Randi+Steiner+RP+Post+5

Blurred Lines: How Rape Culture is Destroying Women

In discussions of modern feminism, one controversial issue has been the line between rape and consensual sex. On the one hand, many people believe that the view of women as sexual objects allows for a society that is conditioned to ignore the requests of women. On the other hand, some feminists contend that the representation of women as sex objects is empowering. Rape culture causes people to blame victims, rather than accusing the attacker of sociopathic decision making ("My Fault"). A study found that the number of pornographic videos a man watches and his views on feminism and rape are not related. The study suggests that the views that men have toward women are not generated by these films, but rather are " deeply ingrained in our society" (Davies 131-7). In America, rape is defined as any nonconsensual sex, which includes that within a marriage or while intoxicated. In India, it was recently ruled that rape within a marriage is not a criminal offense (Fontanella-Khan). Men often argue that catcalling is a way to compliment women, yet most women find it an offensive, rude violation. Someone is sexually assaulted every two minutes in America, which is why there has been such a huge volume of focus on the topic. Feminists have campaigned on the fact that no woman is "asking for it," no matter what she is wearing or doing at the time of a sexual assault (Williams). Most young women will tell you that they are afraid to walk home alone at night, or enter a dark alley. It is in this constant fear that rape culture has jeopardized the safety of women everywhere. Many feminists advocate for the teaching of boys to not rape, rather than the current practice of teaching girls not to get raped, but it is extremely difficult to shift an entire society's viewpoint. Until we have reached a place where men know not to rape, it dangerous and impossible to refrain from educating young girls on how to prevent sexual assault (Defranco).