Post-modern pop diva Lady GaGa, is an internationally known songwriter, singer, and actress. In addition to being one of the best-selling artists of all time, she is recognized for the self-empowerment undertones present in many of her songs, as well as, her eccentric fashion and performances. Lady GaGa's "Til It Happens to You", is a song that depicts the hardship of sexual assault in a college setting. This song was produced and sung by Lady Gaga and was co-written by Diane Warren for the documentary film, "The Hunting Ground". This documentary, which was featured at the Sundance film festival 2015, focuses on college rape in the United States. Throughout the visual techniques of this influential video, viewers are encouraged to feel a sense of personal responsibility and to assist in the termination of sexual assault on campuses across the United States. 

The music video for "Til It Happens to You", begins with a simple, but attention grabbing opening credits that caution the viewer there is explicit content ahead. The disclaimer is completely warranted as the next few scenes contain deeply unsettling and graphic footage of sexual assaults. These emotionally charged and violent scenes are used to accurately illustrate the reality of what occurs to many individuals on college campuses. The introductory credits build anticipation with its extended length and slow dissolving transitions. This is effective in both preparing and catching the interest of the viewer. When the main individuals the video track are introduced, they are happy and positive, some laughing with friends, one girl enjoying making music. This contrasts greatly with the scenes of upcoming assault and lets the viewer know that they usually cannot predict their sexual assaults. The music video sheds light on the horrors of rape as they occur, not shying away from their natural brutality. The video is presented entirely in black and white, allowing the viewers to focus on the film as a whole and to not risk any chances of taking away from the powerful message against sexual assault. The choice of filming in black and white is noteworthy because it points out that there is no grey area rape, a lack of consent constitutes rape with no in-between. Filming in black and white also encourages a clear and truthful portrayal of the stories in this music video. The color black usually symbolizes fear, grief, and the unknown. The attackers in the video wore dark clothing and were shrouded in shadow while they are present showing how they are a negative or evil force. The fact that they are shown in such darkness, can be related to how their victims feel when they see their attackers, expressing fear, grief, and negative emotion when they think about them. The color white can represent safety, purity, sterility, virginity and positivity. The individuals are almost always cast in light or a whiter color, reinforcing that that they are pure and good in contrast to their attackers. The video uses four young people of varying sexual orientation and race to indicate that anyone can be a victim of sexual assault or rape.  

The progression of the video leads the viewer to see the devastating aftermath of the sexual assaults. The individuals are shown isolating themselves; upset and vulnerable. Each of the victim's assaults occurred under different circumstances: one is taken advantage of by a drunk friend, one is raped in a bathroom and two were drugged at a party, all are shown to be connected in how they are affected by their assaults. The four victims represent the ways people are affected by these attacks. The scenes that show the long-term struggles of the victims are punctuated with visuals of words that convey their feelings written in black marker on their skin and flashbacks of the assault. The ink may be a permanent ink, reflecting that they will always carry these negative experiences with them, the assault they endured changed them irreversible. The phrases written include, "I am worthless", "Sometimes I Hate myself", and "Believe me". These are all thoughts associated with depression and are ones they could not express when they were still reeling in the wake of the attacks. While the inner thoughts of these four would not normally be seen, they are written on the physical body to make them physically visible and have a greater impact. The settings for each individual are all dark with one focal point of light behind them to highlight and call attention to their suffering by outlining it. Each person the video follows is living in a dorm room to reiterate the video's message of how often sexual assault occurs on campuses. While displaying the effect of assault on each of the victims are often sitting, making their bodies small because they feel violated and defeated. They have depressed expressions and exhibit distressed behavior from cleaning compulsively because they feel dirty, to crying, and isolating themselves. They do not want to do the things they used to. One example of this is how the girl in the beginning of the video that once enjoyed composing music, can no longer enjoy doing so.  While the middle of the video seems that all hope is lost, the end has a more positive feel and shows recovery is possible. 

The video's ending reflects the women who have spoken out about being assaulted and benefitted from doing so. Each individual affected by sexual assault is visited by people who care about them and want to help them. After talking to these people they are slowly pulled back to their feet, representing their rise above the attacks as survivors, not victims. During these positive moments are images of the phases; "Listen, you will hear me", "I am worthy", and "I love myself", are written in black on their skin, reflective of their transition from earlier in the video. The phrases used are far more positive and allow the viewer to see how the survivors have overcome their violent assaults. The phrase "I love myself" was not written on the arms like most of the other quotes. Rather it was written on a woman's back, which draws more attention to and implied that it is the most important message. The visitors help them, stand, and walk with them, a solid front against violence of this nature. Each trio's facial expressions and body language are proud and stern, representing a statement of protest and unity in a general sense. Each victim has one friend on each side to support them as they walk down a hallway that symbolizes their journey of recovery and moving on from their attacks. This moving visual causes the video to relate this message to videos such as Martin Luther King Jr.'s walks for equality. This elevates the videos significance in the viewer's eyes. The dark outline of what appears to be a lone girl can be seen in front of a bright window after all the trios are out of sight in the hallway, symbolizing the individuals that are survivors of rape and sexual assault. The light behind her calls attention to her figure, and reinforces the profound message of the video. 

"Til It Happens to You", gives a haunting and powerful portrayal of the effect rape and sexual assault that often occurs on campuses has on its victims. The video is raw, and in being so, sends the clear message that the brave survivors of these attacks need more support, to know they are not alone and that people want to help them. The video ends positively, but it is in its entirety, a call to end the epidemic of sexual assault plaguing campuses and the importance of offering support to the victims.

