StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Sexual Violence - Essay Example

Summary
The paper "Sexual Violence" analyzes that sexual violence has always been an area of concern, not only in America but globally. Most rape victims are often trolled in social media when they seek help and get blamed for allowing the incident to happen…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.7% of users find it useful

Extract of sample "Sexual Violence"

Rape Culture

Sexual violence has always been an area of concern, not only in America but globally. Most rape victims are often trolled in social media when they seek help and get blamed for allowing the incident to happen. The issue of gender disparity is highly evident when it comes to rape cases, and mostly, females fall victim to rape cases, and most of them attest to the fact that they are threatened not to talk about it. The article on exploring rape culture within social media forums gives a detailed fact that people are trolled on social media when trying to air out their grievances on experiences they have had with rapists.

Zaleski, in collaboration with her fellow authors, wrote an excellent piece on rape culture. First of all, we need to understand what rape culture is; it is a phrase invented in the 70s to depict how people blame victims of sexual violence and support male sexual abuse (Navid 1). Rape culture is a slogan used to entice people into embracing the teaching of sexualized violence prevention as in "be careful not to get raped,” instead of “do not rape.” (Navid 1). The above statement clearly shows that the society we live in does adhere to or recognize ethical norms. Emmie Buchwald, a famous author from the 19th century, wrote a book on rape culture titled Transforming a Rape Culture (1993). In her book, she states that rape culture is a more comprehensive precept that allows men to engage in harmful sexual activities like rape (Emmy 1). She adds that the society views rape as something sexy, and in this kind of society, both genders view rape as part of their daily lives that is inevitable t any given moment (Emmy 1). However, what we perceive as unavoidable is the expression of values and attitudes that can be easily changed.

Rape victims are vulnerable to getting blamed for sexual abuse incidences than victims of other crimes. Any person who has ever undergone an act of sexual abuse goes through a tough time trying to forget about the incident, which terrorizes most victims mentally. Most victims have nowhere to go to or any person to turn to and talk to relieve the pain a bit (Claire, Monica, and Caroline 1). Sexual assault has become a pressing issue to the American society, and statistics reveal that 3 out of 10 women get assaulted in their lifetime. Additionally, sexual assault reports are among the highly underreported criminal cases in the United States (Claire, Monica, and Caroline 1). Studies on sexual abuse and victim-blaming focus mainly on two perspectives; individual aspects and situational aspects. Individual elements are primarily described as the 'rape perception framework," while situational factors are characteristics of the abuse that influence victim blame (Claire, Monica, and Caroline 1). Moreover, there is a third critical aspect, which is the main focus of the essay: societal or institutional aspects. These consist of gender roles, social media, and the significant surrounding that contribute to the promotion of victim blame.

Additionally, rape culture consists of jokes on how raping is fun, TV, the type of music people listen to, especially young adults, laws, words, and graphics. In short, things that make sexual violence seem so typical that individuals believe that rape is inevitable (Navid 1). This perception makes people view rape as something that- cannot be changed instead of thinking about how they will change it (Navid 1). These consistent sexual assault threats affect most women’s daily lives in terms of asking them to be careful on what they wear and how they carry themselves in a not so provocative manner towards men (Navid 1). If a lady does not conform to these precautions and gets raped, it will be their fault, and the blame should not be pinned on the rapist.

Rape myths are popular tools that collaborate to authenticate a rape culture in the community and demoralize rape investigations and tribunals in courts and the constitutional structure. Platforms for challenging and prohibiting rape myths must be thoroughly surveyed and maneuvered (Holly and Courtenay 1). Studies reveal that prevailing cultures related to top rape culture, interfere with rape charges. Individuals are challenged to reform laws based on rape culture to make society a better place(2). Rape myths have a high effect on how rape and sexual abuse cases are handled in the constitutional structure. The community at large and social media plays a significant role in affecting rape culture in America.

Social media platforms can become a way of advocating for online misogyny and, at the same time, creating a space for feminist education and human rights activism. Scholars like Carrie Rentschler confirm that social media gives space where rape culture can be performed and, at the same time, resisted (Sophie et al. 935). Various people who were interviewed confirmed that they witnessed cases of victim-blaming and “slut-shaming”, a series of rape jokes and people cheering on male sexual conquests. The respondents stated that it was distressing to rape victims to see such things written on social media. They applauded those platforms that offered inspiration, education, and harmony to people who felt uncomfortable with rape culture (Sophie et al. 937). This is a clear depiction that social media platforms can be used for the greater good in demeaning rape culture and changing people's perceptions of rape.

In the article, Kristeen mentions that most young ladies have sexual relations with celebrities to acquire money. If they are denied the cash, they accuse them of sexual assault as the case of Henry Cosby (Kristeen et al. 924). So is it true that celebrities coerce young ladies into having sex with them in exchange for payment? Research reveals that several celebrities have been accused of coercing young ladies into having sex with them and going to extents of raping some of them. An example of such is Henry Cosby, a songwriter, music producer, and arranger who formerly worked with Motown records from the time it was invented until 2002. Henry has been subject to rape allegations, sexual assault, child defilement, and having a history of sexual misconduct (Matt and Jones 1). The first case was on a woman called Constand in 2004 when she reportedly said that he would touch her breasts and her genital areas, and eventually, he took advantage of her (Matt and Jones 1). It is clear to say that not only Cosby but also lots of celebrities take advantage of being influential people in society and decide to do whatever they want to claim to be above the law.

Gender-based violence has been highlighted in the article, where Kristeen and her co-authors talk on how this has become a concerning issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Women fall victim to gender-based violence, and most of them do not get the courage to post whatever is happening in their lives at the moment; all they do is sit and wait for one person to raise an issue, then they back them up with theirs (Kristeen 925). The question is, why are some things rubbed off by societal organizations or the government without taking into consideration the affected party's feelings? This is an infringement of individual rights, and it inflicts pain and anger into an individual, making them feel worthless to society (UNHCR). The United Nations, in partnership with other human activist programs, have tried coming up with solutions to address this issue. Their initiatives bring together different sectors in the UN that help minimize the risks of gender-based violence and ensure that there is support to all survivors.

Instead of focusing on women alone, human activist organizations should also put into consideration the male gender. Not only women suffer from sexual abuse, but men too suffer. There have been cases of men getting sodomized and boys getting defiled even by women. However, it is hard for a man to come out in the open and admit that an act of disgrace was committed. Statistics reveal that only 2 out of 10 men open up and talk about getting sexually harassed. The problem with men is that they will not open up, and some of them suffer from depression and get suicidal thoughts. The government needs to do something to address the issue of sexual violence on men and avoid putting their whole focus on women.

Additionally, in her article, Kristeen talks about how men hardly comment on matters concerning rape culture on social media platforms. Statistics show that a high percentage of married men rarely engage in social media activities. In contrast, those who engage in these activities are dubbed as lonely and searching for friends to keep them company. Adding to my bucket list, meeting strangers online, and agreeing to meet them leads individuals to get sexually assaulted. Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and the likes are meant for people to interact with each other and discuss things that are trending globally or crack jokes and make new friends. However, it is advisable to avoid meeting strangers that you have only seen on social media. Once you fall into their trap and meet them, some will take advantage and either rape or sodomize and sometimes leave their victims out in the cold to die. Some of these cases sink the drain because there is insufficient evidence to prove that you met with the person and that they raped. Once the rapist commits his crime, he will vanish from all social media platforms or create other accounts and continue doing the act on several people. Therefore, a person should be cautious when meeting strange people.

In conclusion, rape culture has become a norm in society, and most people advocate for sexual-based violence. Most rape victims hardly find justice when they seek it because they do not have clear evidence to show that a specific person committed it. We live in a male-dominated society where women must be submissive to all-male requests, and their opinion does not matter. Hundreds of thousands of women suffer from inner hurt and rarely find somewhere to air out their grievances. Social media platforms have been created to help support one another. Instead, some of them tear people down, especially when it comes to trolling rape victims online and showing high levels of misogyny. Human activists should come up with ways to ensure that rape victims find justice and avoid getting shammed on social media as it can result in issues related to their mental health.

Read More
Moreover, there is a third critical aspect, which is the main focus of the essay: societal or institutional aspects. These consist of gender roles, social media, and the significant surrounding that contribute to the promotion of victim blame.

Additionally, rape culture consists of jokes on how raping is fun, TV, the type of music people listen to, especially young adults, laws, words, and graphics. In short, things that make sexual violence seem so typical that individuals believe that rape is inevitable (Navid 1). This perception makes people view rape as something that- cannot be changed instead of thinking about how they will change it (Navid 1). These consistent sexual assault threats affect most women’s daily lives in terms of asking them to be careful on what they wear and how they carry themselves in a not so provocative manner towards men (Navid 1). If a lady does not conform to these precautions and gets raped, it will be their fault, and the blame should not be pinned on the rapist.

Rape myths are popular tools that collaborate to authenticate a rape culture in the community and demoralize rape investigations and tribunals in courts and the constitutional structure. Platforms for challenging and prohibiting rape myths must be thoroughly surveyed and maneuvered (Holly and Courtenay 1). Studies reveal that prevailing cultures related to top rape culture, interfere with rape charges. Individuals are challenged to reform laws based on rape culture to make society a better place(2). Rape myths have a high effect on how rape and sexual abuse cases are handled in the constitutional structure. The community at large and social media plays a significant role in affecting rape culture in America.

Social media platforms can become a way of advocating for online misogyny and, at the same time, creating a space for feminist education and human rights activism. Scholars like Carrie Rentschler confirm that social media gives space where rape culture can be performed and, at the same time, resisted (Sophie et al. 935). Various people who were interviewed confirmed that they witnessed cases of victim-blaming and “slut-shaming”, a series of rape jokes and people cheering on male sexual conquests. The respondents stated that it was distressing to rape victims to see such things written on social media. They applauded those platforms that offered inspiration, education, and harmony to people who felt uncomfortable with rape culture (Sophie et al. 937). This is a clear depiction that social media platforms can be used for the greater good in demeaning rape culture and changing people's perceptions of rape.

In the article, Kristeen mentions that most young ladies have sexual relations with celebrities to acquire money. If they are denied the cash, they accuse them of sexual assault as the case of Henry Cosby (Kristeen et al. 924). So is it true that celebrities coerce young ladies into having sex with them in exchange for payment? Research reveals that several celebrities have been accused of coercing young ladies into having sex with them and going to extents of raping some of them. An example of such is Henry Cosby, a songwriter, music producer, and arranger who formerly worked with Motown records from the time it was invented until 2002. Henry has been subject to rape allegations, sexual assault, child defilement, and having a history of sexual misconduct (Matt and Jones 1). The first case was on a woman called Constand in 2004 when she reportedly said that he would touch her breasts and her genital areas, and eventually, he took advantage of her (Matt and Jones 1). It is clear to say that not only Cosby but also lots of celebrities take advantage of being influential people in society and decide to do whatever they want to claim to be above the law.

Gender-based violence has been highlighted in the article, where Kristeen and her co-authors talk on how this has become a concerning issue that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Read More

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Sexual Violence

Gender and Sexual Violence Issues

The paper "Gender and Sexual Violence Issues" focuses on the critical analysis of the major issues on gender and Sexual Violence.... With the recent efforts to fight against inequalities, gender and Sexual Violence is a topic, which has drawn scholarly interest in the recent past.... Sexual Violence on the other hand is the subjective experience a targeted person undergoes which is against his will.... Sexual Violence may take the form of rape, forced prostitution, or state-sanction violence against women....
6 Pages (1500 words) Term Paper

Gender and Sexual Violence

The paper "Gender and Sexual Violence" discusses that non-transgender men were the likely offenders and a lesser percentage included non-transgendered women; most of these offenders were from 19 to 39 years of age, with whites being the more likely perpetrators of hate violence.... Sexual Violence is one of the many unfortunate realities of our history, especially with gender biases and homophobic attitudes against lesbians, gay, and transgender individuals.... These incidents of Sexual Violence often impact negatively on the victims, causing them much physical and psychological harm....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Sexual Assault or Sexual Violence

The paper "Sexual Assault or Sexual Violence" underlines that the issue of Sexual Violence is widespread in different sectors of society.... The problem of Sexual Violence is widespread in some sections of society.... This paper seeks to critically evaluate some of the contemporary approaches to Sexual Violence prevention that can be implemented in different parts of the world.... Sexual assault or Sexual Violence takes different forms and it can happen between people of the same sex or different sexes....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Violence

Some criminal codes explicitly consider all kinds of forced sexual activity to be rape, while some codes restrict rape only to instances where a woman is forced bodily by a man.... ape is defined by Webster as "the crime of engaging in sexual actswith a person who has not consented.... There is rape, date rape, statutory rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and sexual assault with intent to do injury....
12 Pages (3000 words) Essay

Sexual Violence and Abuse

This essay "Sexual Violence and Abuse" discusses Sexual Violence as an umbrella term for all unwanted acts that are sexual in nature.... Individuals are bound to be victims and perpetrators of Sexual Violence especially rape.... However statistics on Sexual Violence provide facts that indicate more blacks are subject to Sexual Violence as victims than whites and that the perpetrators in most of these cases are whites....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

A Conduct of Sexual Violence

The paper 'A Conduct of Sexual Violence' focuses on rape as the conduct of Sexual Violence, dominance, and antagonism, where the suspect is involved in sexual activity with the accuser without the accuser's consent or with the accuser's false support.... Workman & Freeburg (1999) also stated that female victims' physical attractiveness, sexual appetites, degree of intemperance, and dress pattern could influence negative ascription in female victimization....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review

Sexual Violence in the Military

This paper analyzes the assumption that Sexual Violence, particularly in the military, is real.... There are several forms of Sexual Violence.... Rape is the commonest of all atrocities that are regarded as Sexual Violence.... All these are forms of Sexual Violence that people can neither ignore nor be justified on whatever ground, be it of religion, traditional or cultural affiliations, social orthodoxy, physical or mental health or work and career....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Sexual Violence in the Military

This essay "Sexual Violence in the Military" illustrates the human rights violations that stem from Sexual Violence against women in the US military, shows the economic, social, and psychological effects of Sexual Violence, which have human rights implications on the victim.... When Sexual Violence in the military is mentioned, one immediately thinks about sexual assaults committed by soldiers against civilians.... American troops are often at the receiving end of Sexual Violence from their own comrades....
10 Pages (2500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us