From an early age, young girls have had a distinct belief and cautionary tale instilled in them: cover-up around older men and never walk alone, especially at night. This translates into a paralyzing fear of losing dignity to overpowering and unwanted touch. Although anyone can be a victim of rape or sexual assault, about one in five women are victims of attempted or completed rapes at least once in their lifetime. The perpetrators? About 98% of rapists are men.
Although the rape crisis movement began in the 1970s, the movement ignited from women of color advocating against rape, such as Frances Thompson and Lucy Smith, during the Memphis Riots of 1866. When activists began a major anti-rape movement in the U.S. during the 70s, many rape crisis centers opened throughout the country. However, the fact proves terrifying once you reflect on how long misogyny, rape culture and double standards toward women have been ingrained in human history and society.
Rape has had a significant prevalence in history, beginning with colonization; for example, when Christopher Columbus colonized the United States, Columbus and his companions raped and assaulted many indigenous women. Today, rape remains a tremendous issue in society, considering how modern-day cultural and social beliefs influence rape culture and perceptions of sexual assault. In 2022, approximately 442,754 women were sexually assaulted or raped in the United States –– this number does not account for the 63% of sexual assaults that are not reported to authorities or police.
With alarming statistics that point toward rape posing a deep issue in American society, an important question emerges: Why does rape still happen so often, and why are the numbers significantly higher for women? Even though rape and sexual assault can tragically occur in anyone’s life, American society has warped and conditioned some to believe that victims, specifically women, are the problem –– not rapists.
Simply put, the way a woman dresses or presents herself is not the fatal flaw that leads to rape –– perpetrators are. A woman’s clothing, flirtatiousness or mannerisms are not a clear indicator of consent, regardless of the setting or scenario. About 9% of rape victims are male, yet very few cases involve any reports of provocative behavior. For instance, sexual assaults in the military mainly happen to men. Yet, men in the military wear strict attire: combat uniform and combat boots. Although men face issues regarding rape, such as myths that they may enjoy unprovoked sexual acts or that men cannot be raped, it is evident that men do not struggle with the notion that clothing is a direct cause of assault.
Women should not have to live with the dangerous idea that they can avoid rape by not tempting others, such as through the way they dress or behave. If a man is raped and not blamed because of his clothing or character, why should women face this blame? Many movements against sexual assault, especially towards women, aim to illustrate that clothing has no role in the dehumanizing crime of rape.
To combat an invalid question that many sexual assault victims receive –– “What did you wear?”–– Jen Brockman and Dr. Mary Wyandt-Hiebert created an exhibit named “What Were You Wearing?”, displaying the various outfits that victims wore when they were subject to sexual violence. Since then, the exhibit has reappeared in many locations. Many images of the exhibit show that the outfits of many victims are indeed not provocative: some photos display children’s clothing, school uniform, scrubs and pajamas, further pointing to the fact that a woman’s clothes have nothing to do with why she was raped.
As a result of women feeling unsafe, many women have adopted protection strategies. As found by the National Library of Medicine, women who had victimization experiences in the past, such as sexual assault or rape, were more likely to have weapons or defense strategies at home. Aside from women owning protection devices such as pepper spray, noise makers or firearms, people have begun initiatives to protect women who may feel unsafe.
Many bars offer “angel shots,” a secret code to let bartenders know they are being made uncomfortable or in potential danger. By asking for an “angel shot,” a customer can discreetly signal that they may be at risk without directly notifying others around them. There are other terms that bars may use so that a person can be more specific without drawing attention: straight up or neat, meaning that the customer is requesting an escort, on ice or the rocks, which means that the customer is asking for a taxi and with a twist, which indicates that the customer feels they may be in immediate danger. Another method people use is to “Ask for Angela,” which will notify bar employees that the person may need assistance.
Rape remains an issue at large; it is crucial to understand where the stigmas come from, and what ideas are harmful towards victims. With rape being such a prevalent issue, especially in the U.S., one must also acknowledge how women have been consistently given a lower hand, or a disadvantage when facing issues such as double standards and risks of sexual harassment and assault. Rape culture can still be resisted, but women should not have to cover up to prevent sexual violence. Resistance can be as easy as speaking up against assault and advocating for justice. The real issue lies within one thing: assaulters.
