It’s ok you can say the word ‘rape’ you know
June 17, 2009
Trigger warnings.
In this scenario, where two drunk men with political influence cornered a young woman alone in a downstairs laundry, and ‘demanded she have sex with them for money’, then when she refused, one man ‘forced her down into a crouch’ and prevented her from leaving?
When you’re reporting this, it is actually okay to use the word rape. When you force yourself on a woman who is not interested, nay who is not eagerly wanting sex with you, the correct term is rape, when you try it but get stabbed, it’s still attempted rape. They tried to force themselves on her…they tried to rape her, it’s really quite okay to say so and not make it sound like what happened is she got upset that they offered her money for sex and instead of saying ‘No thank you’ and that she would have been able to walk away. So when you write a headline, you might want to think about ‘Fending off rape’ rather than ‘Fending off demands for sex’.
I feel like people are reluctant to use the word rape becasue they feel mean for attributing such a vile act to the dude. Like it’s a bit too harsh, “horumm, don’t lets be too hasty, hobbits.”
RAAAARGH! What about how shitty the woman feels when a guy attempts to rape her and the public are wringing their hands over HIS feelings?!
When will society value the experiences of women and care about their needs instead of priveliging (including giving the benefit of the doubt to) men?
*This* is why I stop around glaring at people.
Very, very true.
But if you used the word rape, then these fucking pieces of shit might actually be forced to confront themselves, accept responsibility and realise THEY fucked up BIG TIME.
It’s funny how the concept of “being a man” and “owning up to your responsibilities” seem to get pissed out the window whenever you know, rape, is involved.
You know, as soon as you have to use the words “fending off” it doesn’t really fucking sound like sex to me.
Fothermuckers.
I’ve noticed men are extremely prickly about the word rape. I think even the dimmest of them intuitively get that somehow, rape and the threat of rape is necessary in maintaining the social order. Acknowledging rape culture is so hard for them because it would force them to also acknowledge exactly what a hideous situation we have going on here on this effing planet.
“I’ve noticed men are extremely prickly about the word rape. I think even the dimmest of them intuitively get that somehow, rape and the threat of rape is necessary in maintaining the social order. Acknowledging rape culture is so hard for them because it would force them to also acknowledge exactly what a hideous situation we have going on here on this effing planet.”
I think that’s the best way I’ve seen this been articulated. Ever.
The more I think about it, Aileen, the more it makes sense to me. Rape is about pwning the underclass. This is why in prison, men rape each other. To enforce a hierarchy.
When people in the mainstream news talk about rape, they treat it as they would any other crime, and it isn’t.