In light of the socio-political contours of the 21st century, Ovid’s magnum opus, the Metamorphoses, a collection of etiological and theophanic stories, evinces the power imbalances between men and women that undergirded the Roman world. In many myths, Ovid displays a “male gaze” and consistently reiterates a narrative of the male subjugation of a female victim.

As a current senior on the cusp of leaving for college, the topic of sexual violence has come up during conservations with my family as I am learning about what it means to be an adult living on my own and leaving the safe confines of my high school community and a relatively sheltered adolescence. As I am in the midst of applying to college,I can not help but wonder about whether will I feel safe at the school that I end up at, not just as a student, but as a female student?

Have you ever stolen something from a friend, or a sibling? Maybe you meant to give it back and forgot – maybe you were trying to be funny – or maybe, you were angry, and wanted revenge. Now think about any time you’ve had something stolen from you, or had a friend lie about you. How did you feel? Did it make you feel angry-sad? ‍