Rape Culture


I remember of an incident in 2013 when a by stander recorded and posted online a video of a sexual encounter only to realize later that it was an assault. The fact that people never wanted to help the victim is a clear indication that society embraces rape culture. In a rape culture, rape is a fact of life and is considered inevitable. Sexual violence is normalized with societal belief promoting sexual aggression by male against women.  Social media platforms such as advertisement, music performances, language, imagery and laws depict sexual violence against women as normal.  Rape and other forms of sexual assault are ignored and mostly turned into jokes. In this kind of culture, the rights and safety of women are not topics for consideration. The norms adopted in a rape culture validate the behavior of men being pursuers who possess an attitude that women are their sexual conquests. This implies that manhood is legitimate while women are seen as objects to b used or owned Rape culture is counterproductive in that it works against the efforts of the society to eliminate sexual violence.  It limits the behavior of women and girls by making them insecure due to vulnerability.  They live in fear of being raped and this can be solved if the society can do away with the rape culture.
The society should understand that culture should not dictate what people believe and how they behave but only influence them. Men should realize that they have the choice not to follow norms that are stipulated by the culture. They should learn to challenge the values that determine the attitude they adopt towards women. This encompasses the issue of women consent when it comes to issues of sex. Men should understand that when society works against rape culture it is not hatred against them but rather a way of promoting responsible behavior.  


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