This letter is in response to a letter that appeared in Monday’s paper under the headline “‘Rape culture’ label is not justified at OU.” You can read that letter here.
As a women’s and gender studies major, I couldn’t help but respond to your confusion. While you quoted an excellent definition of rape culture from Marshall University’s Women’s Center, it failed to include the most crucial part: “Rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies and the glamorization of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety.”
I have seen these actions take place on a regular basis and especially in the bars! Not many can honestly say that they haven’t heard some a--hole make a sexist remark, a catcall, use an aggressive, vulgar and/or inappropriate pickup line and, please, like the “notorious Court Street incident last semester” wasn’t a complete glamorization of sexual violence!
Ohio University is known for our community-based and family-like student body, yet the reactions to a very unfortunate event last semester were disgusting. I saw no traits of a family, let alone a responsible, moral-possessing bystander to stop the event or videotaping.
Students immediately jumped to slut-shaming, survivor-blaming, refusal to take rape accusations seriously and, ultimately, showed examples leading to the idea that women should avoid being assaulted rather than teaching men not to assault.
The reason rape culture may seem unfit to you and many other students is because society has developed tolerances for coercive sexual behavior. Look at the media and music with their utter objectifications of women, misogynistic lyrics, and sexual assault references; even worse, sexual jokes like the sickeningly common line, “That exam raped me so hard” (insert any other formation of this “joke” here).
Part of why this desensitization to sexual violence has formed is the adherence to survivor-blaming beliefs: “Of course it was the survivor’s fault, look what they’re wearing” or, “She was walking alone.” Why is it that we have to alter our wardrobe or strategically schedule our way home? Because rape is a form of terrorism and regardless of how many survivors report it or how many rapists are actually convicted, that carries little weight compared to the fear that is instilled in women on a daily basis.
Furthermore, statistics from rainn.org state that 80 percent of rape survivors are under age 30 (much like OU students), 54 percent of rapes are not reported for reasons stated above, or the traumatic/invasive rape tests, interrogations, publicity, etc.
Another reason could be hopelessness, as 97 percent of rapists will never spend a day in jail, and since some think rape isn’t prevalent, every two minutes someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted, and each year there are about 207,754 survivors of sexual assault.
While I commend your feminist beliefs, I urge you to do a little more research and think outside the box, or even outside the realm or your own gender. You’d be surprised.
Molly Risola is a senior studying women’s and gender studies.
