The ‘mascara’ trend is empowering people to discuss sexual assault on TikTok – but are code-words enough?

This article contains references to sexual assault. 

The ‘mascara trend’ is a code word co-opted by users to discuss their relationships, breakups and sexual experiences to dodge TikTok’s rules and regulations. It’s generated some critical discussion points around consent and sexual assault, with many using it to share their own experiences, raising awareness of the many forms sexual assault can take.

Last week, Julia Fox came under fire for misunderstanding the trend. One user shared a video describing that he “gave this one girl mascara one time and it must’ve been so good that she decided that her and her friend should both try it without my consent.” Believing that he was referring to makeup, Fox commented, “Idk why but I don’t feel bad for u lol.” The reply read: “You don’t feel bad that I was sexually assaulted?”

After the backlash she received, Fox posted an apology. However, the irony is that she struggled to do so: her first attempt was removed for being too explicit. “I thought this guy was talking about getting his mascara stolen by some girl and then the girl like, lent it to her friend. As I read it…I was like ‘damn, like don’t catch a case, it’s just mascara’”, she explained. 

“But it was, in fact, not just mascara. I have already apologised to this person but I just wanna apologise to everyone who has been a victim of you know what. I’m really sorry, I’m really showing my age right now”, Fox added.

This was a seemingly innocent mistake: on an app as fast-paced as TikTok, new code words are constantly emerging. Julia Fox isn’t the only one confused, either: there are tens of videos explaining what this code word means. But if users are confused about these terms – which aren’t always immediately obvious in meaning – are these rules and regulations a help or a hindrance? Arguably, the latter.

SARSAS is a specialist service for people affected by sexual violence across Bristol, BANES, Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. As spokesperson Lisa Benjamin notes, the mascara trend is a way for survivors to dissect their emotions and reach out for support. “It shows how creative people can be when it comes to finding ways to process their experiences”, Benjamin says.

“It’s a positive sign that young people are able to identify when someone has done something to them that isn’t okay and feel able to talk about it, but it also highlights the scale of this issue”, Benjamin adds. “However, the flip side is that platforms like TikTok need to have strict censorship policies on abuse, predatory behaviour, and videos celebrating misogyny which cause sexual violence.”

Regulations are imperative in protecting consumers, but there’s an argument to be made that these are so restrictive that users are held back from holding nuanced discussions. Ness Cooper is a clinical sexologist and therapist, and she believes that TikTok censorship is making it difficult to give supportive information around sex and sexuality. It’s no wonder Julia Fox slipped up.