Persuasive Essay On Rape Victims

Imagine a world where robberies can be justified. When a man claims to have been robbed, he is asked a series of questions to justify the legitimacy of the supposed crime. Even if the robbed man names the robber and has proof against said robber, the man who was robbed is never fully believed. “You often give to charity, you probably wanted to be robbed,” he is told. Thus, the robbed man is held responsible for himself being robbed, and the cycle continues with the next victim who says he was robbed. Snap back to reality, and this all seems quite absurd. But what if I told you that this type of situation happens often, and without any second thought? This is the way many people treat victims of rape. We should stop blaming the rape victims, however, because victim blaming reduces the reporting of rape, objectifies females, and draws attention away from the real issue behind rape.

First, victim blaming makes it difficult for those raped to report the crime. Did you know that only 32 out of 100 rapes will be reported (“Why Will Only”)? For example, when we normalize phrases like “she was asking for it,” someone who was raped may have a hard time processing the nonconsensual sex as a crime, simply because she has been conditioned by society to think that she was “asking for it.” The definition of consent only continues to become

After all, when we blame the woman for getting raped, we are often implying that the default purpose for women is obeying and gratifying men, and if she does not wish to be used as women “should” be used, she must cover up and do everything in her power to fight off the rape. That idea is extremely objectifying, and tells women that no matter what they say, they still have little to no power over their own