Rape Culture Essay

Rape Culture is defined as “… a culture in which dominant cultural ideologies, media images, social practices, and societal institutions support and condone sexual abuse by normalizing, trivializing and eroticizing male violence against women and blaming victims for their own abuse (Phillips cited in Kacmarek).” In today’s society, rape culture is prevalent in essentially every person’s life. While there are many different ways rape culture can present itself, all aspects of the culture are disturbing and in most cases, quite harmful – whether physically or emotionally. In this essay, I will bring to light many issues with current universities’ policies regarding rape and/or sexual assault. I will discuss the dangerous affects rape culture

Slut shaming, the act of humiliating someone for their sexual behaviors and dressing in what may be perceived as “slutty” clothes, may be the most typical type of harassment. Slut shaming usually refers to women, although can be used to persecute people of all genders and sexual orientations. When pertaining to women, slut shaming most frequently involves being called “slut” or “whore” for behaving in a way that is not seen as “modest” or “feminine” according to antiquated ideas of such subjects. “Slut-shaming, as it’s called, is coarse, retrograde, the opposite of feminist. Calling a girl a slut warns her that there’s a line: she can be sexual, but not too sexual.” (Bazelon) If a woman expresses her sexuality, she is ridiculed and called humiliating names and told she is less of a person; Meanwhile, men are rewarded as sex gods and are praised for their sexual conquests of the same (if not more promiscuous) nature. Slut shaming further maintains the idea that a woman wearing clothing that is “slutty” or anything that is “too” tight or “too” revealing is “asking” to be raped or sexually

Cat calling is the act of making “A shrill whistle or shout of disapproval, typically one made at a public meeting or performance.” The stereotypic example of this is when construction workers whistle and make comments to women passing by on the street. The act of cat calling truly makes women feel uncomfortable in a public place where all people should feel welcome and not objectified. No one has the right to call out to a woman who is just trying to go about her day. Cat calling and street harassment are what cause a majority of women to feel afraid to walk down the street by themselves. “Street harassment is about exerting power over someone, treating them with disrespect, and it 's often about sexually objectifying someone without their consent” (Holly Kearl qtd in Maxwell). As with rape, the harassment is not about sex – It is about power. Street harassment lets men tell women on the street that their bodies are not their own and men can objectify and torment them in public places. In a video for the Street HarassmentVideo youtube channel, director Rob Bliss films Shoshana B Roberts walking for ten hours in Manhattan, New York. Through out the video many men are seen and heard commenting on her appearance with such phrases as “What’s up beautiful..”, “Damn!”, and “Nice!” One man even says “Somebody’s acknowledging you for being beautiful. You