What is rape culture? Look around you; we are immersed in it.
Rape culture tells women not to walk alone at night. Rape culture asks if a woman who has survived rape was intoxicated, or if she'd gone on a date or had a relationship with the rapist.
Rape culture asks if the woman fought back, or judges her if she did, or if she didn't.
Rape culture tells us to teach women self defense as a way to stop rape. It does not tell us that men need to talk with men to recognize what rape is, and to stop it.
Rape culture enforces patriarchy by underscoring traditional gender roles, and invoking rape as a punishment if she steps too far out of line.
Rape culture depends on the silence of women and complicity of men for it's continuance.
Men have a unique role in ending rape by making it clear to their friends, colleagues, and kin that it is never acceptable to coerce, force, or drug a woman into “sex”.
Ani and Lyn will discuss rape and violence against women. At the same time congress has let the Violence Against Women Act expire (for the first time since 1994), the headlines are abuzz with horrific acts of violence against women at home and abroad. We will discuss what rape culture is, and how we all need to act together to increase awareness of the problem, and to stop it.
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Be a part of the solution, or you ARE the problem.
- KBOO