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(Content Warning: rape culture, victim-blaming, loud noises)

“Bears will be bears!”

What if bears killed one in five people? That’s the question posed by the It’s On Us campaign and College Humor in this PSA – and this absurd situation might make you laugh, but it makes an important point about sexual assault.

You might recognize some of the actors here, like The Daily Show’s Rob Riggle and New Girl’s Jake Johnson and Lamorne Morris. And you might know the statistic – that one in five women will be sexually assaulted by the time they finish college.

And unfortunately, you might also recognize the excuses people make to ignore the problem and blame victims. This makes it super clear that we wouldn’t put up with this rate of bear attacks – so why should it be acceptable for rape?



With Love,

The Editors at Everyday Feminism

Click for the Transcript Participant 1: Team versus team. Participant 2: That’s as good as it gets. Participant 3: Oh man, I’ve never had more fun in my whole life. Participant 4: Uh-oh. Daddy’s outta beer. I’m gonna go get another one, dude. Participant 1: This your card? Participant 2: No, Lamorne, stop doing magic. You’re not good at it. [bear roaring] Participant 4: Guys! Whoa, dude! There’s a bear in your other room here. Participant 3: What? Participant 2: Oh that’s just a big, angry, hungry bear. Just pretend it’s not there. Participant 4: Oh, really? Right, it’ll just go away? What are you talking about? Participant 2: No, I don’t think it’s going anywhere, but I don’t know what to do about it, so I just ignore it. Participant 3: So it’s not like—it’s not dangerous, right? Participant 2: Define dangerous. It’s a bear. But, you know, it’s not going to eat all of us. It only eats, like, one in five. Participant 1: One in five? Participant 2: I said only one in five, so we’re fine. Participant 5: That’s a lot, man. Participant 3: That means that one of us is going to be eaten! Participant 2: Statistically! It doesn’t mean one of us, it means one in five people get eaten. Participant 4: Why aren’t you doing something about this mess? Participant 2: What do you want me to do about it? You guys know the old saying, “Bears will be bears!” Participant 1: That’s not a saying. Participant 2: Lamorne. A bear will be a bear, so— Participant 1: You can’t just blame the bear, not when it’s attacking 20% of the people who come here! Participant 2: Ha ha, 20%? I said one in five. Participant 1: Yes. That’s 20%. Participant 2: No, it isn’t. It’s one in five, you math nerd! Let’s pile on this guy. Participant 5: Dude, you gotta get rid of this thing! Participant 4: Or at least warn us that there is a bear in the other room, man! We gotta look out for each other! What’re you doing? Participant 2: Hey, what happens between you guys and the bear is none of my business. Participant 4: Wait, how is this none of your business, man? One in five people are going to get attacked by this bear! [bear starts breaking through door as everybody screams] Participant 2: God, you’re overreacting! The bear’s not going to eat all of us. It’ll be less than a quarter of us. Participant 4: None of us should die! Participant 3: It affects all of us, Jake. One in five! How can you ignore something so important? How can you not protect your friends? One in five! One in five! [bear breaks through door as everybody screams] Participant 2: It’s alright, it’s fine. The majority is fine, and I don’t want to deal with this problem! [Title card: You wouldn’t put up with that. So don’t put up with this. 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted by the time they finish college. Do something about it. Take the pledge at itsonus.org.]

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