As rape prevention tips go, these are pretty unique. 
 
 Why? They're not targeted at the potential victim. 
 
 These are great- send to all the men in ur life RT @texpatriate 10 Rape Prevention Tips. @lizzwinstead pic.twitter.com/IPfWsaz9zz 
 
 ‘Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to rape someone, blow the whistle until someone comes to stop you’. 
 
 How about: ‘If you are in an elevator and a woman gets in, don’t rape her.’ 
 
 Or: ‘Remember, people go to the laundry room to do their laundry. Do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.’ 
 
 These are just three in a list of 10 ‘tips’ aimed at – you guessed it – would be rapists. 
 
 The tongue-in-cheek list first appeared in 2011, on a blog by the Washington State Coalition against Domestic Violence. 
 
 But is has now gone viral, after comedian Sarah Silverman posted it on Twitter, where is had been retweeted 3,500 times at the time of publishing. 
 
 In the original blog, a friend of the author explains that they don’t know whether the “laugh or be horrified” by the tips, adding: 
 
 ‘If you experienced rape… you don’t need rape prevention tips. It is the rapist and the culture around us that excuses, supports, and looks away that we must change.’ 
 
 It’s a serious point, behind a list that so cleverly skewers the practice of placing the onus on potential rape victims to change their behaviour (something I’ve written about before, in relation to anti-rape nail varnish that changes colour if your drink has been spiked). 
 
 Social media reaction to the list has ranged from hilarity to outrage – some people have missed the intended irony. Others complain that it demonises men and should be aimed at both sexes. 
 
 @tbozarth65 @Zaclee_nyc "We" don't want anything except for men to stop being demonized by ignorant hags like @SarahKSilverman — Femibust (@Femibuster) March 21, 2015 
 
 @dezzyboe yeah it's extremely offensive. It implies that it's common for men to think about ways to rape girls, when that's nonsense — Zac Lee (@Zaclee_nyc) March 21, 2015 
 
 @SarahKSilverman @texpatriate @lizzwinstead Any man annoyed by this is missing the point and needs to learn to feel and embrace empathy. — Robert Inonanob (@RobertInonanob) March 21, 2015 
 
 @Zaclee_nyc @dezzyboe I think men being "offended" is less important than teaching the importance of men working to stop rape. — Radchaai Princess (@RemingtonWild) March 22, 2015 
 
 oh man do I ever love it when people completely miss the point of something it's so great!!! — Pariya (@_pariya_) March 21, 2015 
 
 Nonetheless, we’re pleased this list has finally got the attention it deserves. 
 
 Because is there’s one message we want to convey? It’s this: 
 
 ‘When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone’. 
 
 The 'rape prevention' tips in full: 
 
 1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks. 
 
 2. When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone. 
 
 3. If you pull over to help a woman whose car has broken down, remember not to rape her. 
 
 4. If you are in an elevator and a woman gets in, don’t rape her. 
 
 5. When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not rape her. 
 
 6. Never creep into a woman’s home through an unlocked door or window, or spring out at her from between parked cars, or rape her. 
 
 7. Remember, people go to the laundry room to do their laundry. Do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room. 
 
 8. Use the Buddy System! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from raping women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times. 
 
 9. Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to rape someone, blow the whistle until someone comes to stop you. 
 
 10. Don’t forget: Honesty is the best policy. When asking a woman out on a date, don’t pretend that you are interested in her as a person; tell her straight up that you expect to be raping her later. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the woman may take it as a sign that you do not plan to rape her. ||||| Add a location to your Tweets 
 
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– On Saturday, Sarah Silverman retweeted a list of rape prevention tips aimed not at potential rape victims but at potential rapists—and there's been quite a bit of backlash, the Telegraph reports. The 10 tips include: "When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone." "When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not rape her." "Use the Buddy System! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from raping women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times." They were first posted on a blog from the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence in 2011, but they didn't go viral until Silverman reposted them along with the comment, "These are great- send to all the men in ur life." Reaction has ranged from anger: Sample: "it's extremely offensive. It implies that it's common for men to think about ways to rape girls, when that's nonsense" To semi-support: Sample: "this is cool, but what about male rape victims?" To full-fledged support: Sample: "Happy that this has become a thing. Instead of teaching defence, teach how NOT to sexually assault!" To those defending Silverman against the haters: Sample: "I'm so ashamed of men who think this is saying 'all men' the point is women shouldn't be in charge of stopping rape"