“I’m not insulting Lifetime movies!” Consent, sexual assault, and A Promising Young Woman

***Trigger, alert/content warning: This episode involves talking graphically about sexual assault, especially related to college and parties and acquaintance rape. Please visit the NSVRC.org for help, information, resources, and support.

As April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, this week’s podcast episode finds Becky and Merie diving headlong into the world of college parties, alcohol, consent, rape, and revenge, with the Oscar-nominated movie Promising Young Woman taking center stage. Along the way they address the burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

Can a sports bra cause you to injure one of your lats? Also, what is the exact location of a lat and how could anyone possibly know that?

Why does Merie keep trying to give Becky a stroke?

Why is Becky finally inspired to reference her blog, veraciousvoyager.com?

Is the state legislature of Minnesota ever going to come to its senses about this issue? And same goes for Hollywood…

Do people really go to the laundry room and NOT expect to be molested? (hint: YES, you moron.)

What pickup line makes Becky want to commit a Promising Young Woman-type act?

What is Merie threatening to draw on Becky’s face the next time she’s passed out?

What are the verrrrrry explicit directions Becky gives to one particular writer from the National Review as for what he can do to himself?

Come for the ladies’ athletic wear terror. Stay for the ways that you, too, can stop yourself from raping someone. (hint: don’t do it.)

Sources for this episode include:

Becky’s Veracious Voyager blogs like this one on rape prevention. 9gag.com’s Rape prevention checklist for dudes. Washington Post. Mother Jones. USA Today. LA Times.

Further sources include: https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2019/12/9046235/intoxication-rape-loophole-consent-law-new-york

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2021/03/26/minnesota-rape-alcohol/

https://www.alcohol.org/effects/sexual-assault-college-campus/

https://archive.thinkprogress.org/gang-rapes-happen-on-college-campuses-da4aeb750931/

https://www.nationalreview.com/2020/12/movie-review-promising-young-woman-sad-feminist-cry-for-help/