The Culture of Rape.: Causes and Possible Solutions

There was recently released CDC report that details the horrific stat that 1 in 5 American women will be raped in her lifetime. This means pretty much that all of us know somebody who's suffered this unconscionable crime.

I think what we may have here is a "rape culture" (not sure if someone has come up with a better term for this) that is at the root cause of this. An example is a woman who is approached by a guy, who then rejects said guy's advances. "What's wrong with that bitch??", might be the response. Or this idea that a married woman; or even a woman in a steady relationship, must provide sex if requested.

What are your experiences with this culture? And what can be done to reverse it?

It was an honor

Thoese stats are usually bullshit.

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

Hey Erock. Well, as many here are aware, I'm not a blind worshipper of statistics. But if the stat was 1 in 100 or even 1 in a thousand, that's FAR too much. We're not talking about some third-world shithole where the people still think that they have to sacrifice their firstborn so that they'll get rain for their crops.

We're talking about the United States of America. I wouldn've thought we were above this.

It was an honor

Going to justify that assertion, bro?

You had the right idea, but screwed it up with militant patriotism and saying that rape in 3rd world countries is not as terrible as rape in 1st world countries.

edited 15th Dec '11 2:52:45 PM by YeahBro

All I do, is sit down at the computer, and start hittin' the keys. Getting them in the right order, that's the trick.

@Erock: Reasons, please.

As I said in the other (now locked) thread for this, this only looks bad on rape apologists, and highlights the grave consequences that this crime has on everyone.

edited 15th Dec '11 2:52:55 PM by AllanAssiduity

I truly wonder if the gangsta rap culture is partially to blame for this.

Now let me say this, it's a big Berserk Button when I see some Conservative politician out to get points with Fox News blames rap for all that's wrong in this country.

But, the misogyny in the gangsta rap culture is inexcusable. I know it's done for kicks and giggles, but I wonder if it really is damaging to young psyches?

You misjudge me, Bro. Rape is an abomination and a disgrace to intelligent life everywhere. Just because I happen to love my country and I feel that it should be setting a better example doesn't mean I'm from Texas

edited 15th Dec '11 2:57:07 PM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

To be fair, people in third world countries don't have as much to live for in the first place, so rape on top of everything else probably doesn't have as much impact there as it would on the otherwise (relatively) cushy lifestyle of someone in the western world.

edited 15th Dec '11 2:57:12 PM by HiddenFacedMatt

"The Daily Show has to be right 100% of the time; FOX News only has to be right once." - Jon Stewart

If you are interested in misogyny in rap/hip-hop culture, might I recommend you read American Apartheid. It explains pretty comprehensively why there is such anti-female sentiment within lower-class predominantly African-American communities which it seems to make out as being a problem almost exclusive to those communities. Unless hip-hop culture has got more prevalent in the past few years, I don't think that is what we should be focusing on.

Saying that rape is less abhorrent when done to someone with a low standard of living is one of the most awful things I have seen committed to text and you should be deeply ashamed of yourself for even thinking that.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:04:11 PM by YeahBro

All I do, is sit down at the computer, and start hittin' the keys. Getting them in the right order, that's the trick.

In the same way we're above stealing and murder?

Wait...

Murrl LustFatM

I will always wonder as to why misery poker has become a recurring trend in OTC since my last visit.

Simply because quality-of-life is worse in third-world-countries does not mean that any bad act there means less then a bad act in a first-world-country. If I murder an American, that is not any better then murdering an African. It is a horrendous crime regardless.

Why does this need to be laid out?

edited 15th Dec '11 3:18:52 PM by AllanAssiduity

Got it, will check it out. But...regardless of hip-hop's increase, it's presence is already prevalent as it is.

So...wouldn't it be an issue anyway?

edited 15th Dec '11 3:04:27 PM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

If Issue A is becoming increasingly worse while Issue B is remaining stellar, then it is unlikely that these issues are connected in such a way that Issue B is causing Issue A's increase.

*

It's pretty popular among upper class white kids if it matters.

Personally I want to see a break down of rape by area.

I also would like to hear your opinions on why people rape others.

Please.

I'm unclear about the change or lack thereof in hip-hop that we're discussing. The initial gangsta rap music was specifically a "Fuck You" about the kinds of things that plagued inner-city black youth.

Like so many things, Misaimed Fandom kicked in, and worse, people saw ways to milk the genre for loads of money.

So now you have every other video being some naked chick shaking her butt cheeks while Crystal is poured down her chest.

A decade and a half of that sort of thing has to have an effect, I'd think. No?

Edit: I don't think Matt was trying to be a dick. I think he was agreeing with me that a prosperous nation like ours should be setting an example of treating our women citizenry better. Not being one of the worst offenders.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:11:15 PM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

Not accounting for under reporting (which is a bigger factor for males being raped because of culture):

29.3/100,000 of all rape in the US per year.

29.3 x 80 years = 2,344

100,000/2344 = 42.66

100/42.66 = 2.34

So there is a 2.34% chance someone will be raped in their life, for women it's probably 7-8% accounting for ratios.

It's a problem, yes, but it's difficult to stop. I suggest preventing the objectification of women.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:18:05 PM by Erock

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.

I'm very, very happy that this thread was made.

How do we stop rape culture?

1. Educating people about rape culture. Teach them what it is. A lot of people don't understand basic rape facts, like the fact that sex + alcohol = rape.

2. Explain to ignorant people what actions/ideas propagate rape culture.

3. Eliminate the link between bodies and profit.

I don't know how to make the third one happen.

@Erock, your statements are rape culture-ish. I understand what you're saying about statistics being non-perfect, but still, it's pretty rape culture-ish to respond to the OP with a simplistic, short comment like: "Thoese stats are usually bullshit."

edited 15th Dec '11 3:42:15 PM by Grain

Anime geemu wo shinasai!

I don't know what you are doing with those numbers, but it looks to me as though you are fucking around with them to try and claim that rape is less common. It does not matter how common it is, the fact it occurs is bad enough and it does not matter how hard it is to stop, that is no excuse to not try to find a cultural reason behind it.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:18:35 PM by YeahBro

All I do, is sit down at the computer, and start hittin' the keys. Getting them in the right order, that's the trick.

Go easy Bro. Erock, could you explain what you mean with those numbers.

Huh?

edited 15th Dec '11 3:21:07 PM by TheStarshipMaxima

It was an honor

^^^^ Care to explain those numbers? I can do mathematics, too — it means nothing if we don't know what you're using them for.

And agreeing with Yeah Bro on the points that just because it is hard to stop, it doesn't mean that we shouldn't try.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:20:38 PM by AllanAssiduity

Agreed. Also, I think this needs to become something that we are teaching young boys. They need to understand from a young age that grabbing a girl's butt at recess is NOT COOL.

It was an honor

I have to take a final exam soon, and then I have to pack an ungodly amount of stuff. I'll get back to this later, but it might be a while.

In a nutshell: watch a few recent music videos.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:25:31 PM by Grain

Anime geemu wo shinasai!

Can someone explain what rape culture is?

Right now it sounds like a panicky buzzword to me.

Please.

Yup, this is the problem right here. Education. (I don't mean to single you out, Dead, but there's seriously a problem when people think that rape culture is buzz world.)

http://yesmeansyesblog.wordpress.com/2009/07/23/this-is-what-rape-culture-looks-like/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rape_culture

I don't identify as a Marxist Feminist, but if anyone wants to do some reading on the link between female subjugation and profit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marxist_feminism

My exam is in exactly 15 minutes.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:46:20 PM by Grain

Anime geemu wo shinasai!

@Erock,

No, I'd hypothesize that the spike in the number actually comes from rape within marriage.

...

Which... probably makes it much, much worse, in fact.

@OP,

I'm not sure what to say to this anymore. Usually I'd be up in arms about how the criminal justice system is broken and soft, but after more than two weeks of constantly discussing it, I'm kind of worn out from that and feeling kind of sad and disgusted with having to constantly worry about shit like this.

I don't know, really. I don't know how to fix this. I wish I did. I can say it's horrific and disgraceful all day, but that just makes it seem like I care more about our reputation than the victims, which is decidedly untrue. I guess... well, I just don't know.

I am now known as Flyboy.

I'm puzzled at how the level of rape in the US is way higher than in much poorer countries.

edited 15th Dec '11 3:47:42 PM by MilosStefanovic

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.