Too often, well-meaning campaigns to prevent sexual assault end up putting the onus of rape prevention on the victims— don’t wear sexy clothes, don’t walk in bad neighborhoods, don’t drink too much, don’t get raped. But in the UK, authorities are taking a novel approach to preventing sexual assault this holiday season: by telling rapists not to rape people.
The Scotland Yard is utilizing wifi hotspots in bars and clubs to send holiday revelers text messages warning them that it’s not okay to rape, and that having sex with someone who is too intoxicated to consent is rape. So, uh, don’t do that. Although getting a “don’t rape anyone you meet tonight, pls” text message at the beginning of a night out might be a bit of a buzzkill, the message is important, especially around a time year when drinking is at its annual high. One officer summarizes the reason behind the campaign thusly,
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