Pillar One
Believe.
The first commitment of every man who goes to BAT 4 Women.
What it means
What does it mean to Believe?
Believing a woman who tells you she was assaulted does not mean you abandon critical thinking. It means you extend the same basic trust to her that you would extend to a friend who told you they were robbed, or a colleague who told you they were cheated. You don't demand a police report before you believe them. You listen.
The reason this matters is simple: the most common reason survivors don't report is the fear they won't be believed. When men reflexively doubt, they don't just fail the individual in front of them — they reinforce the culture that keeps survivors silent and perpetrators safe.
Believing is not a legal verdict. It is a human response. It is the foundation on which everything else — reporting, healing, accountability — depends.
The standard
Innocent until proven guilty is a legal standard. Not a reason to doubt survivors.
The presumption of innocence protects the accused in a court of law. It does not require you to withhold belief from someone who is asking for your support. These are two different things. Conflating them is how men justify inaction.
Only 2–10% of sexual assault reports are false — the same rate as false reports for other violent crimes.
The presumption of innocence protects the accused in a court of law. It does not require you to withhold belief from someone who is asking for your support. These are two different things. Conflating them is how men justify inaction.
Source: FBI / NSVRC
The objections — and why they don't hold.
"What if she's lying?"
False reports are rare — 2 to 10 percent, identical to other violent crimes. The far more common scenario is that a real assault went unreported because the survivor feared exactly this response.
"I need to hear both sides."
You are not a judge. You are a person being asked to support someone. Demanding 'both sides' before offering basic human belief is not fairness — it is a way of avoiding the discomfort of taking a position.
"It could ruin his life."
Sexual violence ruins lives — the lives of survivors, every day, for years. The concern for the accused's reputation is rarely matched by equal concern for the survivor's trauma.
"I don't know what really happened."
Neither does anyone else, in most cases. That uncertainty is not a reason to default to disbelief. It is a reason to listen without judgment and let the survivor lead.
How to practice Believing.
When someone tells you something happened to them, your first words should be: "I believe you. I'm glad you told me."
Do not ask what she was wearing, how much she drank, or why she didn't leave sooner. These questions shift blame. Ask instead: "What do you need right now?"
If you hear a story secondhand and your instinct is to defend the accused, notice that instinct. Ask yourself why your first move is to protect him rather than her.
When other men express doubt about a survivor's account, push back. Not aggressively — but clearly. "I'm going to take her at her word" is a complete sentence.
Know the resources. RAINN's hotline is 1-800-656-4673. If someone comes to you, you don't have to have all the answers — but you can help them find support.
Ready to Go To BAT 4 Women?
Believing is the first step. The pledge is where it becomes a commitment.