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Diana Isakova Media 384 Cacoilo Society Teaches Dont Get Raped Instead of Dont Rape Rape has become a rampant social issue causing physical as well as psychological damaging effects on women. In many instances of rape, society tends to blame the victim rather than the oppressor. There have been many public rallies, protests, and campaigns which raise awareness about this impending issue. One campaign in particular, is the current feminist movement called SlutWalk. The movement is now a global fight against victim blaming of sexual assault and abuse.

The goal of the movement is to shift the paradigm of mainstream rape culture, which they believe focuses on analyzing the behavior of the victim rather than that of the perpetrator. Slutwalk was initiated in Toronto, Canada, in February 2011. The movement started up in reaction to a comment made by a Toronto police officer named Michael Sanguinetti. He stated Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized. Sonya Barnett and Heather Jarvis decided to use the word slut in their response and gathered over 3,000 at Queens Park in Toronto for Slutwalk. (SlutWalkNYC.com/FAQ)

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Slutwalk is raising awareness as well as a few eyebrows. Although the movement is literally sweeping the nation and being deemed the most influential feminist movement in the over 20 years, many people feel that it's becoming a bit too provocative.

In the above image, we can see some participants of SlutWalk parading around the street wearing very little clothing. The co-organizer of SlutWalk in Boston, Siobhan Conners has spoken out about this view. Not everyone has to chant Im a slut and Im proud () no matter how you identify, even if you dont consider yourself a sexual person, wed like to have anyone who is supportive of creating a more positive environment for women and believes that rape shouldnt be permitted. The participants choice of clothing shouldnt denounce the progress of the movement. The slutty outfits exemplify that a womans wardrobe, or lack thereof, shouldnt define whether not she deserves to get raped. The claims made by people who feel that the movement is too provocative are slut-shaming. The word slut is a deragatory term that is used to define a woman based on arbitrary reasons such as make up, clothes, their sexual history etc. Putting an end to slut-shaming is one of SlutWalks many goals, thus the slutty outfits are almost necessary to prove their point. Victim blaming (and shaming) is apparent in almost all rape cases

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and needs to be addressed as an issue. An article by Huffington Post published earlier this year, featured a young rape victim in their article who spoke out about her experience. Elizabeth Webb was 18 years old when she was sexually assaulted by someone she knew, who drugged her at a party. Webb reported the rape the next day, but stopped pursuing the case shortly after. The Texas Hospital, which administered the free rape examination, interrogated Webb with questions that challenged the integrity of the victim. Sexual assault is traumatic, and to add victim blaming on top of that is damaging to the psyche () I cant remember what I was wearing, but why werent they asking why he slipped something in my drink. says Webb, who is 24 years old.

It seems that there is a deluded perception of rape in our society. Why do people always point fingers at the victim? One reason is that many people believe that rape is sexually motivated. (Palmer 513) Some rape myths usually sound along the lines of Did you see how she was dressed? She was asking for it. or Rapists look for clothing that is easy to remove quickly, they carry around scissors specifically to cut clothing off. Both of these statements are false. Acquaintance rape is the most common type of sexual assault and accounts for over 80% of all rape cases, and 50% of them happen on dates. (Marshalledu.com) Acquaintance rape occurs

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when someone you know or trust forces you to have sexual intercourse. The most common outfit of rape victims is jeans and a t-shirt or sweatshirt. It is true that some articles of clothing are easier to remove than others, but there is no data to suggest that a potential victim is at greater risk because of how she is dressed. () 7080% of assailants are known to their victim, so tactics of stranger rapists isnt needed.(Crisis Connection Org)

If the rapist is usually someone the victim knows, then what the victim is wearing is probably irrelevant. The target is locked and in sight before any seducing can take place. Kerry Cohens self-autobiographical book Loose Girl: Memoirs of Promiscuity, follows the author through her promiscuous adolescence. Cohen explains that in her college years she was raped by her friends boyfriend at a party. Panic floods my body. I try to pull my hips away and close my legs, but he yanks me back and wrestles them open. The thought comes: This cannot be happening () The situation is also so familiar () a person I barely know hovering above me. I dont think of the word rape. I wont associate that word with this moment for many, many years.

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Perhaps this is why I dont scream or yell out. I whisper instead, Dont. But he does anyway. (Cohen 100) The problems with rape aside from being violent, unwanted and usually unprovoked are that some men arent even aware that they are partaking in rape. Many adolescents as well as adults arent educated on the definition of consent. The legal definition of consent is: to actively and willingly participate in any given activity, without coercion or force. Consent pertaining to sexual encounters must be a voluntary, sober, informed, mutual, and honest agreement. A person who is intoxicated cannot legally give consent. (Uhs.uga.edu) This may explain why many rapes happen on dates, since a few drinks may be involved throughout the night.

Under current legislation, the New York State Law affirms that convicted sex offenders are charged with 10 years of probation for any felony sexual assault and 6 years for a misdemeanor sexual assault charge. (SVfreeNYC.org). Under this rule, convicted sex offenders dont spend a single night in jail. In fact, statistics show that 15 of 16 accused rapists walk free.

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Another statisitic shows that an estimated 12.1 million women in American have been raped. Little suggets that the incidence of rape is decreasing, and rapes prevalence forces women to live in fear of violation and attack which fundamentally restricts their liberty. (Baker 565) What can we do to stop this? In general, the entire paradigm of rape culture must change. Both men and women play a vital role in making a difference. As discussed, communication is one of the biggest factors in finding justice for rape victims. For one, most women dont come forward about being raped or even pursue the case. At times, even during a situation when a woman is uncomfortable about sex, she doesnt say no and allows the rape to happen. Speak up! Secondly, communication on the part of the male is important as well.

Cat calling a woman in the street doesnt make her feel sexy or beautiful, its disrespectful and furthers the mistreatment of the opposite sex. Owning someones body with your eyes or your words isnt too far away from reaching out and grabbing their arm or hair. As of today there are countless Rape Crisis Centers, Domestic Violence Shelters,

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hotlines, and support groups all aimed to help victims of sexual abuse. There many new outlets of alternative media that shy away from perpetuating sex and violence. A prime example is The Good Men Project. Its aim is to answer the question of what it means to be a good man. Guys today are neither the mindless, sex-obsessed buffoons nor the stoic automatons our culture so often makes them out to be. Our community is smart, compassionate, curious, and open-minded; they strive to be good fathers and husbands, citizens and friends, to lead by example at home and in the workplace, and to understand their role in a changing world. (GoodMenProject.com/About)

We are living in a changing society. Today woman are utilizing their freedom of speech to make a difference across the globe. SlutWalk has marched through the streets of Toronto, Seattle, New York, Chicago, and even Singapore. With support from the general public, the message can be heard loud and clear: No matter who you are, no one has the right to touch you without your consent.

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Works Cited
Baker, Katherine. Once a Rapist? Motivational Evidence and Relevancy in Rape Law. Harvard Law Review. Vol. 110, No. 3 (Jan., 1997), pp. 563-624 Bourke, Joanna. Rape: Sex, Violence, History. Virago Press. Berkeley, CA. 2007. Cohen, Kerry. Loose Girl: A Memoir of Promiscuity. Hyperion Books. New York, NY. 2008. Crisis Connection. Through A Rapists Eyes? <http://www.crisisconnectioninc.org/sexualassault/through_rapists_eyes.htm> Web. 05 Dec. 2011. Good Men Project. About Us. < GoodMenProject.com/about/> Web. 07 Dec. 2011. Huffington Post. Slutwalk NYC 2011 Takes Over Union Square To Protest Slut-Shaming, Victim-Blaming. <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/03/slutwalk-nyc-2011-takeso_n_992181.html> Web. 18 Nov. 2011. New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault. New York State Laws. <http://www.svfreenyc.org/survivors_legal.html> Web. 07 Dec. 2011. Palmer, Craig T. Twelve Reasons Why Rape Is Not Sexually Motivated: A Skeptical Examination The Journal of Sex Research. Vol. 25, No. 4 (Nov., 1988), pp. 512-530 Slut Walk, NYC. What Is Rape Culture? <http://slutwalknyc.com/FAQ> Web. 14 Nov. 2011.