This heinous holiday should never have even seen the light, especially during Sexual Assault Awareness Month
"So, going out in public wasn’t exciting for the most part. I wore an oversized hoodie and in my pocket, my finger would not leave the trigger of my pepper spray on my keys."
Posted April 2021
Staff Reporter
April 24 seemed like a regular Saturday for most, but for those who identify as female and circulate the internet daily. April 24 was a day filled with paranoia by a heinous holiday that shouldn’t have even seen the light, especially during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
On the internet, specifically TikTok and Twitter, April 24 was declared, “National R*pe Day.” A day created by six men on Facebook, claiming that the 24 hours would be dedicated to committing sexual assault on women, children, or any that fall prey without consequences. As the name implies, it’s a disastrous holiday to be “celebrating,” and the fact some users on the internet are outspoken about taking advantage of it is terrifying. As someone who identifies as female and is normally female-presenting, April 24 gave me unnecessary uneasiness.
This “holiday” can be traced back to 2010 on Twitter and 4chan, but has never had a concrete day according to KnowYourMeme.com. On April 11,, 2019, Urban Dictionary was updated with a now deleted definition of the day by user KossanTone, that stated, “April 24th! The day when it's legal to r*pe people! So go ahead have sex with everyone, even your friends🌵.” I don’t believe it necessary to elaborate why this definition is absolute blasphemy, but Redditor u/bowlerboy2 did and their screenshot of the definition gained 720 upvotes in its first month.
Regardless if this was a senseless joke—which sexual harassment should NEVER be—or not, the number of viewers who took the message of the 24th seriously is what is really concerning. Countless Tweets and TikToks started to appear of the date, and the reactions varied drastically. This includes females giving loads of safety tips to law enforcement slandering the day. The hashtag “april24” alone has garnered over 182.2 million views on TikTok.
"True or not I’d rather be safe than sorry,” states Twitter user @11ralexis. “As always us ladies need to be aware & stay safe... PLEASE PAY ATTENTION EVERYDAY ESPECIALLY THIS DAY IN CASE SOMEONE ACTUALLY TRIES THIS."
One of the biggest tips given was to not leave your home on April 24. Unfortunately, my mom was leaving for Target and Home Depot and there was no way I was letting her go alone.
Personally, overthinking is a very prominent trait I possess. So, going out in public wasn’t exciting for the most part. I wore an oversized hoodie and in my pocket, my finger would not leave the trigger of my pepper spray on my keys. My senses felt heightened for sure, but thankfully nothing went wrong and we made it back home in peace, with only a few lingering stares being the worst.
Is it possible I’m overreacting? Yes. Did I feel uncomfortable? Yes. Are any and all feelings of distress concerning assault and harassment valid especially during these times? Absolutely.
According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), they’ve recieved 22 percent increase of hotlines since March of 2020. Not only does events like April 24 cause unruly discomfort amongst victims and vulnerable, it also undermines the feeling of safety whilst causing fear amongst masses. R*pe culture is nothing to laugh at, ever.
“Sexual violence is a product of r*pe culture, but things such as jokes about r*pe, cat-calling, victim-blaming and patriarchal power structures all come together to create a culture that normalizes r*pe and sexual assault,” stated journalist Sam Stroozas.
My condolences go to any victims of April 24, or just any that have fallen to sexual assault in the past, present, or future. Victims shouldn’t be the ones taking the blame.
Resources
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 1-800-656-4673
RAINN | The nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization
| National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)
Sources