Argumentative Essay : ' Extremely Wordy Feminist Rant '

Last week, the White House released a short, celebrity packed, 60-second public service announcement (PSA) on the topic of sexual assault. 1 is 2 Many addressed those who are in control of preventing sexual assault as its intended audience was those who can put a stop to sexual violence: the perpetrators or would-be offenders. Although this one minute announcement completed the task of bringing sexual assault to the forefront of discussion, it failed to encompass the central issues concerning the culture of sexual assault: societal misperceptions, the victims, and the justice system. Sexual assault is a phenomenon that has been around for centuries; the culture of sexual assault is rooted in both legal practices and societal perceptions.

In America, 1 out of 6 women fall victim to rape at some point in their lives—completed or not (“Victims of Sexual Violence” 1). However, this is only one form of sexual assault that women are forced to face. Groping and other non-consensual, sexual acts are also examples of sexual assault (“Sexual Assault” 1).. Many perpetrators of sexual assault roam free, practically unaffected and likely to commit another similar act, while the woman could feel the effects of this event for her entire life. This problem affects women from around the globe—and it’s time that we put an end to it, because if we don’t, who will? If boys were to be taught how and how not to treat women in their early years, sexual assault would not be as prevalent, thus, women, including us, would not have to worry as much about enduring this kind of torment.

This national best seller can relate to the opinions expressed by Peggy Reeves Sanday in The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape. Sandy investigates the characteristics of a rape-prone, and rape-free society. Jon Krakauer was interviewed by NPR books, where he stated, “The upshot was most rapists walked away without any punishment, any accountability” (NPR 1). The response from Krakauer correlates to Sanday’s research in The Socio-Cultural Context of Rape. Reeves Sanday writings examine, “When men discovered that they could rape, they proceeded to do it” (Reeves Sanday

Many individuals might wonder, what is rape culture? “Rape Culture is an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture. Rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorization of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety.” Most women limit their behavior because of the existence of rape. (Marshall University)

Often times men and women are given tips to ensure their safety such as walking in pairs, wearing appropriate attire, and carrying pepper spray. A common myth surrounding rape on campuses is that the perpetrator is often a stranger that is waiting for the opportune moment to take advantage of a young scandalously clad woman walking alone in the dark to her dormitory. This is often not the case since the majority of perpetrators know the victim. The fact that there are flyers and pamphlets available on most campuses for preventative measures that women can take to prevent themselves from being rape victims testifies to a society in which a woman’s safety is her responsibility and there are few preventative measures that are taken from having men grow up as sexual predators. One woman argues that this is because “rape culture reflects a society or community grounded in patriarchal privilege and gender inequity” (Gordon 116). American history tells a tale of a culture that was built on patriarchy, and feminists may argue that America is still highly patriarchal and this contributes greatly to rape culture. As a matter of fact, cross-cultural studies have supported that there are cultures in the world that have an extremely low incidence of rape. One anthropologist studied this data and came to the conclusion that “the specific gender dynamics in matrilineal cultures reduce the significance of man's

America has a proud history of being a country that has many different ethnicities and cultures living within its borders. But one of the most prevalent cultures is one that transcends race or country of origin, rape culture. The term used by modern day feminist and gender activist defines a culture which normalizes rape and sexual assaults because of the deeply rooted societal attitudes towards gender and sexuality. In a rape culture the instances of rape are accepted as everyday occurrences and even as the prerogative of men, resulting in the stigmatization and blame placing of rape victims. Although the phrase “rape culture” is relatively modern, the

It is six o’clock in the evening, a special news segment on world affairs is on the television. The journalist is doing a piece on inhumane practices that occur in third world countries, one of these travesties being rape. The voices of women who have been stolen from their homes and have been taken advantage of against their own will infiltrate the air. These personal stories have an incredulously powerful impact on those listening and make one think “How could such an outrageous thing happen?” Truth be told, these horrors are not just happening in far-off places, but they are happening right now in the United States of America. The very simple fact that one is oblivious to the magnitude of sexual violence in their very own country is an

Before the emergence of the Westernized “anti-rape” movement, there was a distinctly rape supportive discourse in our society, supported by myths and justifications for the act of raping another human being. The resulting trauma for the victims of rape was greatly ignored as society

“rape culture includes jokes, TV, music, advertising, legal jargon, laws, words and imagery, that make violence against women and sexual coercion seem so normal that people believe that rape is inevitable. Rather than viewing the culture of rape as a problem to change, people in a rape culture think about the persistence of rape as ‘just the way things are’” (Wavaw,)

Merril Smith’s Encycolpedia of Rape defines the term “rape culture” as “one in which rape and other sexual violence against women . . . [is] both prevalent and considered the norm” (174). Rape is not a new subject in today’s society, its origins reaching far back into history. What causes rape, though? Is it the primal drive of men to exhibit dominance over all women, or do the women share the blame because of the way they dress, act, or do their makeup? Modern American culture would place the blame on the woman who “provoked” the attack; however, a woman should not have to park closer to the building she is entering, nor should she have to carry protection just in case a sexual predator decides that she is his next victim. Men are just as

In today's’ world, rape is a word that is often used, but rarely understood. I have researched four articles that I believe help get the conversation about the realities of rape culture started. In my first article, Jennifer Baumgardner writes of a rape victim whose occupation got in the way of justice. In the second article I reviewed, Andrew Bretz, a discouraged professor, questions whether or not lectures and classes on rape culture are really teaching the students anything. The third article, which was written by Tyler Kingkade, tells the heartbreaking story of a student that was raped while studying abroad, and received no help from her university in the United States. The final article I reviewed was written by Jo McGowan, who writes

In the midst of a dehumanizing and sex-driven culture, rape has plagued the bodies and minds of millions. Unfortunately, for victims, a reality of physical and emotional trauma just briefs the repercussions of a sexual assault. In addition, rape victims face the negative alterations of post-rape trauma due to the negative reactions of society (Yamawaki). Though society recognizes rape as an increasing societal problem, rape myths have tainted the perception on blame and responsibility (Johnson). As society integrates myths surrounding the responsibility and blame of rape within societal norms, current civilization transforms into a pandemic coined as the “rape culture”. Dating back to the early 1970’s, staple figures of the second feminist

Feminist scholarship has argued that rape ideology encourages and justifies sexual coercion, trivializes sexual violence and demeans and devalues women who have experienced sexual assault. The foundation of this argument is based on women's experiences in patriarchal societies. Due to the fact that

Rape culture is an environment in which social attitudes have the effect of normalizing sexual violence against women and excusing it in the media and other popular cultures. Rape culture attempts to rationalize a continuum of sexual violence that range from sexist remarks to unwanted sexual touching, and rape itself. Rape culture has become so desensitized by society that perpetrators may not be aware of their wrongdoings and victims may not realize they are being victimized. It is a culture in which victims are suppressed when they decide to speak up about their traumatic attack, because they are seen as being dramatic or untruthful while the perpetrator's actions are left unpunished. While the majority of victims are women, rape culture is not solemnly an issue of female oppression, it is a general disconnect between human beings. It is a culture that many of us refuse to accept exist, however there are numerous examples that normalize rape and sexual assault on a daily basis. Rape culture is not a new topic. The term was first used back in the 1970’s by a group of feminist to raise the awareness of the normalization of sexual violence in society. In recent years the topic has become a popular, controversial issue and has come to permeate virtually every aspect of our lives through media, song lyrics, and everyday jargon.

     Webster’s Dictionary describes rape as the crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse. Rape is a crime in which most women cannot defend themselves. The fear of rape plagues every woman at some point or another in her life. The traumatic effects of rape vary from mild to severe, from psychological to physical. This paper will evaluate rape, as well as the effects it has on women, the theory behind male dominance and patriarchy, and differences in demographics.