Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth and it happens every few minutes. The problem with groups who deal with rape is that they try to educate women about how to defend themselves. What really needs to be done is teaching men NOT TO RAPE. Go to the source and start there!
Now, should we treat women as independent agents, responsible for themselves? Of course. But being responsible has nothing to do with being raped. Women don’t get raped because they were drinking or took drugs. Women do not get raped because they weren’t careful enough. Women get raped because an animal in the face of men raped them.
Words are small things. No one means any harm by them, they keep saying that. Everyone is just doing their job. The police say it all the time. ‘I’m just doing my job here.’ That’s why no one asks what the rapist did; as soon as the girl starts to talk they interrupt her instead with questions about what she did!
Did she lie down on the bed voluntarily or was she forced? Did she unbutton her own blouse? Had she been drinking alcohol? Did she say no? Was she clear about that? Did she scream loudly enough? Did she struggle hard enough? Why didn’t she take photographs of her bruises right away? They have to gather all the information, they say when they ask the same question ten times in different ways in order to see if she changes her answer. This is a serious allegation, they remind her as if it’s the allegation that’s the problem. She is told all the things she shouldn’t have done: She shouldn’t have waited so long before going to the police. She shouldn’t have gotten rid of the clothes she was wearing. Shouldn’t have showered. Shouldn’t have drunk alcohol. Shouldn’t have put herself in that situation. If only she hadn’t existed, then none of this would have happened, why didn’t she think of that? She’s fifteen, above the age of consent, and he’s seventeen, but he’s still ‘the boy’ in every conversation. She’s ‘the young woman.’ Words are not small things.”
Our society needs to know when to forgive, but also our society and government needs to know when to PUNISH. As a society are we ready?
Thank You!
