Rape Culture Victimizes Abusers And That's Not Okay | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

Rape Culture Victimizes Abusers And That's Not Okay

[TW: rape] Boys will not just be boys, and sharing nudes without consent or those that aren’t yours is dangerous and not OK.

243
Rape Culture Victimizes Abusers And That's Not Okay
Civil Rights Advocacy

When it comes down to it, I can confidently say our world sucks. Sure, not all the time. Sometimes we have good days. More often than not though, it sucks. A lot.

I began writing this article right after the whole Rob Kardashian incident, which was right after I read about the Austin Jones debacle. Both of this instances is an example of rape culture, despite not being exactly rape. Here we have a pyramid explaining what rape culture exactly is:

This allows for a visual explanation of how things that may be perceived as "normal" or "everyday" things really aren't. Boys will not just be boys, and sharing nudes without consent or those that aren't yours is dangerous and not okay. The fact that we think of these actions as nothing is the initial problem. We need to see that these "little" problems lead to actual huge problems. These little instances of catcalling do mean something; they can make the victim of a catcall feel unsafe. I, for one, walk with my keys in my hand or with my hand in a fist. It's really easy to feel uncomfortable in this world when no one is fighting to protect victims.

Rape culture is just one other crappy situation created by the damn patriarchy in which we still live in today. It was created by the fact this world often shames real victims, but it totally victimizes abusers. Often creating sympathy for the person that most likely actually ruined someone's life, and not the person who needs the most help. "Do you have any proof?" "How do we know you're not lying?" "What were you wearing?" These are all irrelevant, and they just feed into the destruction of what rape culture already does. They make the victim feel as if what happened is their fault, and it all happened because of them. If only they had done one thing differently, then maybe, perhaps, things wouldn't have happened the way they did? Well, no. It is not their fault. The only person whose fault it is, is the person who decided they didn't care about the feelings of someone else.

I also want to mention how people claiming "fake rape" is dangerous. Yes, statistically, men do commit more assaults than women. However, that does not mean that that women should be allowed to claim assault if it never happened. I say women here because it is what typically happens. Not only can it ruin an innocent man's life, but this also makes it harder to believe people who have actually been assaulted. If it becomes a thing when anyone can claim that they were assaulted, then who's going to believe someone who actually was? To be more specific, white women tend to claim fake assault on men of color, especially black men. And this needs to stop in order to prevent rape culture from staying alive.

Unlike the Robin Thicke song, rape cultures aren't blurred lines. We all know what it is, and we even know when we take part of it sometimes. The fact is that it won't stop unless we actively try to end it. It really isn't that hard to do so.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

18 Things I Want To Do Now That I'm 18

I'm technically an adult, so I'm legally required to live a little, right?

1820
Happy Birthday Cake

For the entirety of my high school career, I was always seen as the goody-two-shoes. I never got in trouble with a teacher, I kept stellar grades, and when I wasn't doing extracurricular activities, I was at home studying. Even when I did go out, it was usually with a bunch of fellow band geeks. The night would end before 11:00 PM and the only controversial activity would be a fight based on who unfairly won a round of Apples-to-Apples when someone else clearly had a better card (I promise I'm not still holding a grudge).

Now that I'm officially an adult, I want to pursue some new things. I want to experience life in a way that I never allowed myself to do prior to entering college. These are the years that I'm supposed to embark on a journey of self-discovery, so what better way to do that than to create a bucket list?

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics

The holiday classics that shaped my life

1115
10 Life Lessons from Christmas Classics
Flickr

The holiday season is full of stress, debt, and forced conversation. While we rush through the month of December, it's important to take a step back and enjoy the moments before they're gone. Most families love to watch Christmas movies, but these beloved films provide more than entertainment. Here are 10 life lessons that I've learned from the holiday classics we watch every year.

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

200325
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

20957
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments