Most women if not all are raised to believe that the reason a brother, male cousin or male friend is exempt from being punished because “he’s a boy”. While many women disagree with the statement it’s still an opinion largely spread in society today. This issue goes far beyond not being allowed to go the party Jacob has permission to go to. I.E rape it’s an societal norm to believe a man for one can’t be raped by a women and that somehow their masculinity is questioned. Today I came across an article by Sarah LeTrent retelling a story that shows exactly why the excuse “because he’s a boy” is outdated. Sarah retells Jame Landrith’s story of the night he was sexually assaulted. Sad to say that the outrage of such events is usually over the fact that a man was raped by a woman. As opposed to it being over the fact that James inability to recognize that he was raped is the result of societies downplay and outright disbelief of it happening. The article states that “according to a 2010 report by Center for Disease Control and Prevention 1 in 5 women and 1 and 1 in 71 men in the United States have been raped”. Sarah following up with how the data is no doubt skewed because of the fact that male rape is largely kept in the dark. The article states that in 2012 the FBI’s uniform crime report redefined rape “as penetration no matter how slight…or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person”. With such a sensible definition you’d be surprised that it replaced the previous definition being “the carnal knowledge of a female, forcibly and against her will”. Somebody scream double standards. Now how does this play politically? Well being a nation that recently elected the most openly sexist president it’s safe to say that their would be a spike in the amount of men coming out about their sexual abuse.  A recent study stating that after the age of 18 the percentage of sexual offenders is strikingly similar in male (52%) and females (48%). And if the stats aren’t enough lets talk about how more men who’ve accused someone of rape is asked “we’re they sexually aroused” as though its a determining factor for the assault. Society may be opening it’s arms wider as a safe haven for those who’ve been sexually abused as of 2016. But are we truly seeking to end rape culture if our sign says women in need welcome with men only mention in the fine print at the bottom of the board?

-Alicia

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/09/living/chris-brown-female-on-male-rape/