Rape Culture Affecting Our Views

Rape Culture Affecting Our Views

Abstract

This paper looks at Rape culture and how it is affecting the societies view on rape.  Focusing on Media, the oversexualization of women’s breast, rape statistics, anti-rape prevention devises, ect.  We live in a world, where harassment on the street is such a normal part of life, that it sets up a culture and society where even worse things happen behind closed doors, and how that affects peoples ideology of rape.

Rape Culture Affecting Our Views

What are you afraid of?  If you ask this question on the street the answer will differ, from snakes to heights, being poor or even being alone.  The thing about this question is that, although those are the responses that are most likely to appear first; most women are afraid of being raped.  We live in a world, where harassment on the street is such a normal part of life, that it sets up a culture and society where even worse things happen behind closed doors.  Most women who have been raped or sexually assaulted, “( 83 percent) failed to report it to the police, and the 29 percent did not even tell family or friends what had happened” ( Beckford, 2012).  Why would anyone not want to report the fact that they were sexually assaulted, “ Overall about half said that they would be too embarrassed or ashamed of the incident to admit it but two thirds said they would hesitate because of low conviction rates.” ( Beckford, 2012).

In no shape or form is this paper denying the fact that men are raped,  and in no situation is rape okay.  Not if she is wearing a short skirt, or even a long gown; not if they are drunk or they are your friend.  In no situation is it acceptable, but is that what our society is teaching us?  Today, we have what some people are calling is a “Rape Culture” and teaching do not get raped rather than do not rape.

        Too often the story is, men are hunters that cannot help themselves, and is seems to rarely  be that women are not prey and should not have to fight men off.  The fact of the matter is that women are being taught not to get raped; rather than men being taught not to rape.  Teaching women that by behaving in a certain way; they can avoid rape provides a sense of false security. The facts are this, “Statistics show that 1 in 5 women will become victims of a completed or attempted rape in their lifetime.” (Maxwell, 2012)  

There is an old saying that could probably still be heard in the school yards today, “Boys will be Boys.”  Girls are taught this from a very young age and that they should tough it out, expecting no adult intervention.   And as the girls grow older, they learn to protect themselves from the “boys” that lurk in the dark, carrying pepper spray and knowing how to hold their keys between their fingers.  It is not always strangers who rape young women,  “( Rape)  is generally believed to be highest among college aged women, and 84% of rape survivors knew their assailants”  (Burpo, 2006, P12).   On the other hand boys are not taught what counts as sexual assault, and learn that in some ways that it was the victims fault that they were sexually assaulted.   Maybe her skirt was too short or maybe she should have stuck with a buddy system, then she would have never been raped.  They are taught that this is an acceptable excuse for unacceptable behavior.  From a young age, boys should be taught how to respect women and also themselves, “We should implore our men and boys to call out their friends, relatives, and classmates for inappropriate behavior and create systems of accountability amongst them.” ( Maxwell, 2012) and to never treat a woman in such a way that may lead to rape.