Lady Gaga has released a poignant new single about sexual assault in tribute to "people all over the world who suffer from painful life experiences."
The song was written for The Hunting Ground, a documentary about rape on college campuses in the United States which was released in February this year.
It features the lyrics: "You tell me it gets better, it gets better in time / You say I'll pull myself together, pull it together, you'll be fine / Tell me, what the hell do you know? What do you know?"
She continues: “Tell me how the hell could you talk / How could you talk / Losing till you walk where I walk / This is no joke.”
The singer collaborated with Catherine Hardwicke, who directed 2008’s Twilight, to create the five minute music video that depicts various examples of assault against women and how they deal with these shocking ordeals.
It starts with a warning that the video contains "emotionally unsettling" graphic content, but says it "reflects the reality of what is happening daily on college campuses."
The video depicts three separate sex attacks on women.
Gaga worked with Golden Globe winner Diane Warren on the song, and later tweeted “Diane Warren and I made "Til It Happens To You" for people all over the world who suffer from painful life experiences.”
“We hope you feel our love and solidarity through the song & perhaps find some peace in knowing you are not alone through this film #TilItHappensToYou.”
.@diane_warren & I made "Til It Happens To You" for people all over the world who suffer from painful life experiences. #TheHuntingGround
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) September 18, 2015
We hope u feel our love&solidarity through the song & perhaps find some peace in knowing u r not alone through this film #TilItHappensToYou
— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) September 18, 2015
The clip finishes with the message: “1 in 5 college women will be sexually assaulted this year unless something changes.” as well as pointing people towards the films Facebook page.
