Sophomore Samantha Stendal felt a different response was needed to the Steubenville rape trials. So during finals week of winter term the cinema studies major put together a quick 27 second video in contrast to the media’s coverage of the case.

“What really scared me about the coverage especially with the Steubenville rape case is just how sympathetic they were to the futures of the boys who raped a girl and there was no discussion about how it affected her future,” Stendal said.

The video opens with a girl passed out on the couch. A man appears in front of the camera   and places a blanket over her and a cup of water by her side.

“Real men treat women with respect,” actor Justin Gotchall says.

The video went viral and in just two weeks had over two million views. The simple but powerful message was soon being picked up by news outlets in the US, Canada, Australia, and more. Samantha says she hopes to continue to do more films on the subject, giving a voice to victims of sexual assault.

To watch the video click here: A Needed Response

Casey Pechan, DuckTV News