Introduction
Throughout history, rhetorical artifacts have assisted the Western culture in addressing issues that can impair a society. Rhetorical critics have examined, how public service rhetorical acts aim to shape an audience’s belief around a “question of value,” by presenting a convincing argument (Campbell, Huxman, Burkholder pg. 49). Lady GaGa’s public service announcement, “Til it Happens to You,” is a contemporary example of a rhetorical act created with the intention to enlighten individuals across the nation about the prevalence of sexual assaults occurring on college campuses. In this essay the music video, “Til it Happens to You,” is identified as a rhetorical act. In the form of a music video, with national and international
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According to the 2014 Senate survey, only 41% of all universities initiated investigations into sexual assault claims in the last five years (Dockterman, 2015). Once it became evident education institutions were not respecting their responsibility to maintain a safe and beneficial environment, advocates began to take strides to address the problem. “Til It Happens to You” was originally written by, Lady Gaga and Diane Warren, for Kirby Dick’s documentary The Hunting Ground. A film, which revealed rape crimes on U.S college campuses, their institutional cover- ups and the everlasting effects the assaults left on the students and their families. Later in the year, the writers worked with film director, Catherine Hardwicke, to produce a PSA illustrating the sexual violence occurring in educational institutions across the nation. Their work has publically addressed the rhetorical problem, and exposed the need for change through the lyrics and images featured in the music