The Importance Of Rape Culture In America

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)

“Rape is as American as apple pie,” says blogger Jessica Valenti. She and other feminists describe our society as a “rape culture” where violence against women is almost invisible. According to feminists, films, magazines, fashion, books, music, and humor cooperate in conveying the message that women are there to be used, abused and exploited.(Kitchens, 2015)

In the documentary, The Hunting Ground, there is an exploration of rape on campuses throughout America. According to the film, more than 16 percent of college women are sexually assaulted while in college (Dick, “The Hunting Ground”). Interestingly, the woman actually ended up complaining of two traumas: the first being the actual rape, and the second being the method in which the Universities decided to handle the complaints. Within the documentary, the numerous women that were interviewed complained vehemently that instead of pursuing the predator that raped the victims, the victims were blamed and silenced. The women were asked whether they were drinking alcohol, what they were wearing, if they said no, and if they

17.7 million: The number of women who have been involved in attempted or completed rape. 293,066: The number of rapes in the U.S. a year. 284,275: The number of sexual offences that result in no conviction or jail time. 49,013: The number of repeat offenders still on the streets, most committing around 6 rapes. 4,000-17,000: The range of pregnancies resulting from rape. 107: The number of seconds between rapes in the U.S. 35: the percentage of men that would rape if they knew they could get away with it. 3: The number of rapes, out of 100, that will result in any prison time at all. 1: the number of likely victims that will seek help or justice for what happened. The statistics show that a woman is more at risk of sexual assault in the U.S. than in any other developed nation. The United States has one of the highest rape rates in the world. Yet there are still those out there that don’t believe that rape actually exists. Victims of rape are forced into a societal confinement that encapsulates them in their own self solitude.

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

A society only becomes a rape culture when “rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture” (“Rape Culture,” n.d.). The United States is a rape culture because of

Rape culture is everywhere. Advertisements, dress codes, and articles objectify women everyday. Women are taught their whole life that “boys will be boys’ and we need to dress accordingly so we do not distract them. One in four college women report surviving attempted or

Is consent not significant nowadays, or is it just blindly ignored? Sexual assault and rape are becoming a part of an overwhelmingly high number of men and women’s lives due to society’s failure to deal with it properly. National surveys suggest that one in six women have experienced an attempted or completed rape at one time in their life, and that one in four girls. As well as one in six boys, will be sexually abused before they are 18 years old. However, for some reason, rape and sexual assault are not taken as serious as they need to be here in the United States. It’s too significant a crime to be taken as lightly as it is. These issues must be paid more attention to and have harsher punishments

The term ‘rape culture’ was coined by feminists in the United States in 1970. The term itself was designed to illustrate the ways in which society blamed victims of sexual assault, and how the normalization of male sexual violence was acceptable. Rape culture can stem from the acceptance of rape as a daily occurrence, manifested as a male prerogative. There is a hesitation by the authorities to go against the patriarchal cultural norms, hence linking nonconsensual sex to the cultural disposition of society. The patriarchal perspective of rape culture, embedded with gender inequality and misogyny are passed through generations which ultimately leads to the extensive institutional and social acceptance of rape. Actions which advocate sexist ideals are utilized to justify and validate normative misogynistic perceptions. Rape culture sexualizes violence inflicted upon women, as it serves as a continuum of a society which views a women’s body to be sexually available by default, deriving from the overall domination and objectification of a female. The underlying cause of rape culture is localized as it based upon the social aspects of culture. For example, countries with a prolific ‘war culture’ tend to emphasize violence and masculinity, and therefore rape is viewed as a normal facet of society. I intend to parallel the element of rape culture to the enforcement of social rules and the conditioning of gender roles. I plan on analyzing the notion that within the encompassment of

“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” (1a) Today you can't turn the television on without hearing references to rape culture. Jokes about sexual abuse plague every sitcom and news channels question rape victim’s every move. Even entire shows are dedicated to the topic such as Law and Order SVU. The media trivializes rape leading to a rape culture in America.

One out of every six women in America will be a victim of rape or sexual assault. From a young age, females are taught many ways to minimize the chance of being raped, whereas males are rarely ever taught not to rape. Women are told not to walk the streets alone at night, to cover any drinks they may have, and to always have someone know where they are. They have to make sure their clothing isn’t too provocative because it could unleash unwanted male attention. Even though, women take many precautions to avoid rape, the statistics are still high. Rape is one of the most brutal attacks and unfortunately the act is becoming one of the most normalized acts of violence in the United States. This creates a culture that disregards not only women’s rights but their safety as well.

“In the minds of many high school boys, rape isn 't always wrong. A Patriot Ledger survey of 527 high school students conducted for this series found that 7 percent of boys said it was OK to force a girl to have sex on a date” (Eschbacher).The media needs to redefine and differently represent rape because it is portrayed as being too hard to define, the media has begun stereotyping the victims and rapists alike, and rape is not being reported because students are afraid of the stigma created by the media. Rape culture, or the media’s portrayal of rape is ridiculously inaccurate and overly pigeonholed. Rape needs to be redefined, as evidence by the staggering statistic stated. In the following paragraphs, the reasoning behind the thesis stated will be explained.

Rape culture refers to a widely accepted societal ideology that justifies sexual assault and aggression, whereas rape proclivity applies to an individual's propensity to commit forceful sexual advances and acts. Both are sexual scripts, however the former is a cultural script while the latter is personal. In the United States, there are several cultural beliefs, norms, and principles that may allow rape to flourish and to be excusable, regardless of it being a crime across the country. For example, gender roles, which we are ingrained to us from an early age, dictate that males are meant to be dominant, aggressive, and masculine. These expectations of men is conducive to unwanted sexual acts, excusing a man who commits rapes as simply being

Even though the first amendment states freedom of expression, statistics show rape and sexual assault numbers have risen due to the presence of rape culture in modern society. Rape culture promotes more assaults and violent acts, not only towards women but also towards men. Some evidence rape culture is present in today’s society are rising statistics showing that only three out of a hundred rapists see jail time and that over 17 million American women are victims of sexual assault every year. Rape culture is seen in every aspect of daily American life, even if people do not realize it.

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.