OPINION:

Over the past few weeks, it seems like the number of sexual assault accusations has risen rapidly, as an environment of safety and courage drives women to speak out.

This environment must continue to be fostered and protected, and these courageous men and women should be honored for the bravery it took to speak out.

The reaction to sexual assault has not changed much over the years. Assaulted women and men are still viewed as ones that are at least partly to blame when they are the ones who said “no” or who did not want to go as far as they were pushed.

Does anyone take a step back and realize how foolish it is to blame the victims for the crimes?

Sometimes I even see or hear people talking about the alleged rapists as if they are victims.

When does the victim blaming stop? I wish I knew. I wish I knew why so many people question the veracity of certain rape claims just because they are made before an election.

Today, with the Women’s March, the outpouring of support for equality, and all the women speaking out about their stories, there is an atmosphere of empowerment. It is for the courts to judge whether someone is guilty; it is up to each individual to choose whether one will support a figure accused of sexual assault.

It is up to the people to be educated and fair citizens when determining the verdict from a juror’s seat or at the ballot box.

According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN), one in every six women is the victim of an attempted or completed rape. This does not even count men. These are the ones who are labeled as asking for it, who are pushed not to report it because of how they will be viewed by their peers.

The stigma around rape victims must change. Treat survivors with respect and kindness; it is the only way to get closer to gender equality.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT:

One of the biggest battles, or more appropriately, choices, one has to make when deciding on a streaming service is Netflix or Hulu.

Up until the middle of August I had only ever used Netflix as a streaming service, but the kids I babysit have a Hulu account so we have browsed a few times deciding on what movie to watch.

I have come to a shocking revelation. Hulu has, by far, many more options that appeal to me than Netflix does.

So, my brother and I convinced our parents to let us participate in a month long free trial of Hulu, and I am loving every minute of it.

The variety is amazing. Tons of reality TV, sitcoms, and cooking shows are calling my name.

One of my ultimate favorite shows, “Friends” is not on Hulu, which lowers my rating of it, but not by much. I am still a fan.

Navigation is a bit of a different story: when you go to Netflix’s home page, the icons of movies and shows to watch are giant. It is so much easier to find a new show to binge-watch than on Hulu.

The only asset to Hulu’s poor navigation system is the setup of their networks, which is provided in a list form.

Hulu comes with a few cons, such as that you cannot download videos, which is one of the reasons I would choose Netflix over Hulu.

Also, leading into the price factor, another con with Hulu is that it is more expensive based on the package you chose. That being said, one Hulu package comes with Showtime and HBO Go.

One of the major differences is the advertisement factor. With a free trial I did not have to experience the pain of them, but I have had to before, and trust me when I say, it is not fun.

I feel like the rivalry between Hulu and Netflix is taking over the world, and while I am a huge fan of Hulu, there are definitely things I would change about it, leading my final decision: Netflix is better than Hulu.