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There has been a lot in the news and on social media about sexual assault and sexual coercion in the past couple of weeks. Starting with the disappearance of Sarah Everard in London, where we\'re both from, women have been expressing their outrage at the lack of response from the government and the Metropolitan Police, as well as telling their stories online about the sexual harassment they experience on a daily basis.

We wanted to share our thoughts about what has been happening, and tell our own stories of sexual coercion, which we know many women will be able to relate to. We discuss how sexual coercion is extremely common with people in relationships and not, as well as the fact that sexual coercion is so normalised amongst women because of how common it is. An often-asked question is why sexual assault goes unreported, but we wanted to bring light to the fact that because instances of sexual assault and sexual coercion happen so often, most women don\'t even consider reporting it. This is all a part of the victim blaming that comes along with sexual assault.

We also discuss how the word \'no\' is received, as well as how women use it, and how women can be scared to resist sexual coercion because of the fear of what that might lead to. Sexual coercion is a part of the larger conversation about sexual assault and rape culture, and how there are countless ways women are pressured and forced into sex or sexual acts that they have not consented to, or feel uncomfortable doing. In order for the conversation to change, both men and women need to do more to acknowledge the countless ways we are complicit in upholding this harmful culture with our silence and hesitation to call people out, especially those we are close to.

If you have experienced any form of sexual harassment, sexual coercion, or sexual abuse, we\'re sorry you had to go through that, and you\'re not alone. There are so many people telling their stories online right now, but we also want to stress that it is okay to not share your experiences if you\'re not ready. And to those who have shared, thank you. If you\'d like to talk to someone, know that help is always available. Victim Support have a 24/7 confidential hotline (UK based) on 0808 16 89 111

We\'re sending love to everyone who is affected by sexual abuse, or who feels emotionally drained in the midst of these conversations. Stay safe, look after your mental health, and keep calling people out! We love you, and we\'ll see you on Tuesday <3

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