Rape Culture In Modern Society And The Need To End It
Women have been oppressed and violated most of their lives. Society continues to deny most of their rights, especially the most conservative nations. Although it is true that there have been achievements in terms of recognizing some women's rights and giving them access to education and career opportunities, women are still subjected to discrimination and violence. There's no denying the fact that our society is still not a safe place for women. Throughout the years, women have continued to be victims of rape and sexual abuse. According to an article by UN Women, it is estimated that 70% of women around the world have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from their intimate partners in their lifetime. Studies show that women who have undergone these experiences report higher rates of depression, acquired HIV, and had abortions, compared to women who have not. In 2017, it was reported that 87,000 women were intentionally killed around the world.
South Africa was reported to have an estimated number of 500,000 rape cases every year, making it have one of the highest rates of rape crimes in the world. Aside from that, more than 40% of women in the country are reported to be raped in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, most of the rape cases that are reported are not the only rape cases that occur. Some of these cases are unreported because of many reasons. The main reason why many victims decide not to report their rape is because of stigma and distrust. The punishment rates and low reporting clearly show how women still feel unsafe in our society. Although laws and penalties are great measures to prevent rape around the world, it is still better to address the causes of it.
How Society Perpetuates Rape Culture
The past few years, several movements have been formed to give platforms to women who have been victims of sexual abuse and harassment. Movements like #MeToo made it easier for survivors to come forward and tell their stories. It has somehow shed light on taboo issues that people fail to understand. However, even as society is starting to comprehend the actual impacts of violence against women, the culture that allows for such abuse to occur in the first place continues to persist. Rape culture continues to normalize, excuse, and tolerate sexual violence. Most of the time, society perpetuates rape culture in the most unconscious yet harmful ways. For instance, people tend to ask rape victims why they were in a certain place when they were raped, why they are wearing revealing clothes, and why they were not being careful, among other invasive questions. But what we don't see is that all of these statements justify rape culture - that women should be blamed for being raped. This also shows how gender inequality continues to oppress women.
According to an article by education resource Thought Co., rape culture is present in society if rape is normalized and viewed as inevitable. The pervasive nature of sexual violence and rape is encouraged by values, beliefs, and popular myths that society taught us. Rape culture not only urges and exclude sexual violence, but it is also not viewed as a problem by the majority. Sociologists suggest that there are four things that primarily compose rape culture. First, behaviors and practices. Next, the way people think about sex and rape. Third, the way people talk about sex and rape. Last, the cultural representations of sex and sexual assault. An article by the WAVAW Rape Crisis Center reported that the term 'rape culture' was coined by feminists in the United States in the 1970s. It was a way for them to show how society normalized sexual violence and blamed victims of sexual assault. Emilie Buchwald, the author of Transforming a Rape Culture, defined rape culture as ” a complex set of beliefs that encourage male sexual aggression and supports violence against women. It is a society where violence is seen as sexy and sexuality as violent.'
Additionally, there are many beliefs and assumptions which make rape culture more evident in our society. For instance, the belief that rape and sexual violence are inevitable in expressing masculinity; rape is an everyday occurrence that can't be changed; women should be responsible preventing rape and defending themselves, and many more. Rape jokes and memes that mock rape also makes rape normal in society.
Ending Rape Culture
One thing that men should learn is the concept of consent. Not all understand that they are not entitled to women's bodies and at the same time, they shouldn't see them as sexual objects. There should be continuous teaching in our society that rape happens because of rapists, not because of what women wear, say, or show to people. Men should learn how to control themselves. Working to mitigate the harms of rape culture is not about hating men. It is about taking responsibility for how men should behave and act. It will also be helpful if people approach rape in the right way. For instance, instead of asking rape victims “What was she doing/wearing/saying when she was raped?,' it should be “What made him think this is acceptable?” Sexual violence and rape are pervasive problems that cannot be solved by an individual alone. Ultimately, rape culture will end if we push for gender equality. Gender inequality came from a patriarchal society which perpetuates toxic masculinity, misogyny, sexism, and rape culture. If people completely recognize that no gender is superior over another gender, our rights will be pushed forward.
