Teach our sons that the only cause of rape is a rapist

Marine veteran Joslin Joseph criticized the victim-blaming culture surrounding the Cornell University rape investigation, arguing that accountability should rest entirely with the perpetrator. Joseph emphasized the importance of teaching young men that the sole cause of rape is the rapist, not the actions or choices of the victim. The discussion emerged amid ongoing debates about campus sexual misconduct and the role of consent education. A recent article published by The Nation highlighted personal experiences of sexual assault, including the author's own encounter during college in 1997. She noted that nearly every woman she knows has faced sexual assault, often during their college years. This period, she explained, marks the first time many young women engage in independent social interactions with unfamiliar men, increasing exposure to potential predators. The author pointed out that cultural conservatives often suggest reducing sexual risk by encouraging early marriage and domesticity, framing isolation as a form of protection. However, she argued that such measures limit women's autonomy and independence. Instead, she advocated for comprehensive consent education, which she believes is essential for preventing sexual violence. In response to a controversial statement by an influencer regarding the Cornell case, who claimed that men involved already understood consent, the author disagreed. While acknowledging that some men recognized wrongdoing, she stressed that inadequate sex education, particularly among young men, contributes to harmful attitudes toward consent. Her own upbringing in a conservative, religious environment lacked formal sex education, relying instead on informal, often inaccurate, peer-driven knowledge. She concluded that without proper education, individuals, especially young men, are ill-equipped to navigate healthy relationships and understand boundaries. The lack of accurate information, compounded by the influence of pornography, perpetuates misconceptions about consent and sexual behavior. As such, she called for improved sex education to address these gaps and prevent future incidents of sexual assault.