Degrassi takes on the Steubenville Case in an episode called “Unbelievable,” emphasizing on how our culture deals with sexual assault. For those unfamiliar with the case, on August 12,2012, two teenage football players at Steubenville High School, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond, sexually assaulted Jane Doe, their 16 year old classmate, after a night of drinking and partying. By the following morning, numerous Twitter posts, videos, and photographs were being passed around about an unconscious girl who was sexually assaulted while everyone watched (Macur & Schweber, 2012). Rumors spread around the school quicker than lightening, and without much information people began to pick sides. Some people blamed the girl for ruining the boy’s reputations …show more content…
A viewer stated (2014), “ I actually think spreading out certain storylines is a good thing. That way, viewers won’t get sick of the character. Degrassi has had a bad habit of giving a character a bunch of drama several episodes in a row.” Seeing Zoe of all people get raped was very shocking for the viewers and it just goes to show that there is no specific or “right” type of person for rape. It can happen to anyone, whether it is a female or male. Another viewer stated (2014), “How often do we see a show where a drunken hookup—even one in which one party is taking clear advantage of the other’s intoxication—is seen as a romantic mistake, rather than an opening for a discussion on consent?” Viewers are really excited about someone finally opening up the discussion of rape to the community, and hopefully can see the dangers of victim-blaming to prevent something like the Steubenville case from happening again. The cultural implications of the episode used the perspective of not only the victim but the bystanders and assailants as well. The characters all took the situation differently and it was unbelievable how they all progressed to understanding the gravity of Zoe’s rape, each at their own pace. People tend to not realize that the victim is not the only one affected by the crime, but the people around them are also greatly impacted. The way that the assailants reacted in Degrassi was very similar to …show more content…
All feminists agree that rape is wrong but their ideas on exactly what could be referred to, as “rape” is actually quite different. Mackinnon and Dworkin are infamous for the phrase “all sex is rape.” Dworkin, America’s most famous radical feminist theorist, went through many years of abuse and rape (Whisnant, 2009). She actually wrote a book called “ Aftermath” in which she describes a horrific story of being drugged and rape by the waiter and bartender in Paris. In another book she wrote called “Intercourse,” she said that she assumed being conscious during rape was better. She felt as if even if no one believed her, at least she could actually remember what happened. In the episode, one of Zoe’s assailants told her that since she blacked out and doesn’t even remember what happened that everyone should be able to “move on”. Dworkin’s approach also helps understand that just because someone doesn’t fight the person off or is unable to consent to intercourse doesn’t mean that they wanted to do it. There have been instances where people haven been raped by their own husband or wife, rape is rape. Our culture tends to make the victims feel so guilty to the point where they are often reluctant to take action against their alleged perpetrators. Dworkin dealt with a lot of controversy on her rape stories because
This case involves a sophomore at a high school named Christine Franklin, who alleged that she was sexually harassed and abused by a teacher and sports coach by the name of Andrew Hill. These allegations were occurring from 1986-1988, a total of two years. These allegations included Hill having explicit conversations with Franklin, forcing her to kiss him, and forceful intercourse on school grounds. Franklin claimed that she let teachers and administrators know about the harassment and that other students were going through the same harassment. The result of telling the teachers and administrators was that nothing was done about the situation and even encouraged Franklin not
Rape is a hidden epidemic that affects many lives world wide. It is a problem that is so terrifying and uncomfortable that people do not talk about it. John Krakauer, author of Missoula, focuses on this issue of rape in the college town of Missoula, Montana. His focus is specifically on the case of Allison Huguet and Beau Donaldson. As the progression of Allison 's case continues we learn of more and more rape cases that happened to women on this same campus. A majority of women do not report these cases, we later learn as Krakauer continues through Allison 's case, because reporting and pursuing the case would be giving their life away. [4] Of course Allison decides to go through the trails of Beau Donaldson, however it is obvious that it is extremely difficult to convict someone with little evidence. As hard of a read as Missoula
Rape is a physical attack, not sex. Rape crisis counselors and researchers define rape as an act of violence in which sex is used as a weapon (Benedict 2). A woman is raped in this country every two minutes. Between 1996 &1999 7,787,00 rapes were reported. The actual number is much, much higher because only 26% of rapes are reported. Husbands or boyfriends assaulted 28% of these women, 35% of these women were raped by people they knew; 1 in 4 of these rapes took place in a public place (Grady 4). Rape is a problem that infiltrates all countries and cultures; a Muslim woman who has been raped is disowned by her fiancé and her family for having brought them shame by becoming dirtied and thus not a candidate for marriage (Benedict 2).
A young Emma Sulkowicz was starting her second year as a Columbia art major, was raped in her dorm room. Emma didn 't report the incident at first, but when hearing about two other classmates who told her the same rapist was abusing them too, she pressed charges with the administration. Students tend to be uneasy reporting rape because the police aren 't always great with rape charges. After six months of Columbia not hearing Emma 's charges, they found the rapist in favor, (Grigoradis Vanessa, The Cut). Among college women, nine in ten victims of rape and sexual assault knew their offender, (Fisher, National institute of Justice). Emma falls under that nine, knowing the rapist, Paul, very well. At the end of their freshman year, they both signed up to help lead the next year’s outdoor-orientation program. During the training trip to the Delaware River they had sex
Neimark, Jill. "Out of Bounds: The Truth About Athletes and Rape" Mademoiselle May 1991 P196-199, 244-245
Rape is non-consensual sexual intercourse that a male performs against a woman whom he is neither married to or cohabiting with. The definition of rape changes by geographic location. In some countries a woman must prove she is pure in order to find the perpetrator guilty. Rape used to be more of a violation to the man than to the women. It was a violation of the man’s rights if his wife or girlfriend was raped. When a woman is raped her devotion to her family is questioned. Rape is a violent act, an act of possession, not a sexual act. The myth that men who rape women are sexually pathological has begun to be dispelled and replaced with an understanding that rape is an act of anger, power and control rather than lust.
On October 22 at 7:30pm in Williams Hall, I watched a film by Marta Cunningham called “Valenetine Road”. The film was about a murder that occurred on February 12, 2008 in Oxnard, California, were either-grader Brandon Mclnerney shot an openly gay classmate Larry King. Although what seemed like an open and shut case, the trial took over three years before the judge and jury was able to deliberate a decision. Coupled with the abnormality of a juvenile murderer and extenuating trail time, the case garnered countless media appearances that choose to depict the case one sided. However, through the film, the background information proved to be vital because the film choose to present both sides of the story persuasively and effectively. This allows
Rape until 2012 was defined as “The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.” It was severely lacking was only updated by the Federal Bureau of Instigation in 2012. It left out an entire section of rape that can be committed which is man being the rape victim. This lead to misclassification of rape of males for years. So even the statistics used till 2014 were underwhelming and inaccurate when it was related to male rape or sexual assault. Rape in the United States is now defined by the Department of Justice as “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” Male Rape or men being the sexual assault victims are rarely ever the subject of a dialogue when Sexual Assault is the topic being discussed because rape is generally seen as a heterosexual highly sexed male attack on vulnerable, attractively dressed female victim. Most rapists have alternative outlets for sexual gratification, many take little notice of their victim 's physical attributes, and some may experience sexual dysfunction during the assault.
The novel Our Guys, written by Bernard Lefkowitz, is a very dynamic story about the heinous actions of a dozen middle-class athletes, from a small New York suburb, against a defenseless mentally handicapped girl. Lefkowitz describes a brutal gang rape involving a baseball bat and broomhandle, which took place in this unsuspecting town, by these upstanding young group of boys, as the town would describe them. Lefkowitz looks at the incident which took place and then examines the “jock clique” sub-culture that allowed such atrocities to happen, and spawned the scandal to cover it up.
It was once acceptable for men to have full control over women, declaring when they will marry and when they will have children. However, over the past centuries, women have established a place in society, proving themselves much more than someone's property. This is why the word “rape” today is not taken lightly. According to findlaw.com, “Rape generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress.” When one does not give consent to sex, it is considered a felony, possibly putting the rapist in jail. Contrary to sexual assault, “Sex is reified as penile-vaginal intercourse while an extremely diverse group of pleasurable and sexually stimulating activities are dismissively relegated to the category of foreplay...” (Reinholtz, Muehlenhard, Phelps, & Satterfield, 1995.) Although consented sexual intercourse is much more out in the open and accepted in society, the problem of rape is still very relevant behind the scenes.
Susan Griffin’s Rape: The All-American Crime touches on many issues within American society. She begins by recounting how she was taught to be afraid of strange men from such a young age that she had not yet learned what it was she was so afraid of, and then goes into her experience with harassment, an experience shared by every woman at some point in her life. Griffin recounts the belief that all rapists are insane and the proof that they are just normal men and dispels the myth that rape is normal activity that is prohibited by society. However, she goes on to clarify that our culture views rape: “as an illegal, but still understandable, form of behavior” (Griffin 514). It seems that the wrongness of rape is determined by the situation in
It is not a topic that is brought up often, especially at schools or at gatherings, yet it is crucial that everyone be educated, or at least informed on a topic that affects women every day. “Given that sexual violence continues to occur at high rates in the United States, it is vital that we understand attitudes and cultural norms that serve to minimize or foster tolerance of sexual violence” (Aosved, 481). Growing rates of sexual violence goes to prove that it is not taken seriously by many, especially when myths excuse the actions of the perpetrator and instead guilt victims into thinking they are responsible for the horrible act. Burt (1980), in her article titled, “Cultural myths and support for rape” attempts to make sense of the importance of stereotypes and myths, defined as prejudicial, stereotypes, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims and rapists- in creating a climate hostile to rape victims (Burt, 217). Examples of rape myths are such sayings as “only bad girls get raped”; “women ask for it”; “women cry rape” (Burt, 217). This only goes to prove that rape myths against women always blame and make it seem like it is the women’s fault she was raped and that she deserved it for “acting” a certain way. McMahon (2007), in her article titled, “Understanding community-specific rape myths” explains how Lonsway and Fitzgerald (1994) later described rape myths as “attitudes and beliefs that are generally
What do you think and feel when you hear the word rape? Do you feel uncomfortable? Maybe even angry? Your certain feelings and emotions towards this word is a result of rape culture. Rape culture, essentially, is how a society as a whole sees and reacts towards rape or instances of rape. In 2013 rape was defined by the FBI as, “Penetration… of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” (Division’s Crime Statistics Management Unit 1). The definition was finally changed after the old definition deemed inappropriate by today’s standards, which beforehand, stated that physical force needed to be used for rape to be considered rape. This is good news for men and women who have been fighting for the definition to be changed, but unfortunately this does not mean that state laws are being changed the same way. Even though the FBI may acknowledge the older inappropriate definition, most states do not. Sexual assault is a commonly unreported crime, where only an average of 36% of sexual abuse is actually reported to the authorities (Planty 7). Some forms of rape can include physical harm, threats, and even death of the victim, and most victims do not want to tell others for fear of criticism, self-blame, or even the fear that their attackers will carry out on their threats. In many cases, victims do have a reason to be afraid. When someone is brave enough to come forward and say they were sexually assaulted, they are putting themselves in the position of being in not only a long legal process, but also having their motives questioned and misunderstood, which is the last thing they want after their experience. The legal system in the United States...
According to Marshall University, Rape Culture is defined as “an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in media and popular culture.” In American society, it is not hard to find examples of rape culture. In popular movies, music, and current events there is an undeniable notion of victim blaming, and sympathizing with male perpetrators. People have begun to use the term rape as a casual adjective. For example “I just raped him in that game,” could be used to describe two people playing a game and one winning easily against the other. American society uses pop culture and current events to promote and justify the prominent rape culture.
To be raped is to be sexually assaulted forcefully and unwillingly. According to the Uniform Crime reports, of all serious offenses, rape is probably “the most under reported crime.” Victims of rape are not only violated physically, they are violated mentally as well. It is a very traumatic experience that woman have to deal with for the remainder of their life. They usually incur symptoms of post-traumatic stress syndrome, stress disorders, fear, constant memories of the attack, a loss of confidence, and shame. (Mary E. Williams) These effects alter the victim’s life severely and can interfere with their day to day life and relationships. Being raped is a horrific crime that no woman should ever have to endure. In many cases victims of rape may become impregnated by the perpetrator leaving the victim to another form of violation. According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, at least 9,100 abortions each year are attributed to pregnancies that occur because of forced sexual intercourse. (Irin Carmon)