UBC ‘Don’t be a rapist!’ posters have message for attacker

The creators of a poster campaign following a string of sexual assaults at the University of British Columbia have a message for the perpetrator and anyone like him: don't be a rapist.

CBC reported the posters appeared around campus without any indication of who printed them following three sexual assaults on young women in the last few weeks. In each attack, the suspected perpetrator, described as a Caucasian male, dragged the woman and reached under her skirt until she screamed and scared him away, according to the Globe and Mail. The newspaper reported another student was punched in the face during a similar attack on Saturday.

Police handed out whistles and safety tips, while others created the series of posters giving out advice.

Some observers, including Anisa Mottahed, the manager of the university's sexual assault support centre, isn't convinced a written reminder not to rape is a good strategy.

[ Related: UBC students question sexual assault messaging ]

Mottahed told the CBC the centre doesn't usually share tips, and it certainly wouldn't connect assault to sex drive, as one of the posters does.

"That negates the fact that sexual assault is not about sex. It never is. It's about power and control," she told the CBC.

However, others pointed out that the posters put the blame on perpetrators, rather than victims, which is refreshing when women are often told to change their behaviour instead.