Let’s Talk About #SexResponsibly, Baby

A wise man named Lil Wayne once said, “Safe sex is great sex,” (I won’t get into the rest) and now Absolut Vodka is saying it, too. ‘Drink responsibly’ is a phrase we have all heard about a million times. You see the phrase on packaging, in commercials, and on posters in bars and liquor stores. But what does drinking responsibly include? Drinking responsibly discourages drunk driving and it discourages over-consumption. Can you think of anything else? Well, Absolut introduced a new phrase that goes hand in hand with ‘Drink Responsibly’ just in time for Valentine’s Day, ‘Sex Responsibly.’

Absolut’s new campaign draws attention to consent and the relationship between drinking and sex. There is no denying that the two, alcohol and sexual misconduct, often have a direct correlation (Williams, 2020). In fact, the #SexResponsibly campaign partners with RAINN, the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence network, to help draw attention to the startling statistics. This campaign is definitely a bold move for Absolut, because the statistics are not good. Let me break it down for you.

Every 73 seconds an American is sexually assaulted (RAINN). 1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime (RAINN). On top of that, about 3% of American men have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime (RAINN). In response to these unsettling statistics, Absolut partnered with KRC Research to conduct a survey with 21-30 year olds on the topic of consent (Absolute.com). 61 percent of participants expressed that they feel companies, more specifically companies specializing in alcohol distribution, should be involved in addressing the issue of sexual misconduct (Absolute.com).

Absolut acknowledges these statistics and decided to act. The result of these numbers… the #SexResponsibly campaign. This campaign highlights the importance of consent in safe and healthy sex (Ricard, 2020). The slogans of the ad all cover ways that consent may be misunderstood during an encounter with someone.

In addition to the startling statistics, there was another motivating factor behind this campaign. Ann Mukherjee, the new CEO of Absolut’s parent company, was sexually assaulted by an intoxicated man when she was just four years old (Singer, 2020). Mukherjee jumped at the opportunity of a position with the giant alcoholic beverage company because she saw it as her chance to make a difference in the existing party culture (Singer, 2020).

In addition to fulfilling a social responsibility, the #SexResponsibly campaign also raises funds for RAINN, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. For every post shared using the hashtag #SexResponsibly, Absolut will donate $1 to the RAINN organization (Singer, 2020). Mikherjee is also joining RAINN’s national board, because she is a ROCKSTAR (McAteer, 2020).

Let’s talk about who this campaign is targeting. This is not a campaign for women. Absolut’s goal is not to coach women on how not to be sexually assaulted. Absolut’s goal is to target perpetrators who have some unexplained inability to respect the word ‘No.’

According to statistics, in the time it took you to read up to this point, at least 4 people have been sexually assaulted. Sexual assault is an epidemic that affects American lives every single day. Alcohol consumption is often a contributing factor to this crisis. I applaud Absolut for their dedication to raising awareness on this issue and promoting safe and healthy sex.

It’s sad that consent has to be such a complex request in today’s society. But here’s the thing… I challenge you to uphold the standards addressed within this campaign. I challenge you to educate others and understand that only yes means yes. I challenge you to drink responsibly. And finally, I challenge you to #SexResponsibly.

RAINN is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800.656.HOPE and online.rainn.org). RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

If you or someone you know has been affected by sexual violence and need to talk, free and confidential support is available 24/7 via RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.4673 and online.rainn.org.