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Neon Tommy - Annenberg digital news

9 Rape Facts That Will Make You Want To Punch Things

Mariam Helmy |
October 24, 2013 | 2:20 p.m. PDT

Contributor

Students everywhere are voicing their frustration with what they feel is an atmosphere of impunity for sexual violence at colleges and universities worldwide. But there are a few things you may not have known about rape that should make anyone angry:

There is currently no accurate way of reporting rape statistics. (Neon Tommy)
There is currently no accurate way of reporting rape statistics. (Neon Tommy)

1. Many people are completely incapable of listening to their partners and actually taking the time and effort to understand them when they say things like “I’m not ready”, “Please stop”, and “I can’t." These statements aren't an invitation for coercion, but an attempt at peace of mind for the future. 

2. Women are repeatedly told they are crazy for feeling anxiety and sadness, in a world where women's bodies are too often violated in base and disgusting ways. Women aren’t crazy; they’re rightfully worried.

3. Because women are told they are crazy, they is apparently no reason to listen when they report any kind of aforementioned violation. And while 15 out of 16 rapists suffer no jail time for their actions, only two percent of rape accusations are proven false, the same statistic as most other violent crimes. And yet, women are still crazy.

4. Rape “discussions” on campuses are often taken lightly because the presenters are so frequently uncommitted to the actual subject that they can’t be taken seriously. The Center for Women and Men at the University of Southern California is a great cause but the presentation attended by incoming students this year as part of USC's new sexual assault education program was comprised mostly of giggles and the droning monotone of a bored presenter.

5. In countries where sexual assault is known to be commonplace, there is so little hope of justice when a woman reports a rape that she won’t bother to do it, and it’ll probably happen again.

6. There is currently no way of accurately reporting rape statistics, because we continue to stigmatize sexual violation of all kinds.

7. Male survivors of sexual assault, many of whom are children, are often stigmatized even more heavily than female survivors.

8. In third world countries, women who are assaulted usually have nowhere to go, skewing rape statistics so that it appears developed countries have a higher incidence of rape. 

9. It's significantly easier to cover up a murder than to cover up a rape, because a homicide leaves hard evidence, while rape can be easily covered up.

 

Reach Contributor Mariam Helmy here.



 

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