One thing to know about me is that I love movies and TV shows. I know, I know, pretty much everyone likes going to the movies or watching TV, but believe me when I say that if I could just sit in my room and watch TV all day, I totally would.
Something I've noticed throughout the years is the portrayal of rape in TV shows and movies, especially how brutal and graphic the scenes can sometimes be. (Yeah, I'm looking at you, "Game of Thrones.") It's awful to watch and it's a sad reminder of how rape and rape culture is still a major issue today, especially at college campuses.
However, in recent years, a new plot has been unfolding: rape revenge. This is otherwise known as victims taking control and confronting their attackers. In fact, it's the plot of a show on MTV "Sweet/Vicious," where two college girls team up to attack accused rapists at their school after one of them is sexually assaulted.
It's also a theme in plots of movies such as "Maleficent," "Mad Max: Fury Road" (where Charlize Theron's character helps a group of women escape sex slavery), and even goes back to "Thelma and Louise." It's also in shows such as "Jessica Jones" and "Westworld."
What does rape revenge do for viewers, though? For one thing, it speaks to survivors, or even the friends and family of survivors. One in six women experience sexual violence, so even if you personally haven't been sexually assaulted, chances are you know someone who has. It brings awareness to how brutal and traumatizing sexual assault is, and the effects it can have on a victim, whether it's symbolic, like in "Maleficent," or real, like in "Sweet/Vicious." In "Westworld," it even acknowledges that men are victims as well, something that doesn't get talked about enough.
Don't get me wrong, rape culture in the media is still a huge issue. But when we live in a world where people like Brock Turner sexually assault unconscious girls and only serve half of a six-month sentence, and where our own president has been taped boasting about grabbing women "by the p*ssy," it's nice to watch shows and movies where victims are getting revenge and getting to fight back.
