Collision Course 101: Rape Culture and Politics

Okay so here’s the thing the fact that are able to write so many post about how rape is politically advanced and accepted is ridiculous. I mean how many times must the definition of rape and its consequences be rewritten. I’m guessing a lot because today’s article was written by Azadeh Aalai showing us just how often politicians make an ass out of themselves.

Starting off with how she’s relieved by her abundance of nephews and lack of nieces. Some may say this is politically irrelevant but she’s clearly perturbed by the lack of safety for average females these days. Frankly that just goes to show how little weight our government has behind the promises of protection and justice for women of all ages. Not to nitpick but one key part lacking in the article is males! Men and women are both potential victims of sexual assault.

Aalai was sure to state the definition of rape culture which contrary to what many believe isn’t restricted to just rape.

“For those of you unfamiliar with the term, rape culture is not exclusive to rape. It is a more general term to describe a system of oppression against women where they are targeted on a continuum of violence, from the more “minor” infractions of being harassed on the streets with catcalls to being targeted unfairly at the workplace due to their gender to being sexually objectified by the media and other cultural institutions to the more severe acts of violence such as sexual assault, rape, and/or murder.”

Aalai is arguable liberal when it comes down to dealing with rape culture. From demanding the government actively take part in ending it to wanting harsher punishments rather. But one hot topic is how rape victims are treated in court. On average liberals tend to believe that it shouldn’t be such a triggering process when proving rape occurred. While many repubs tend to believe that it’s only right to guarantee innocent men aren’t falsely convicted. We can’t ever seem to find a middle ground but in current news we have the definitions of consent varying from state to state. That definitely creates a barrier. On the other hand we have the FBI changing their definition of rape to finally include men. This is an ongoing issue that may worsen following the inauguration of our new president. Yes yet another article mentions Trump. Honestly I agree with both the liberal and conservative approach to dealing with accusations of rape. Victims shouldn’t have to be ridiculed and strung along just to prove it happened but they also shouldn’t be able to simply say it and subsequently ruin the reputation and life of the accused. I’ll leave you with this.

-Alicia

 

 

 

 

It Happens Without A Reason

It Happens with Anyone

It Happens Unwillingly

Walking in as a woman

Source 1- No response

Source 2- Response

There is a clear difference in the two sources above, the first video shows a woman walking around NYC minding her own business and showing all of the harassment that she receives.  While the second video shows a different woman walking around NYC but instead of just ignoring the cat calls, she decides to respond to them. Throughout the first video, the discomfort that a woman feels while walking in the streets is perfectly captured. The way the different men interact with her and cat call her is absolute disgusting and just knowing that cat calling begins to happen at a very young age makes it even worse. I think what the video also captures is the fact that throughout her entire walk, she does not initiate the conversation, or any type of interaction, rather the people she is walking past feel the need to talk to her, or say something about her body. The second video has the same idea, a woman walking around alone in NYC, but instead of her ignoring the comments she responds with witty back talk.  It is interesting to see the way the body language of the person changes once she responds back. What I also like about the video is that they do show a woman trying to hit on her, showing that although a bit rare they still happen. One incident in the second video that really stuck with me, is that she is walking and another guy starts to walk beside her for about 10 minutes without saying something, so after about 10-11 minutes she tells him that she likes what he’s doing, and that its important to exercise to keep off the weight. The man then gets offended by the comment and starts to get angry that she said that. I completely understand why he got mad that she made a comment about his weight. At the same time there is also the fact that he followed her around for about 10 minutes, and there is a certain point when it just becomes scary and in a situation like that, someone will probably say whatever they can so that you will leave them alone.

-Stella

Should Women Be Worried About Our President or His V.P?

Emily Picket sets it straight in her article stating that in fact having Pence lead office is just as bad or maybe even worse than Trump. Following the release of Trump’s “prize worthy” video expressing his apparently socially acceptable opinions of females, Emily trashes Trump but not without destroying Pence in the process. Let’s be honest Trump’s inability to see how such comments coming from a former presidential candidate now elect is asinine. But what we have here is a man honest about his sexist opinions and a far greater danger: the man who hides his offenses. Pence has an entire timeline filled with his extreme views of women’s health. Scariest part is as Emily said he also has been very effective in making them a “political reality”.

Trump’s ability to normalize sexual harassment is quite impressive. Or at least that’s what you’d think if their hasn’t been institutionalized sexism since the beginning of time! Fact is it’ll only lead to an increase in violence towards women.While Trump’s offenses are arguably immoral in most citizens eyes, Pence’s is hidden behind his attempts to “better” the nation. Pence’s obsession with defunding planned parenthood is one of the most prevalent examples of it.  Frankly planned parenthood supporting not only women as a whole but especially low income families leads me to questions why conservatives seem so opposed to it. Let’s be honest the amount of federal funding planned parenthood gets is massive (I mean 528.4M!) but completely demolishing the program is counterproductive. What’s a “small loan” of millions of dollars right? Let’s just say that Pence is the father of said campaign beginning.

Lets go back to 2007, when Pence first step foot in congress. Not only did he practically give republicans the idea of shutting down planned parenthood but he practically led to the governmental shut down in 2011. Emily goes further in describing how Pence played a leading roll in that development. Frankly what I’ve written is more than enough. I’ll just end with saying America remember to properly research our candidates because we may not live in the past but the past sure as hell makes the person.

Signing out- Alicia 

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Goodbyes are never easy.

We struggle with goodbye when we have to leave a friendship or when it’s announced that our favorite TV show will be leaving Netflix at the end of the month.

As America extends a farewell to President Barack Obama and prepares for President-elect Donald Trump to take over the reins, they also prepare to say goodbye to Obamacare and “every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama” (Trump, 2016.)

In simpler words, we can expect radically different legal landscapes for campus sexual assaults as Trump plans to reverse Obama’s actions on college sexual assault.

The Obama administration succeeded in bringing awareness to campus sexual assault and opened up hundreds of investigations of schools for possible violations of Title IX – “the federal law that prohibits discrimination in education on the basis of gender” – over the manner in which the schools dealt with campus sexual assaults. However, many see this as a set of “overly aggressive  enforcement actions” and seek to raise the burden of proof.

This all comes after students who were found guilty of sexual assault filed lawsuits alleging their due process rights were violated during the investigation and ruling of the cases.

Advocates for accused students wish to raise the current lowest possible burden of proof, the “preponderance of evidence” standard to the obstinate “clear and convincing” standard. Another approach that is being considered is the “de-federalizing” of the campus sexual assault issue.

Law enforcement will be given greater deference which can result in an accused student being found innocent in court, but guilty in school

As a senior in high school with college looming over the horizon, I am excited for what the future has in store for me. In the midst of deciding what building to dorm in, what classes to take, and what social activities I should partake in, it seems like the last thing on my mind should be the possibility of drug-rape or sexual assault.

But it’s not. I’ve already had the talk with my father who is becoming increasingly concerned for his daughter’s safety as more and more news reports file in about fraternities encouraging students to engage in nonconsensual sex if provided with the opportunity and rapists whose sentences are overturned or reduced (cough Brock Turner cough). 

Trump’s rumored policies concerning such an issue creates a frightening environment for women who wish to seek out an education. No student should ever have to compromise their morals, their dignity, or their body in search of a better future and let’s hope that under Trump’s administration no one ever shall.

Signing off,
Joanne

mid week sessions

…Because He’s a boy

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/