Entertainment

Sexual Assault Survivors Bravely Come Together In Lady Gaga’s New Video

“til it happens to you”

One in five college women this year will be the victim of sexual assault. But Lady Gaga’s powerful new music video for her latest single, “Til It Happens to You,” is trying to change that.

The video begins with a warning that it contains graphic imagery. Presented by The Hunting Ground, a documentary released earlier this year exposing the alarming realities of college rape, the video shows the distressingly prevalent issue in a realistic light. It’s a situation that far too many college women are familiar with: A campus party turns into a nightmare with an act of sexual assault.

Written by Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, the music video empowers survivors by encouraging them to come together, and reminding them they aren’t alone. Lady Gaga Tweeted that she wrote the song with Dianne Warren as a way to uplift and inspire solidarity.

While this clip may be hard to watch at times, it’s safe to say that it is arguably the most important music video of 2015. One in five college women this year will be the victim of sexual assault—but we can fight for change.

Watch the video, below. A portion of proceeds from this single will be donated to organizations that help survivors of sexual assault.