The Reality of Rape Culture (Trigger Warning)

Greetings all, I have not updated for a while, but I am going to be writing for the University paper in the forthcoming year. I will also be posting my articles on here, so expect updates coming more often. Anyway, this is my first one, so while rape culture and victim blaming may not be a new thing for some of you, it will be for the people who will be reading the next issue of LeNurb (that's the name of the paper - don't ask!). Anyway, I hope I've done a good job!

On the 10th of June this year, thousands of women and men marched from Trafalgar Square in the controversial “slut walk”. While the march didn’t make front page news, it was certainly heard about, sparking debates and heated conversation across the country.
My personal view of the march itself is that I find the march's name, "Slut Walk" unappealing, as I do not agree with the concept of "reclaiming" a derogatory word that was never really "ours" to begin with, among other reasons. However, the actual message behind "slut walk" is what I want to talk about. Having had already taken place in the major cities of the UK and all over the United States, as well as future marches planned throughout Europe, the march originated in Toronto, Canada, on the 3rd of April, in response to the comments of Constable Michael Sanguinetti during his talk on crime prevention at a safety forum at York University in Ontario (not to be confused with the University of York in the UK). While Sanguinetti’s “advice” to women that they should avoid “dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized" caused great alarm, they actually reflect an already underlying culture of victim blaming; the idea that society teaches us not to get raped, as opposed to one which teaches people not to rape, and gives an impression that rape can be avoided if potential victims did not dress or act in a certain way. A recent survey by the BBC revealed that a worrying 75% of women and 57% of men believe that some rape victims “should take responsibility for what happened”. These views have been present in the court rooms, and have resulted in rapists being set free on the grounds that the victim was asking for it in some way. Sadly, it is not a new phenomenon.
One model example of victim blaming that I came across while researching for this article was a video entitled “What Guys Think about Modesty – (Modesty Part II), part of a recording of a church sermon regarding women’s dress. The main speaker, CJ Mahaney, read out true life stories of young men who had faced “hardship” during their time at University, struggling to suppress their lust as they found themselves surrounded by provocatively dressed young women. Mahaney’s sermon is reeking in 19th century bigotry, demonising women for how they dress, describing campus as a “loaded minefield”, even going as far as to tell girls to get their fathers to “screen their wardrobes” because “he’s a guy” and knows better than you do on the issue”. Not only does he place responsibility on young women to “protect” men from sexual desire, but it perpetuates a message to them that they should feel guilty and ashamed of their bodies and for having sexual desires themselves (while it may come as a shock to some, women also think about sex).
We also cannot deny that this is a gender issue. Men are never told not to wear shorts or to keep their shirts on in hot weather. They are never made to feel ashamed for being overtly sexual in any way, and are never told that their actions could put them at risk of being victimised. As well as keeping an eye on their clothing, women are told to always be careful when they are out, to watch what they drink, to make sure that they do not travel anywhere alone late at night, and if they are raped, they are criticised for making themselves vulnerable. In May this year, two New York City police officers were acquitted of rape because the victim was drunk at the time of the attack. In Winnipeg, Canada, a rapist was spared jail because the judge claimed that the victim’s “suggestive attire” and “flirtatious conduct” on the night of the attack sent the rapist signals that “sex was in the air”. We also cannot forget that the majority of rapes happen in the home of the victim, and often the rapist is somebody who is known to them. By using the logic of the judges in the cases mentioned above, should we then blame people who dare to allow somebody that they trust into their home?
Of course, we should not ignore the fact that victim blaming can be harmful to men too. To suggest that men are so weak that they are unable to control their sexual urges dehumanises them. It implies that men are so lacking in morals that it is up to women to help them to suppress their “evil” thoughts. It is natural to think about sex, but men know right from wrong, they do not need anybody else to think on their behalf. If somebody is raped, it is because the rapist made the decision to rape them, not because the victim invited them to in some way. If they were “asking for it”, it would not be rape.
I know that I have to be realistic. I am not expecting rape to end overnight, or ever for that matter. It’s a harsh reality that there will always be people who think that they are entitled to do as they please to others in order to feel powerful and controlling, and who will use excuses to try to justify their actions. Nevertheless, as long as we can change the way we educate people on how to treat others, by teaching people not to rape instead of not to get raped, by pointing out that while alcohol, short skirts, and being openly sexual are not illegal, but forcing somebody to have sex against their will is, then maybe less rapists will be allowed to walk free on the streets, giving them the opportunity to attack again. Perhaps more victims will be brave enough to come forward if they are no longer haunted by the fear that they will not be believed. It is time that we changed our attitudes to coincide with the 21st century, and stop allowing this culture that continues to silence rape victims through ignorance and shame.