We need a better approach,

We teach abstinence to avoid the young pregnancies,

We teach safe sex to avoid the STD's ,

But we're scared of teaching bluntly. 

We have forgotten the climax of the concept

We have excommunicated rape culture from our education systems

We teach single sided lessons

Painting one gender to only be victims 

Society and media taught us that rape can only happen in one shape or form 

We taught our young girls how to 'avoid risky behaviors'

We taught them to always walk with a friend, 

We taught her to always watch her drink.

We've neglected to teach our sons and brothers that "No" means "No", 

Even if it's unspoken.

We have taught her that rape happens .

We have taught her that it "wasn't your fault "

We didn't teacher her that rape doesn't always happen in a dark alley with a strange man or in a church. 

We didn't teach her that even if she wanted to cry out she wouldn't know how

We never told her that her limbs and voice would freeze , colder than the Ninth Circle of hell.

We never taught her that long showers won't scrub away the shame, so she shouldn't waste her time 

We didn't tell him that it would make him feel like less of a man. 

We didn't tell him that media and culture would deny that a man could ever be raped. 

We didn't teach her that she will cry and she will hate herself 

We didn't teach her that no matter how much she tries she won't be able to forget 

 We never taught her that it doesn't define her 

We didn't teach her that she has not lost her value  just because he has lost his.

We didn't teach him that respect for other starts with respecting ones self.

We failed. 

As teachers, and partakers in this world we have failed.

We preached " No sex till marriage "

We mounted our elitist soapboxes and rained down fear into the minds of the young .

We never warned about what rape was and what it's byproducts could be. 

But we're lucky.

We're lucky because we can teach this better

We can prevent , reverse , and rewrite rape culture.

With ignorance comes weakness , but with knowledge there is power.