Let's Talk About Rape Culture

Written by Adviye Sena Çimen | Edited by Sobh Saeed, Yam Pothikamjorn,| Designed by Natthapon Thepanondh (May), Sanisa Kongsiri (Kym)

What is “Rape Culture”?

Rape culture is a social environment that allows sexual violence to be treated as the norm and victims to be blamed for their own assaults. Rape culture is fueled by institutions that protect rapists and societal attitudes about gender and sexuality.

What does rape culture consist of?

Rape culture consists of victim-blaming, slut-shaming, sexual objectification, trivializing rape, denial of widespread rape, refusing to acknowledge the damage because of sexual violence, or some combination of these. Rape culture additionally consists of media in general (social media, TV, music, advertising, etc.), jokes, laws, phrases, and imagery that make violence towards women and sexual coercion appear so everyday that people consider rape as unavoidable.

Signs That You Are A Rape Apologist

Let’s talk about what “rape apologist” means first. A rape apologist is a person who defends acts of rape/rape culture. If you are:

Constantly questioning the victims using sentences such as “Why now after so many years?”, “Why didn’t you scream?”, “What was she wearing?”
Making excuses for the accused like “It’s just what guys do!”, “He made them stars and this is how he’s repaid? They must be thankful!”, “He is a good guy now!”
Trying to deflect from the topic and shutting down a conversation
Claiming that rape is not a serious crime or that people do not need to give consent to have sex

Then you are showing signs of a rape apologist.

Statistics

Here are a few facts that are going to help you understand how serious things are:

1 in 5 women experience sexual violence during their lifetime (CDC, 2015)
1 in 14 men experience sexual violence during their lifetime (this statistic may be underreported). (CDC, 2015)
81% of female victims report the sexual violence occurred prior to age 25 while 71% of male victims report the sexual violence occurred prior to age 25. (CDC, 2015)
Out of 1000 sexual assaults, 995 will walk free.

How Can I Stand Up Against Rape Culture?

Have zero tolerance! Speak out if you hear someone making an offensive joke or carrying out any other action enlisted previously, that falls under rape culture. Call people out for their actions.
Stop victim-blaming. Don’t forget that we should be focused on teaching people not to rape, rather than how ‘not to get raped’ when we know it can happen to anyone despite their precautions.
Educate yourself and the next generation on rape culture, know the history of it.
Take on an intersectional approach: understand how a person's social and political identities might combine to create unique modes of discrimination and privilege.
Do not assume consent, ever.
Avoid using language that objectifies or degrades any gender.
Listen to survivors.

Rape Culture Pyramid

Sources

Taub, Amanda. (2014, December 15) Rape culture isn’t a myth. It’s real, and it’s dangerous. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2014/12/15/7371737/rape-culture-definition

Intersectionality. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture#:~:text=Behaviors%20commonly%20associated%20with%20rape,or%20some%20combination%20of%20these.

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.brandonu.ca/sexualviolence/education-prevention/rape-culture/

March, Erik. (2017, November 15) Let’s break down 15 terrible excuses from accused sexual harassars and predators. Retrieved from https://www.upworthy.com/lets-break-down-15-terrible-excuses-from-accused-sexual-harassers-and-predators

(2016, June 16) Rape apologist. Retrieved https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rape%20Apologist

Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics#:~:text=The%20self%2Dreported%20incidence%20of,the%20United%20States%20in%202018.

Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/rape-sexual-assault-statistics-facts/#definition/

(2019, November 18) 16 Ways You Can Stand Against Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/compilation-ways-you-can-stand-against-rape-culture

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system

Image source:

Rape Culture Pyramid. Retrieved from https://www.11thprincipleconsent.org/consent-propaganda/rape-culture-pyramid/

Sources

Taub, Amanda. (2014, December 15) Rape culture isn’t a myth. It’s real, and it’s dangerous. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2014/12/15/7371737/rape-culture-definition

Intersectionality. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture#:~:text=Behaviors%20commonly%20associated%20with%20rape,or%20some%20combination%20of%20these.

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.brandonu.ca/sexualviolence/education-prevention/rape-culture/

March, Erik. (2017, November 15) Let’s break down 15 terrible excuses from accused sexual harassars and predators. Retrieved from https://www.upworthy.com/lets-break-down-15-terrible-excuses-from-accused-sexual-harassers-and-predators

(2016, June 16) Rape apologist. Retrieved https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rape%20Apologist

Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics#:~:text=The%20self%2Dreported%20incidence%20of,the%20United%20States%20in%202018.

Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/rape-sexual-assault-statistics-facts/#definition/

(2019, November 18) 16 Ways You Can Stand Against Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/compilation-ways-you-can-stand-against-rape-culture

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system

Image source:

Rape Culture Pyramid. Retrieved from https://www.11thprincipleconsent.org/consent-propaganda/rape-culture-pyramid/

Sources

Taub, Amanda. (2014, December 15) Rape culture isn’t a myth. It’s real, and it’s dangerous. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2014/12/15/7371737/rape-culture-definition

Intersectionality. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture#:~:text=Behaviors%20commonly%20associated%20with%20rape,or%20some%20combination%20of%20these.

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.brandonu.ca/sexualviolence/education-prevention/rape-culture/

March, Erik. (2017, November 15) Let’s break down 15 terrible excuses from accused sexual harassars and predators. Retrieved from https://www.upworthy.com/lets-break-down-15-terrible-excuses-from-accused-sexual-harassers-and-predators

(2016, June 16) Rape apologist. Retrieved https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rape%20Apologist

Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics#:~:text=The%20self%2Dreported%20incidence%20of,the%20United%20States%20in%202018.

Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/rape-sexual-assault-statistics-facts/#definition/

(2019, November 18) 16 Ways You Can Stand Against Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/compilation-ways-you-can-stand-against-rape-culture

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system

Image source:

Rape Culture Pyramid. Retrieved from https://www.11thprincipleconsent.org/consent-propaganda/rape-culture-pyramid/

Sources

Taub, Amanda. (2014, December 15) Rape culture isn’t a myth. It’s real, and it’s dangerous. Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2014/12/15/7371737/rape-culture-definition

Intersectionality. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersectionality

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture#:~:text=Behaviors%20commonly%20associated%20with%20rape,or%20some%20combination%20of%20these.

Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.brandonu.ca/sexualviolence/education-prevention/rape-culture/

March, Erik. (2017, November 15) Let’s break down 15 terrible excuses from accused sexual harassars and predators. Retrieved from https://www.upworthy.com/lets-break-down-15-terrible-excuses-from-accused-sexual-harassers-and-predators

(2016, June 16) Rape apologist. Retrieved https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rape%20Apologist

Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.nsvrc.org/statistics#:~:text=The%20self%2Dreported%20incidence%20of,the%20United%20States%20in%202018.

Rape and Sexual Assault Statistics & Facts. Retrieved from https://www.safehorizon.org/get-informed/rape-sexual-assault-statistics-facts/#definition/

(2019, November 18) 16 Ways You Can Stand Against Rape Culture. Retrieved from https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2019/11/compilation-ways-you-can-stand-against-rape-culture

https://www.rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system

Image source:

Rape Culture Pyramid. Retrieved from https://www.11thprincipleconsent.org/consent-propaganda/rape-culture-pyramid/