N.J. college tells women to practice making faces to avoid sexual assault

A New Jersey college encouraged its students to combat sexual assault by practicing their “anti-rape” facial expressions.

A presentation to freshman students at Ramapo College encouraged them to be cautious with how they dress, how much they drink, and how they use their body language in order to avoid potential sexual assaults. The presentation, led by the college’s coordinator of substance abuse and sexual assault prevention, Cory Rosenkranz, also encouraged students to “practice how they articulate their face in a social setting by practicing in a mirror,” according to The Ramapo News.

The hour-long presentation was part of AlcoholEdu, the mandatory training for all first-year students on alcohol education.

According to one student who serves as a peer facilitator at Ramapo, the presentation, called “Haven—Understanding Sexual Assault,” started off by talking about preventative measures before it became “peculiar.”

“She was saying that women need to watch their body language and that women should practice how they articulate their face [in a social setting] by practicing in the mirror,” Brandon Molina told The Ramapo News.

Subsequently, students and others who have heard about the event have taken to Twitter to complain about the presentation, using the hashtag, #MyAntiRapeFace.

“Haven educates students about the elements of healthy relationships, the importance of sexual consent and the role of bystanders in creating safe, healthy communities,” Judy Green, director of the Center for Health and Counseling Services, said of the presentation in an email to the student newspaper.

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