Why Women Are Blamed for Rape

In this country, it is a correct assessment that we have many contradicting and otherwise negative or unfair mentalities. It is plausible that every part of our culture has this type of mindset. Anywhere from race, class, gender, and sex includes this guise. Do we need to study and localize these problems in order to realize that it exists? I would say that for most, these complicated views are most easily defined by major influences such as the mass media, whereas less known ideas become accepted and unopposed. For example, it is a given that we all realize a problem with the aspect of race. Although we may not have clear-cut examples, we still have the notion of a complication. The same goes for this essay dealing with sex. You see, most know that there is a social problem with sex, gender, masculinity, femininity, etc. The dilemma here is that sometimes these mindsets do not have pre-set suppositions. It is easy to state and even accept these ideas, especially if it we are socialized to trust in it.

So we know that these ideas are not clear, even if they are concrete in society. It is our duty, especially at a collegiate level, to break this concrete down and examine each piece to start putting the puzzle together. Why are problems with gender and sex a big issue? For me, not to be sexist in anyway, it does not matter at all. This is because most issues such as these, even including race, work out for me. As we have discussed, middle class white males are socially held high. Now, even though this may be true, it does leave me exempt from this. Could I be the problem? Although we are all socialized with these negative views and it benefits me the most, I should not accept it. For example, if it is simple and expected for me to blame women for many things, I should then reinforce those ideas. I say no, because it does not support equality, even if I am held higher.

Let us focus on one aspect of the sex discussions: the 'blame-the-victim' mentality. In my opinion, it is a small aspect, but does not preordain that it is less substantial than the rest. If you ask someone on the street if it is intelligent to blame the victim of a crime. Say there is no background information on what that crime was; the general answer would be that the idea is nonsensical. I have not realized what the actual view of the 'blame-the-victim' was until I researched the subject. To me, it shows that it has different features including sex (rape) and crimes such as homicide. There are some things we have to hold before we jump right into this. First, the victim I will be discussing, just as we have discussed, will be female. In some cases though, as I will explain, the victim will be male. Second, the victim of sex cases would experience an aspect regarding sex crime, such as rape, assault, and domestic violence. Last, we will examine the 'blame-the-victim' mindset in respect to crimes such as burglary and murder.

What then, is this mentality? The most basic reasoning for blaming a woman for rape is because she deserved it in some way, or at the most basic level, asked for the crime. Just finding the resources to answer such a claim is a great task. An excellent source for this topic is from Timothy Beneke, and his take on men and rape. I will follow his work closely and try to make sense of this complicated issue. The percentage of rape occurrences in the United States is no doubt huge, but mostly likely the statistics of this crime are incorrect. On the other hand, only two percent of the rape cases are false, which is also the same percentage of convicted rapists. (2) You see, many rape incidents go unanswered and unreported. Beneke claims that it is clear that violence against women is widespread and alters the meaning of life for women. Also, the violence of sex is enforced in many ways in our culture; and that women are often blamed for rape. Is this why many incidents go unreported? If it is part of out society and even our nature, it would seem to be quite difficult to end. If this is the notion, I believe that many women might think that there is nothing that can be done for the heinous crime that was brought onto them. Statistics on rape show how many incidents have been recorded, but does not include a tremendous factor, which is the effect of the threat of the sexual violence. (1) The threat of sexual violence can be just as real and prominent as the actual physical crime. I look at rape as the physical and unwanted force, whereas the fear and threat of those crimes is just as negative and life altering. He said it best, "The threat of rape is an assault upon the meaning of the world. Before I understand why the 'blame-the-victim' mentality is wrong, I must put myself in a woman's life. As a male, I am not threatened by the other sex, whereas most females find some sort of threat in males, whether it be political or physical. I think it is necessary to examine how rape affects women in order to understand the truth about this mindset. Some claim that rape changes how women come in contact with nature. For example, with the chance and threat of rape on the back of your mind, some would not go on a walk in the woods or hiking solely on this fear. The threat of rape could make women more dependent on men or even withhold her lively nature and limit her to not express herself. Not even including rape, this is a problem in itself and demonstrates the force of a crime such as rape can influence behavior. We though, have not answered why men blame women for rape. It could not be based solely on the fear of the crime, especially just the thought of it.

I know personally that if you were to tell me or another male that a woman was raped and had no conclusion as to why, you would try to piece out why the crime had happened. This, then, includes fault on the woman in the act. Obviously, no woman wants rape, but it is possible that many factors may create the crime. We have to realize, especially after my next examples, that no woman should be blamed for rape, just as no person should be blamed for walking at night in the downtown streets. First, and most likely the easiest for males to adopt, is the view that a woman asked for it based on her features, such as clothing and perhaps actions. This is an excellent excerpt from the book on this model; "'she asked for it' is the idea that she wanted what happened to happen; if she wanted it to happen, she deserved it to happen." If this is true, then any woman could be blamed for rape, even blamed for the idea to unlock the five locks on her front door (that should have been on there, apparently) to go outside for a walk. This brings us to the next point; should a woman restrict her freedom? Rape, in our society, seems to be part of our nature. If it is so widely known and current, then a view on women would be that of a restricted freedom, which would stop the crime of rape against them. No doubt, rape has been very prominent in cultures across the globe, but does not necessarily mean that it is unstoppable or that it should be accepted. As you can see, there are many examples that just do not live up to their expectations on how women are tied with rape. Frankly, they are farfetched and I conclude that they should not be used in a defensive point with the matter at hand.

Who is to blame for this hideous act? I do not believe it is a simple question that can be answered, only parts of a large puzzle in which we can see the larger picture. It is most common in our society to say that mainly only men rape. This is true, but at the same time very broad. Women rape women, women rape men, men rape men, and men rape women. The statistics are what show which main group to hold accountable. I have many views on why rape occurs and why women are blamed. First, we understand that some psychological processes influence violent, unsympathetic behavior. Both the victims and the perpetrators face psychological problems and disturbances. "Among types of psychopathology found as consequences of rape are PTSD, depression, fear and anxiety, and impairments in self-esteem and sexual functioning." (4) Our society also encourages masculine and otherwise hostile and violent behavior. This view of masculinity pushes the progression of power and dominance, which must correlate with rape. When men rape other men, it is common that it is not out of sexuality, but adversely of power. Since most males find power over other males and are encouraged by society to do so, it is no phenomenon as to why males try to push dominance over females. Other rape influences such as pornography could be a part of it too. For example, it has been noted that 86 percent of every rapist has admitted to watching pornography more than once. By watching violent films and pictures, males could perceive that violence is normal, even in a relationship. (3) Because of this, I can begin to see why the culture somewhat accepts rape, but in no way how it blames women. If it were true that women are to blame because of rape, this means that men that are raped by another by pure dominance, and to the extreme; the victims of murder. If this view that women are the fault of rape against them, then it is more than plausible that we are at fault for an automotive accident. For example, if I am driving down the freeway and my tire is blown out due to running over a shard of glass, I would not be blamed. How then, could a woman walking outside to throw her trash away be blamed for rape? My hypothesis is such; to blame one victim is to blame every victim. Now obviously in each case, no matter if it is rape, murder, or stealing a candy bar, there are different circumstances and preliminaries. I am just claiming that blaming a woman for rape is in comparison to the example with the tire blowing out on the freeway. It makes sense that the victim did not want the action, but society's views on matters such as these have answers as to why it had happened; the tire pressure was not checked, you did not pay attention to the glass, you should have not been drinking, you should have watched your drink, you should not have been by yourself, etc.To answer this question entails bringing up more questions. As I said, the 'blame-the-victim' mentality is like a large puzzle, which has many pieces and views that need to be placed in such a way to make the matter more clearly defined. We know what rape is, and how society views it, the question 'why?' is what is most difficult. Masculinity and femininity may be the culprits, but the mechanics of the 'blame-the-victim' mentality are unbelievably hard to solve.

Sources:

1) Kimmel, Michael S., and Michael A. Messner. Men's Lives. 7th ed. United States: Pearson/Allyn Bacon, 2007.

2) Indigo, M. M. (2003). Why Society Blames the Rape Victim. Retrieved Jan. 4, 2007, fromhttp://members.tripod.com/rape_pathfinder_helpivil/rapecrisispathfinderonlineresources/id36.html

3) Bush, Rosaline. "Pornography Is Harmful." Opposing Viewpoints Sex. Ed. Mary E. Williams. Sex. San Diego: Greenhaven, 2000. 168-178. 

4) Becker, Evvie, Elizabeth Rankin, and Annette U. Rickel. High-Risk Sexual Behavior Interventions withVulnerable Poplulation. New York: Plenum, 1998.