13 Ways "13 Reasons Why" Expands The Conversation On Teens And Mental Health: 2. Rape And Sexual Assault
August 02, 2017
[caption id="attachment_4838" align="alignleft" width="300"] (Courtesy Netflix)[/caption]
For the first 13 days in August (with a full round-up on August 14), I'll be highlighting the 13 ways I, as an NYC therapist who works with teens, think the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why expands the conversation on teens and mental health:
2. Rape And Sexual Assault
The show is spot-on about what goes down with rape and sexual assault with teens. From Jessica’s rape when she was passed-out drunk to Hannah’s cornered rape in a pool after a party to Marcus trying to cop a feel on a first date with Hannah, all these situations happen in high school. Mostly, I think parents are scared to talk about rape and sexual assault as real for teens. But, I think the best thing a parent can do to teach their teen about sexual safety (even after a rape or assault) is to allow space to talk about it. Teens also need to talk to each other. When teens talk about rape or sexual assault, there is a sense of community rather than isolation around rape or sexual assault.
