Speaking up about sexual assault

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2 Responses

  1. WriterWriter says:

    “Society teaches, especially to women, how to protect themselves from rape: to not walk in the dark alone, not to wear provocative clothing or act in suggestive ways.”

    Really? Cite your sources for that little gem. …

    Rape is a violent act that has absolutely nothing to do with how one dresses or where one happens to walk. If rape and sexual assault had anything to do with sexuality, 90-year old women would not be raped in their homes or in care facilities.

    This writer makes an excellent point; that the victim should not be quiet or anonymous. The victim is not to blame.

    The only way to understand and curtail rape and sexual abuse is to address the attackers, usually men, and to understand the core of what drives them to abuse and attack and to place the responsibility for such acts squarely where it belongs: at the feet of the attacker, who should not have anonymity.

    Sexual assault is a violent act. Period. To suggest “society” is telling women what to wear and when they may be in public is to infantilise women and scapegoat “society.”

  2. WebEditor says:

    I think you missed the part right after:

    “Brown said protection is not what needs to be taught. What is important is to teach people to not assault others.”

    Maybe read the whole article before you comment.

    She wasn’t saying that people are raped because of what they wear, she was saying that people who are raped are often asked what they were wearing as if it is their fault for being raped if they were dressed provocatively. Sources:

    http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/09/07/809861/judge-to-woman-sexually-assaulted-by-cop-when-you-blame-others-you-give-up-your-power-to-change/?mobile=nc

    http://news.sympatico.ca/oped/coffee-talk/niece_of_toronto_mayor_tells_women_not_to_dress_like_a_whore/7ca5b833

    http://www.excal.on.ca/news/dont-dress-like-a-slut-toronto-cop/

    The last link is also what caused SlutWalk to start. If you haven’t heard about it, here is the Wikipedia page:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SlutWalk#cite_note-Sarah_Bell_uk-13739876-4

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