The Sexual Assault Empathy Deficit

This generation suffers from a startling lack of empathy. Arguably one of the simplest human emotions to feel, empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another person. Yet, even when it comes to victims of sexual assault, it seems in dangerously short supply. 

While I myself have never experienced sexual assault, it is a fear that lives strong in every girl and women's head. It is one of the worst things that can happen to anybody: losing control, autonomy, and something that is rightfully only yours. The trauma is physical, emotional, and isolating. And what saddens me beyond words is the fact that everyone has a story, or everyone knows one.  

I cannot comprehend why so many struggle to believe survivors who come forward to tell their stories.

One in every five women experience rape or attempted rape during their lifetime. If you have a classroom of 18 kids, and 6 of them are girls, at least one of the girls is likely to experience assault once in their life. It is so scary to think about. The fact that 81% of women in the world REPORT experiencing some kind of sexual harassment or assault, and those are only the reported incidents. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, at least 61% of sexual assault cases go unreported. Most of these cases are due to fear, invalidation, coercion, and shame. 

The stigma surrounding sexual assault is both pervasive and dangerous. It degrades men and women alike. One of the most serious of violations – and yet people are okay with making jokes about it and invalidating real victims. Nothing about that is okay. This issue is not confined to certain places or groups; it exists in every community, and our schools are no exception.

Too many people only react when the assault affects someone they know personally. Why is basic human empathy so often absent? Why is it difficult to support those who bravely speak out without casting doubt on their experiences? Rape remains the most underreported crime worldwide – occurring every 74 seconds. By 1998, 17.7 million women had been victims of sexual assault. 

Think about that.

To those who speak out: your courage is undeniable. You are not alone, and there are resources to support you.

To those whose experiences were not believed, justice was denied, and lives tainted with fear: I am sorry.

To those who meet victims with silence and skepticism: change your ways today. Every time someone laughs at a joke about assault, dismisses a survivor’s story, or questions their credibility, they strengthen the very culture that allows violence to continue. Inaction is a choice that has profound consequences. Standing by quietly, whether consciously or not, supports the perpetrator. 

If we want a society that protects the vulnerable rather than punishes them, we must confront complicity at every turn. In recent years, there has been noticeable levels of increased apathy and sexism in social media spaces. Young men, who grow up in environments where toxic masculinity is commanded by peer pressure and social media, further normalize dismissive attitudes toward assault. Therefore, especially in high school contexts, educating young men early about consent, respect, and the real impact of sexual assault is so important. 

The world must change. We must cultivate basic human decency and empathy. Anything less is unacceptable.