Rape: a Minor Concern?

The murder rate has decreased in Dallas, according to a recent article in the Dallas Morning News. The Dallas Police department is very pleased with this development, which represents an unusual trend, opposing that of our nation as a whole. Yet this decrease hasn't created the anticipated drop in total crime in the Metroplex. While murder is currently less prevalent, other crimes are on the increase. One of them, unfortunately, is rape.

Rape is mentioned in the article, somewhere toward the back and what springs out immediately is the number: Rapes increased by almost twenty-two percent. The article goes on to state that "the seemingly dramatic spike in rapes...has alarmed some." But the police are quick to point out that the drastic increase followed a gradual decrease over several years "...and was likely to appear huge."

I'm one who is alarmed by the high number and I don't think I'm impressed or placated by the prior decline in rape cases. If rapes increased, it means that something went wrong. Someone didn't do enough to stop it. Or, rapists found a new way around the law.

As a woman, I live with the threat of rape every day of my life. It is something few men ever give a second thought. But it is something that lurks behind every shadow, in every parking lot, even in the privacy of our homes, every time we are alone. It follows us to work and school and haunts us in the shower and while we sleep at night. And sometimes it even rears its ugly head in the men we love and trust most.

Rape is a silent crime. It is secret and hidden, because only the woman and her rapist know what happened. While it is difficult to hide a murder, rape often goes unreported and unpunished. A woman may be afraid or ashamed to take her attacker to court. She may have trouble identifying him or she may be traumatized and not wish to rehash the experience in front of strangers.

The fact that rape exists, completely blows the theory of Intelligent Design out of the water. To create half of the human race with the capability to experience the most intense pleasure while violently and forcefully assaulting, hurting, humiliating and even torturing the other half of humanity does not denote any intelligence in the designer. It indicates a profound and very serious flaw in the system. It is the ultimate wrong, the final brutality. It is an insult, we as women and as human beings shouldn't tolerate.

We cannot afford to take an increase in rape cases lightly. Nor can we allow our officials to hide behind excuses. If rapes are on the rise, our streets and homes are less secure and we are at risk. While these numbers represent only the Dallas area, other cities are likely to experience similar increases. Violence against women has experienced a comeback. Over the past two years, in the US, over 700,000 women reported being victims of sexual assault. Many more suffered in silence.

If we are to build a safer America, we must include the safety of American women and their protection from sexual violence. We as women must use our political clout to demand changes in policies. There are 150 million of us. Someone should hear us when we speak.

I urge you to get involved, for yourselves and for your loved ones. Become aware, become knowledgeable and become angry. A twenty-two percent increase in rapes is not acceptable. Protect yourselves and support each other in the fight against sexual violence.

There are many ways to get involved. Some of the organizations, dedicated to our cause are listed below. Check out their websites to learn more about rape prevention and victim's legal rights.

NOW (National Organization for Women) lobbied for the Violence Against Women act:

http://www.now.org/issues/violence/stats.html

Women Organized Against Rape:

http://www.woar.org/

For men who wish to get involved:

Men Can Stop Rape: An organization by men for men with the purpose of preventing violence against women.

http://www.mencanstoprape.org/

To write your state representative, find his/her address here:

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Aware is an organization which aims to train women to avoid rape by teaching self-defense and awareness. While I don't think this solves our problem, it may save lives.

http://www.aware.org/

Sources:

Numbers and facts from Dallas Morning News, Wednesday, January 3, 2007 and the following websites:

http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~ad361896/anne/cease/rapestatisticspage.html

http://www.paralumun.com/issuesrapestats.htm

http://www.aardvarc.org/rape/about/statistics.shtml