Table of Contents
Rape Culture: A Brief Introduction
News Reports on the Rape Cult
Rape Cultures of the Past
Rape Culture: A Brief Introduction
What is rape-culture? We cannot begin by ignoring this issue. First, we must define rape cultures. Rape culture is a situation in which victims are blamed because they were victims. The rape culture is a place where jokes are made and stories of rape consist only of boys acting like boys. The media, including TV, music, advertising and legal jargon (laws, words, and images) are all part of the problem. Media sells women as objects for men’s desire. It’s accepted as the norm and is viewed by many as inevitable. This way of thinking has persisted for centuries and is likely to continue. The idea is that nothing can be done to stop it or change it.
America’s rape-culture is everywhere. In one article, the disparities in attitudes toward rape are highlighted. The horrific gang-rape and murder a young Indian woman was the focus of news last December. Many Americans were outraged by this event. Many articles were written criticizing the Indian government as well as its rape-culture. Newspapers in the entire country focused on this issue. Their disgust was expressed and they wanted justice to be served for the family of the victim. Around the same date, an article appeared about a sixteen-year-old girl raped in Steubenville while she was unconscious. The story was not given nearly the same attention. This story was kept hidden for over a year. It wasn’t investigated and the focus was less. Media in the United States has been slower to expose its rape-culture. The discussion of punishing perpetrators was short. It is more focused on the so called hero worship that takes place in a town that’s centered on football. Why isn’t the case in question at the forefront of media attention? Maybe America is hiding their rape cultural from the general public. In India, expressing outrage and showing the faults other countries is considered acceptable. Accepting that America has a culture of rape? Blasphemy.
Rape Culture on the NewsThe Orlando Sentinel published a recent story regarding rape. This article, entitled “Rapebait Email Shows Ugly Side of Fraternity Culture”, is about a fraternity member from Georgia Tech who emailed a guide for seducing a woman to his fraternity brothers. It explained how to get women drunk in order for them to be attracted. He said that men had to buy them drinks all the time. The man continued by saying that when the women had drunkenly, men must dance with them. He gave explicit instructions for groping and grinding. Instructions were given to men only, and the women would not be considered victims. The member concluded the email with the phrase “In luring Rapebait.” Although he had stated in the body of his email there would not be rapings, he ended it this way. What does this prove? The man’s actions show that he was trying to prevent his brothers getting into trouble while still seeing women as “rapebait”. Men use them as objects to chase and get drunk. This whole incident shows how rape is a culture that permeates all college campuses. Most rapes occur on campus, but are rarely reported. Even those reported aren’t investigated fully. Fraternity brothers are also more likely to be sexually assaulted than men in college (“‘Rapebait” Email Shows Ugly Face of Fraternity Culture”) Fraternity men seem to believe that women are theirs more than other college men. Frat life as a culture may perpetuate this. Here’s the real question: How was this email deemed acceptable by anyone? Let’s rape, assault and teach others to do the same! The whole email shows that some men think they have a right to women, and that raping and assaulting them is not wrong. This frat boy told all his brothers to get women drunk to make them less able defend themselves. It is not surprising that rape is a culture on campus and in other parts of the world. Elizabeth Smart’s article, published recently on thinkprogress.org, is another example. Smart, who was a victim of kidnappings and sexual assaults, has focused attention on rape and education culture. She said that abstinence only education, which is usually found in conservative areas, was another way of putting shame on rape victim. This education makes victims of rape feel “worthless”. Victims believe that their clean status has been lost. It makes them feel less human when abstinence is the only thing that’s promoted. Smart explained that abstinence-only education is only one way that victims of sexual assault can be humiliated. There are many ways to expose victims to shame. She cited social media as an example of how victims are exposed. The Steubenville Case is a good example. The rape of the victim was recorded by partygoers who watched it. After that, the party-goers uploaded pictures on Twitter and referred to the victim as a drunken slut. This girl is made to feel bad for the entire ordeal by insinuating her guilt. Onlookers laughed and stood there, which is disgusting.
Smart’s transformation as a victim and advocate is also discussed in the article. After being held hostage for nine-months, Smart has started to use the experience she gained to help others. In the months leading up to the publication of her memoir, she received a great deal of attention. She was able to express her opinion on rape. Media attention has been given to her, as well as rape cultures, which is a good thing. She told victims it was okay to speak out about their assault. It is now public knowledge that victim blaming is a serious problem in the United States. Smart, who has spent decades ignoring the issue, is now bringing it to light. This issue is no longer something that can be ignored. America must become more aware of this growing issue. Rape culture is not limited to men. Slate.com published an article in which some women believed that women dressed too provocatively, or drank alcohol were ‘begging for it. The article does not blame the victim for some of its ideas, but the title itself is victim blaming. By claiming that women are raped because they’re drunk, we avoid the real problem. Men use alcohol to exploit women. The men, not women, are responsible for abusing a woman after she has consumed alcohol. The article does have some merit. For example, women should be careful about how much and what they drink, especially when in a college setting. Next, there are the disgusting comments from the author who tells her child “not to become the drunken frank boy accused of raping his drunken classmate”. What is that supposed to mean? Tell your son not to rape a girl, but to avoid being accused of it. What logic is there in this? This article is a great example of why men should be taught to not rape. The problem will not be solved by blaming women. The victimization of women by telling them that it was their drinking which caused the assault is obvious.
Rape culture is a common topic in the media. Many people are still trying their best to determine what is wrong and right. It is important that people learn not to blame the victims of their attacks. The perpetrators of the crimes must be punished and held accountable. These stories demonstrate that rape culture is not only about blaming the victim, but also making fun of women. The frat email shows that men are taught to view women as objects, which they can pick up in bars and at parties.
Rape Cultures of the PastRape culture is a subject that has long been discussed. In the past few decades, many people have tried to figure out and find ways to rid rape-culture. One of these talks was given by a speaker in fall 1983 at the Midwest Regional Conference for National Organization for Changing Men. The speech took place in a large room filled with men. There were a couple of women scattered about. The majority of the audience were “political males who claim to be antisexists” (“I Want A Twenty-Four Hour Truce During which There Is No Raped”). Andrea Dworkin, the speaker, asked the men to explain why, in general, they were slow to accept that women have “the same human qualities and attributes as you” (“IWTFHTDWTINR”) She then went on to explain that women are too busy to spend time teaching men about women’s issues. She continued to say that women don’t have time to stop and teach men all about the rights of women. Dworkin goes on to say that the assaults and rapes are happening for a simple reason. These men do these things due to the power they hold over women.
Dworkin refers to equality as “a practice” when she speaks of it. It is a practice. It’s a way to live. It is an economic practice. It is a social practice. It’s something that everyone should do. Everyone should participate in it. Dworkin believes that it’s ridiculous for women to be striving for equality. It is enough for men to acknowledge that women have the same rights as men. It is important that there are no misunderstandings about which half of the society is better. Women shouldn’t be treated as lesser because they are female. Egality should be a natural thing.
Dworkin brought up a number of important issues in her speech. She ended her speech by calling for a 24-hour truce in which no rapes will occur. We can start practicing equality on that day. In the absence of rape before that date, equality will not exist. Fear of being raped is a barrier to equality. While it is possible to hope and strive for equality, there are no guarantees that this will ever be achieved as long as rape continues. Men and women can finally enjoy freedom when there is no more rape. The fear of rape would disappear and there would be a sense of real equality. Dworkin challenged all the men present, those who were so proud to call themselves antisexists. He asked them to simply commit for one day. Equal rights can only exist after this one day. Talking about it and striving for equality is not enough. In this speech, which has been repeated and memorialized over the years, she discussed the problems and solutions to the rape culture.
Rape Culture is something that shouldn’t be. Rape culture is not something that should exist. Women who are continually humiliated and degraded as well as blamed for their actions is a situation that must be addressed. News stories from recent years, and those that have come before, have shed light on the problems surrounding this culture. Rape culture continues to be perpetuated at universities, through victim shame and social media. It is important to spread the message that men should not rape women, but instead teach them to avoid being raped. This is something that must be taught to everyone. Andrea Dworkin said that it took the world a long time to understand something as simple. Hopefully, the steps taken by the world to combat rape and blame culture will continue.
