She really hits the nail on the head.
It is sad that in this day and age the concept of consent is still difficult to grasp for some people.
Although it shouldn’t need to be, it often seems that the most effective way of explaining consent is through analogy. For example a video went viral last year by using the simple concept of drinking tea to explain a much more dire issue.
The idea being, that if someone doesn’t want to drink a cup of tea, don’t make them.
This video sparked a huge reaction, with many people praising the video for it’s simplicity.
We hadn’t heard an analogy as fitting since – until Twitter user Nafisa Ahmed shared her own.
The 22-year-old used the comparison of stealing money from someone to clear up any confusion people still may have.
If you ask me for $5, and I'm too drunk to say yes or no, it's not okay to then go take $5 out of my purse… Just because I didn't say no.
— Nafisa (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
If you put a gun to my head to get me to give you $5, you still stole $5. Even if I physically handed you $5.
— nafisa ahmed (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
If I let YOU borrow $5, that doesn’t give the right for your FRIEND to take $5 out of my purse.
“But you gave him some, why can’t I?”— nafisa ahmed (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
If you steal $5 and I can’t prove it in court, that does NOT mean you didn’t steal $5.
— nafisa ahmed (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
Just because I gave you $5 in the past, doesn’t mean I have to give you $5 in the future.
— nafisa ahmed (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
If you can understand alllllll of that, how do you not understand the concept of rape?
— nafisa ahmed (@thatxxv) August 16, 2016
Nafisa is saying, plain and simple, that you should not take something from someone without clearly making sure it is okay first, and this can be related back to sexual assault. There is no such thing as blurred lines: if someone is at all unsure about doing something, you should not make them do it.
According to The Huffington Post, Nafisa’s tweets were in response to rape allegations surrounding film director Nate Parker.
Parker was accused of rape when he was still a student but was acquitted in 2001. It emerged this week that a woman who has accused him of rape had taken her own life.
Thousands of people have responded to Nafisa praising her for her powerful words.
While there should never be a need to explain the simple concept of consent to people, simple yet compelling discussion on social media can have a positive effect.
