Being festive on St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t mean you’re wearing a neon sign that says “RAPE ME.” | Source” ShutterStock

There are a few holidays when people go out specifically to get wasted, but St. Patrick’s Day may be the most universal drunken holiday. As you’re all wise enough to know by now, drinking can lower your inhibitions, make you make worse decisions and cloud your judgment–and if you drink too much, especially to point of a blackout, can end up in dangerous situations where people take advantage of and rape you. It’s scary and it shouldn’t happen period–and if and when it does, it should not be considered your fault, because it’s not.

Knowing that rape is never the victim’s fault, when I read this article, I was furious and disheartened. Apparently at a huge St. Patrick’s Day festival in Kansas, sexual assault is a problem. Fair enough. The writer, who I honestly think meant well, explained that the “boys will be boys” mentality is dangeous–which is true. But the writer, who is male, also noted that if women and girls hang out with guys who act like that, they’re essentially asking for it. He begged women and girls not to drink too much, go to parties, “imitate boys in their behavior, laugh at their jokes that degrade you or keep their company when they stop behaving themselves” to prevent getting raped.

I get what he means, and he doesn’t mean any harm. He wants us to be safe on St. Patrick’s Day and everyday, and he wants us to respect ourselves and not give jerks any opportunity to attack. I get that, and I appreciate the sentiment and the good intentions behind it.

But here’s the thing: at the end of that rainbow of good intentions isn’t a pot of gold, but instead inadvertent sexism. Implying that we’re tempting dudes and they just can’t help themselves because they don’t know any better is a way of slut shaming and blaming the victim, whether the writer realizes it or not.

We shouldn’t have to prevent ourselves from getting raped. We shouldn’t have to be taught how to avoid rape. Men should be taught not to rape us. Because guess what? Sometimes, we’re going to underestimate the strength of our booze. Sometimes we’re going to want to wear skirts or draw shamrocks on our cheeks for St. Patrick’s Day. Sometimes we’re going to want to live, and we should be able to do that without fear that we’re “tempting” some douchebag to molest us.

It shouldn’t be our responsibility to not get raped. It should be other people’s responsibility to not rape. Period.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get a Shamrock Shake. And hopefully not assaulted.

Do you think certain holidays like St. Patrick’s Day make us more vulnerable to rape? Do you think it’s ever a victim’s fault for rape? Do you think the writer of the original article was off base or on the money? Tell us in the comments!

This girl lost her little sister at a St. Patrick’s Day parade!

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