March 11, 2019
As a person who usually keeps up with the latest news and politics, I have been noticing a frightening new trend in America. Most people are aware of the #MeToo movement sweeping across the country over the past 2 years. This trend has done a wonderful job of exposing many atrocious men in power in America, from Harvey Weinstein to Charlie Rose. This movement however, has come with a very negative connotation about the Culture in America. Many people have started to talk about a so called ‘Rape Culture’ in America.
Let me just start off by saying that rape is a very heinous and disgusting crime. Personally, I have very close friends that have experienced rape firsthand. It sickens me to know that two people I hold very close to myself have had to go through this. I firmly believe that all rapists should be either castrated or executed. The definition of Rape Culture is a society that tolerates or supports rape. Now as a citizen of the United States, I can say with confidence that this is not a Country that tolerates or supports rape. Now if you were too look at the Middle East that is a whole different story. The Middle East, especially Afghanistan, is a region that has various ‘governments’ that support men who commit this disgusting crime and just look the other way when it happens. But when you look at the United States that just is not true.
Image by Women’s eNews | Flickr
For rape in the United States, according to the FBI, the official statistic for 2016 was 135,755 for the year 2016. That is about .03% of people in the united states. The vast difference between rape statistics is scary. There are groups who inflate the statistics vastly and that can cause an unfair scrutiny of men. A common left is that 1 of every 5 women experience attempted or completed rape in their lifetime. The truth is very few men rape, and when they do it is often condemned by the majority of people. When you take the definition of rape culture and apply it to the statistics of the United States, it just doesn’t line up.
On college campuses it is a common statistic that 1 in 5 women will be raped in their time on campus. While this stat is often disputed or defended, it is hard to know the true number. Another common stat used by opponents of the 1 in 5 statistic is that 6 out of every 1000 women on college campuses are raped. It is extremely hard to know which stat to believe but there is a far bigger underlying problem that goes deeper than statistics. The fact that there is a 194 woman difference between the two numbers shows of another big problem with this country. We get so focused on trying to best the other side that we forget about the true problem, and that is far too many women experience rape or sexual assault on college campuses. The difference between these two numbers is far too big to chalk up to unreported rapes. The truth is that both sides often exaggerate numbers to try and scare people away from each side.
Image by Women’s eNews | Flickr
The fight we have on our hands is often a battle that is pointless. The debate over whether or not we have a rape culture in America is very indicative of the politics of this country. Often people use lies or false fear to scare people away or to each side. Instead of focusing on the problem of far too many women in this nation experiencing the horrible crime of rape we fight the pointless battle of who is right and who is wrong. The truth is this debate will never be over, this debate will never be solved unless the people of this great country come together and try to fight the problem. It will always be a problem until every single woman in this country feels that it is safe to come forward with their story.
We take violence against women and decide that the best course of action is to deem this country as a rape safe haven. This is a very dangerous thing to do and it solves nothing. All this does is create a divide between men and women when the divide needs to be struck down. Instead of fighting against each other and throwing insults at each side, this Country needs to create an environment where ALL women feel safe to come forward and share their story so we can keep these men off the streets of our Communities. We need to stop hiding behind our words and social media movements and come together to fight the problem of rape in our communities. Rape is a very real, very disgusting crime. It destroys the lives of many women in this country, but saying this Nation has a rape culture will not solve the problem.
Featured image by Wolfmann | Wikimedia
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anonymous
“It will always be a problem until every single woman in this country feels that it is safe to come forward with their story.” Now how are they supposed to come forward when people as you admitted yourself “use lies or false fears”. Women won’t come forward with their stories since they now fear that people won’t believe them.
Ben
The Problem with this argument is that nobody can agree on a definition of rape culture. Everybody arguing against you is using a different standard on what rape culture really is. You define what you think rape culture is and then make an argument as to why that does not exist in America. But nobody will ever come to an agreement on this topic because there isn’t even a starting point. So, instead of people attacking each other and just outright declaring other people wrong because you feel so strongly about your opinion (people in the comments), we should just put aside the argument and focus on what is fact: That rape is a problem in America for both men and women and arguing about this isn’t going to stop it.
Regan
I think everyone’s definitions of rape culture in the comments actually do revolve around a common theme. Rape culture is the normalization of sexual harassment acts that build to rape. What people use as examples for these normalization acts may differ but that doesn’t mean that they are wrong. Rape culture covers a variety of actions which can be seen here:
https://www.11thprincipleconsent.org/consent-propaganda/rape-culture-pyramid/
We need to recognise that the problem with the argument made is not the definition of rape culture, but instead that an indifference or failure to recognise rape culture. A failure to recognise rape culture fuels rape culture. We need to fight this behavior and attitude that leads to the normalization of rape and sexual harassment, because even though you recognise that rape is terrible, we need to recognise the cultural attitudes that surround sexual harassment and rape are unacceptable as well.
M
The way you write your article makes me believe that you view rape culture as just rape. When in reality it is the overwhelming sexualization of women/feminine ideals. Rape Culture is catcalling on the streets, being touched in an uncomfortable way, being told that what you wear defines your promiscusity. It means that people must teach girls to not walk by themselves at night, not to wear both earbuds, to lock their car as soon as the get in, and to check all the seats. It means women should have pepper spray in their purse and to carry their car keys in between their knuckles when they walk in a parking lot. Rape culture isn’t just about rape, it’s about what can lead up to rape. Another reason you may not understand rape culture is because you are a male. This is not to say that men cannot be a victim, but predominantly rape culture is targeted at women. Even your video is from a male. Rape culture in the US is real because our president can say “Grab her by the pussy” and make sexual comments about his OWN daughter and still hold his respective place in office. Rape culture is real in the US because Brock Turner sexualy assualted and unconscious girl on a college campus and was only given 6 months prison time but then only had to serve three months of it. I think your heads in the right place when it comes to rape, but failing to recognize rape culture in our country is just as bad as not recognizing it at all.
anonymous
rape cul·ture
noun
a society or environment whose prevailing social attitudes have the effect of normalizing or trivializing sexual assault and abuse.
So this is the definition of rape culture and If you’re telling me it’s a myth why did a 17-year-old girl have to hold her underwear up in court? Why are women commonly asked what they are wearing or if they had anything to drink after they courageously come out with their story? Easy answer, rape culture this is all exactly what rape culture is at the core, it is making the women’s trauma their fault. The #MeToo movement is not a trend it is real people coming out about a traumatic event in their life and having the courage to after seeing other women doing it and knowing they aren’t alone. “You were drinking, what did you expect?” this is the first words Zerlina Maxwell heard after telling her story to people she trusted. This is rape culture in America at it’s finest. By saying that rape culture isn’t real you’re becoming part of it, you are saying these people who shared their story, and then got ridiculed shouldn’t call it what it is? Because it is rape culture and that’s what you call it. not a myth. There is sufficient evidence proving it is real and is a big problem in the nation we live in. This country does have a rape culture you’ll see it in politics, at school, at work it is everywhere and this article adds to it. I would also like to add that this is not a problem regarding one gender, women are raped more this is a fact, but men are too but one thing in common is that both genders upon sharing their story will most likely experience the prevalent rape culture in America.
Dylan
It seems you may have not understood that there is a difference between being sexually harassed and raped, you bring up like 1 in 5 women are raped then try to prove it wrong. However, that is not what the statistic is. The real statistic is from a government study/survey showed that 1 in 5 women had been sexually assaulted.
Another thing that is going on here is your perception of rape culture, rape culture is not encouraging rape but the idea that is was partially the woman’s fault. Statements claiming the way that women dress is provocative or implies she “wants” it. Rape culture is real and until every person realizes that is it a thing we have to deal with there is no way we can defeat it.
sexual assault resource : https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/15/health/nearly-1-in-5-women-in-us-survey-report-sexual-assault.html