Watch: When we talk about rape, a poem about the horrors of sexual harassment

No means no! We have been hearing this being preached for a while now, but how many of us actually understand what it means. A poem titled ‘When We Talk About Rape’, has recently gone viral on the internet, and it aptly explains why consent is everything. Posted by Unerase Poetry on YouTube, the poem is performed by Akanksha Sinha and Poorvika Mehra. The poem asserts how a survivor of sexual assault, harassment and/or rape fights not just physical discomfort but a constant mental battle as well. The poem concludes by describing every non-consensual move, steals the victim’s confidence. The confidence in themselves, and the confidence in the good around them. ‘Rape is about losing confidence in the supposed goodness around you.’ It talks about how you always think that nobody would lech at you, would touch you inappropriately, or make non-consensual advances at you, but when they do, you lose faith in all that you believed so far. You lose faith that your friends will stay by your side, that your bodies are not objects, or that saying “NO” matters. That confidence is lost.

This video reminds me of a British video made in 2015 by the Thames Valley Police, which explains consent in the most simple yet effective manner.