Analysis Of Olga Khazan's The Bro Whisperer

1548 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The hunting ground for sexual assault on college campuses

In Olga Khazan’s piece, The Bro Whisperer, she analyses a sociology professor, Michael Kimmel, on the very present issue of rape and sexual assault on college campuses, for one in every four women report being raped, and two of every three women disclose being sexually assaulted during their time spent at university. Kimmel provides insight on how to end rape by changing the sexual climate on college campuses. In doing so, an importance is put into providing good sex education, and the need for an increase in more direct conversation, targeted towards men, regarding the problem in order to reach an adequate solution. Additionally, the article goes forth and suggests that by the power of communication rape and sexual assault will come to a halt. …show more content…

If the solution to a problem as large and as serious as rape was to simply have an open conversation about the matter, then there is no question whether or not that conversation would have already taken place. Unfortunately, rape and sexual assault is a difficult situation that affects many people across all ages, race, gender, economic status, and neighborhoods. For a problem to have such a wide effect on such a diverse group of people, the solution is much more complex than merely holding a discussion regarding the issue. To say that holding a discussion about the matter will provide a resolution, is again trivializing the severity of the crime. Additionally, another drawback in the belief that by the power of communication rape and sexual assault will come to an end, is that it implies that the perpetrator does not know what they are doing is blameworthy, in fact the converse is true. Studies have shown that sexual predators, on college campuses, are repeat offenders, with an average number of victims at a staggering six, thus proving that rapists on university campuses are aware of what they are doing and are still continuing to part in, and contribute to, their …show more content…

Through Olga Khazan’s article, she analyzes possible solutions without examining the underlying causes. An importance is put into providing good sex education, and the need for an increase in more direct conversation, targeted towards men, regarding the problem in order to reach an adequate solution. That being said, the article goes forth and suggests that by the power of communication, rape and sexual assault will come to a halt. In reality, society knows rape to be a much more serious offense. The text trivializes the occurrence of rape and sexual assault by the tone in which it is presented. Masculinities, or society’s conventional images of what being a man is, also play a part in the underlying problems, which are not addressed by

Show More
Related

  • Fraternities and Collegiate Rape Culture Ayres Boswell and Joan Z. Spade

    550 Words  | 2 Pages

    In "Fraternities and Collegiate Rape Culture" Ayres Boswell and Joan Z. Spade analyze the social perspective of the gendered relations in male fraternities that add to the high rate of violence against women on many college campuses. They list a host of factors that distinguish higher-risk from lower-risk atmospheres discussing the rates of rape in colleges and state how "1 out of 4 college women say they were raped or experienced an attempted rape" (217). Additionally, "1 out of 12 college men say they forced a woman to have sexual intercourse against her will" (Boswell, Spade 217). In other words Boswell and Spade indicated that the rates were high when it came down to women getting raped in colleges by men who also attended those colleges. In addition, Boswell and Spade specify in how most people are aware of rape but know very little about rape culture (Boswell, Spade 217).

    Read More

  • Examining of Estrich´s and Pineau´s Discussion on Rape

    1473 Words  | 3 Pages

    This essay will examine Susan Estrich’s and Lois Pineau’s discussion on rape. Both contribute insights on our society’s negligence when it comes to the protection and justice for women. Estrich provides a peak into the legal system on how it determines rape. We will see that the law is shaped in a way that continues to oppress women and leave them unprotected. Pineau furthers the conversation on placing responsibility on the victim to prove the crime. She narrows her focus on date rape and raises an objection to the model of consent that shapes our culture’s attitude and our country’s law. Pineau proposes a communicative model of sex. From this proposal, I will conclude my essay with an objection of her model and will ultimately defend her model against such an objection.

    Read More

  • The Social Construction of Rape

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    Oftentimes, the things individuals take for granted as preexisting facts are merely the products of social construction, which exert tremendous impacts on belief and action. Men and women are socially constructed categories inscribed by norms of masculinity and femininity that enables rape to occur. Catharine MacKinnon claims that rape is defined in a male perspective, which lacks the account of female experience. On the other hand, Sharon Marcus argues that rape is a constructed language that scripts the female body. As bell hooks points out, black men celebrate “rape culture” as a mean of expressing patriarchal dominance and endorsing female subordination. In order to redefine rape and to develop effective rape prevention, it is crucial to deconstruct the predetermined assumptions about men and women. Rape is socially constructed, through the ways how individuals possess misogynistic ideologies and endorse patriarchal power, turning the erotic fantasy of male dominance into “reality”.

    Read More

  • The Hunting Ground Summary

    607 Words  | 2 Pages

    When university or police find out about the sexual assault, they immediately blame the victim or question what the victim was wearing, drinking, or doing. “Brownmiller identified four basic rape myths: (1) All women want to be raped; (2) a woman cannot be raped against her will; (3) a woman who is raped is asking for it; and (4) if a woman is going to be raped, she might as well enjoy it” (Helgeson, 2012, p. 432). In The Hunting Ground, the rape myth, which a woman who is raped is asking for it, is seen throughout the testimonies of the survivors. Clark, herself, was told by her dean that “rape is like a football game” and asked if “looking back, what would you have done differently?” (Ziering & Dick, 2015). These rape myths affect how many victims actually report and how seriously sexual assaults are taken within universities and the justice system. For example, some women, themselves, subscribe to rape myths because they see how current cases are handled. “Women who did not physically fight off the person who raped them and who subscribed to the rape myth that “it can’t be rape if a woman doesn’t fight back” were less likely to acknowledge that they had been raped” (Helgeson, 2012, p. 434). Universities need to teach first-year students about consent and how to

    Read More

  • A Call To Action Against Campus Rape And Sexual Assault

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    In what is sure to be a very solemn matter for all American students and their families across the country , in January 2013 , President Obama, the office of the Vice President and the White House Council on Women and Girls converged and issued a renewed call to action against rape and sexual assault report which analyzes the most recent reliable data about this issue and identifies who are the most in peril victims of this malefaction, investigates the costs of this violence both for victims and communities , and describes the replication very often inadequate of the US malefactor equity system.

    Read More

  • Rape - The Plague of the Modern World

    2187 Words  | 5 Pages

    Rape is a virus that infects every nation, culture and society. It is constantly referred to as “the unfinished murder”, because of the deep state of despair the rapist leaves the victim in. There is no common identifiable trend that determines who will be a rape victim. Women are not assaulted because of their attitudes or actions, they are attacked simply because they are present. With rapists, just as with their victims, there is no identifiable trend. The old myth that only “sick, dirty, old, perverted men” commit rapes is a lie that society tells itself in order to sleep better at night. The startling truth is that most rapists work under a veil of normalcy. In order for the percentage of rapes to decrease, we have to change our ideas about rape and let go of the old myths of the past. And until this happens, rape will continue to plague our world at large.

    Read More

  • Addressing Sexual Assault Prevalence on College Campuses

    1007 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexual assault is defined as any type of sexual contact or behavior that occurs without the explicit consent of the recipient. Falling under the definition of sexual assault are sexual activities as forced sexual intercourse, forcible sodomy, child molestation, incest, fondling, and In the United States 80% of sexual assault victims are under the age of 30. Of that 80%, 44% are under the age of 18 (RAINN, 2016). That leaves 36% of victims between the ages of 18 and 30. These percentages become even more alarming when that 80% is of about 293,000 victims of secual assualt each year (RAINN, 2016). It is estimated that 1 in every 6 women in the US has been or will be victims of sexual assault in their lifetime. The risks of sexual assault increase on college campuses. Women ages 18-24 who are enrolled in college are 3 times more likely than women in general to suffer from sexual violence (RAINN, 2016). One would think that with all these women being sexually assaulted, one would hear more about it, or perhaps the police stations would constantly be busy. This is not the case. Sexual assault is one of the most unreported crimes, with 68% still being left unreported (RAINN, 2016). This could be because of every 100 rapists, only 2 will spend a day in jail. Of the 32 out of 100 that would be reported, only 7 are referred to an arrest (RAINN, 2016). Why would men or women want to report sexual assault when the system that is supposed to protect them fails so often, and why does this system continue to fail?

    Read More

  • The Pervasiveness Of Rape On College Campuses

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    “I felt his hands start to move down towards my shorts as if he was trying to unbutton them or pull them off. I was still crying at this point and felt so scared that I couldn’t move” (Henneberger, 2012). These are words written by a college freshman after she had been raped, but they are true for many others as well. According to the Rape Crisis Center of Medina and Summit Counties, “every two minutes someone in the US is sexually assaulted” (Get the Facts). “Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the than the general population to be victims of sexual assault” (Get the Facts). These women may be described as slut, cheap, or ready for action, rather than victim, sufferer, or survivor. Rape myths encourage these demeaning terms for women and conceal the reality of rape culture. I will describe the pervasiveness of sexual assault on college campuses as well as the systems and procedures in place to address it. Power plays a role in this issue, including the powerful men on campus such as athletes and fraternity members as well as the administrators in power who regulate the punishments and actions that are taken against the perpetrators. The influence of those in power often goes overlooked in our society because it has become so intertwined with our culture.

    Read More

  • Rape Myth Acceptance: The Blame On Women

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Rape In College Essay

    1784 Words  | 4 Pages

    Most schools report that they have implemented programs and are actively participating in anti-rape activities around campus but are only doing so to meet the standards and make the school seem safer and more actively against the crime. In a study published in the National Institute of Justice it is reported that “anonymous reporting, which encourages victims to come forward, is an option at only half of the nation's school…and fewer than half the schools inform students on how to file criminal charges.” Schools advertise that they are educating their students about how to report the crimes and the importance of being aware of the dangers of rape but only meet the bare minimum with online programs that students can simply click through to pass. Schools are not effectively communicating that students really need to take these programs seriously and are instead allowing them to have negative attitudes towards the minimal education programs that they have set

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Campus Sexual Assault

    756 Words  | 2 Pages

    We all have the means and capability to make a change in this world for the better of sexual assault. Whether it be reporting the incident, the victim retelling his or her story to those who’ll listen, or forming groups against any mean of sexual assault. This would greatly help indeed, but take this into consideration; what will happen if such a thing were never to be done? That being the case, we would more than likely suffer in the long run for having much more campus attenders being violated and sexually assaulted. Especially for our known individuals who’re attending schools for semesters; we’re basically saying that we could care less about the wellbeing of our friends, family, and associates who are by themselves on campuses; that if they get sexually assaulted, it’ll be their own faults. In actuality, the fault will have been ours. We don’t want that, do

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault And Sex Assault

    1245 Words  | 3 Pages

    About one in four women are victims of sexual assault in college, but there are ways to prevent this problem. The consequences of sexual assault are harmful and long-lasting and affect not only the victims but also their families and communities. Solutions to this problem _______. But, as Richard Edwards, chancellor of Rutgers-New Brunswick college said, “Regardless of the number, it’s a major problem, affecting our students and people all across the country and it has to be taken seriously” (5). If people work together, the steps can be taken to stop sexual assault in colleges.

    Read More

  • Sexual Victimization of Women

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to a statement addressing the sexual victimization of college women The Crime and Victimization in America states that, “ One out of four women will be sexually assaulted on a college campus.” This disturbing fact has not minimized throughout the years, instead it is continuing to worsen throughout college campuses. Sexual assault is not an act to be taken lightly. Society must stop pinpointing the individuals who commit these crimes one by one, but rather look at the problem as a whole and begin to understand the main cause of sexual assault and possible methods to reduce these acts of sexual coercion.

    Read More

  • Rape Culture

    1619 Words  | 4 Pages

    Many of the attitudes, beliefs, and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. By looking at myths, such as “women ask for it,” and “it would do some women good to get raped,” from a historical perspective, lead us for better understanding how they evolved. Women are still seen as the property of men, are protected as such. Men and women are still taught to occupy very different roles in today’s world. Men are usually more aggressive, and women are seen as passive. (Vogelman) This socialization process is changing, but slowly.

    Read More

  • Acquaintance Rape

    2622 Words  | 6 Pages

    ...re was a new newsletter detailing a nighttime attack on campus every 2 months. They’d have a police sketch, campus escort numbers, everything. Nobody’s going to pick up a paper and read “Jenny Eldman was Raped by Bobby Porter Last Night Even Though He Said He Just Wanted to Hang Out and Study For the English Mid-Term” It’s because these crimes are so very personal they go unmentioned, despite their obvious frequency. Just as “the personal is political,” rape is not a private issue, but a public one. Acquaintance rape cannot be considered solely a "personal" issue involving a particular man and a particular woman. It is a problem that concerns all men and all women because it deals with the basic issue of the ways in which men and women relate to each other. There is a need for rape prevention programs in colleges and universities not only to help women protect themselves but to help men understand the issue of rape. Denial is an easy solution for both the victims and perpetrators of this “hidden” crime. Hopefully as the facts about aqauintance rape come to the surface, people will get the information they need to re-shape their ideas. Isn’t that what college is for?

    Read More

More about Analysis Of Olga Khazan's The Bro Whisperer

Open Document