“We live in a society that teaches girls how not to get raped, instead of teaching boys not to rape.”
Sexual vaelens hemi wan issue wea fulap pipol hemi findem no esi blong tokboat. Hemi important blong tok tok long saed blong sexual vaelens wetem family mo frens blong yu from hemi wan big problem long Vanuatu. 60% of inmates hemi stap insaed long prison from olgeta hemi committem sexual vaelens. Sexual vaelens hemi no wan issue blong ol woman nomo – hemi nidim yumi evriwan blong takem responsibility blong facem problem ia.
Sapos yu no tok tok long saed blong sexual vaelens, i gat fulap ‘myths’ wea hemi save kam aot. A ‘myth’ hemi wan ‘widely held but false belief or idea’. Taem wan man hemi rapem wan woman, i gat some pipol wea olgeta hemi stap judgem woman mo puttem blame long hem. Olgeta hemi makem toktok olsem: ‘Hemi stap wearem wanem?’ ‘Hemi drunk?’ ‘Hemi stap walkboat long night?’
Instead blong askem victim wanem wea hemi makem/wearem/toktok, mifala shud puttem ol questions i go long offender. Fulap taem ol police, media mo society hemi puttem toktok i go long ol woman blong preventem sexual vaelens instead blong askem offender blong takem responsibility long action blong hem.
I no gat wan reason mo excuse blong makem sexual vaelens. Sapos wan gel hemi drunk or hemi wearem sexy clothing, wan man hemi no gat raet blong makem no gud fasin long hem. Hemi mas karem consent bifo hemi save makem sexual activity wetem hem.
Hemi wan myth blong ting se hemi responsibiliti blong victim blong changem fasin blong hem blong preventem sexual vaelens. Even sapos wan gel hemi no drink alcohol, no wearem short trousers mo no walkboat long night, hemi still save facem sexual vaelens insaed long haos blong hem. Long Vanuatu 61% of victims hemi stap live wetem offender mo hemi wan family member blong hem. Hemi taem blong puttem toktok i go long ol boy mo man blong stoppem sexual vaelens. Hemi no responsibility blong ol gel mo woman nomo. #YumiStanap
This article was originally published in the Vanuatu Daily Post August edition Life and Style magazine.