And so they use humor because they're uncomfortable. So if you hear somebody mocking this after today, just simply look at them and go, just curious, what do you— what about this is funny to you? And ask it sincerely. Well, no one would ever do that. This is the number one response you'll get for people. And all you have to do is go, that's interesting, I plan on it. And it kills the whole argument.
