There is a very clear problem in our society. Rape and other forms of sexual assault have become so common that people have accepted them as an every day occurrence. In 1990, it is estimated that 683,000 rapes transpired. A large number of attacks centers around the age group beginning in the preteens and lasting through the college years, and they are victimized by someone they know (Bartley).
How could rape, a violent and brutal act of one person upon another, have become common and accepted by society? The answer seems to lie within the way in which society views rape. Furthermore, it is a direct reflection of how women are viewed, (though the rape of men does occur, it is more common that the victim is a woman or child).
What are society's views toward rape, and how have they developed on an individual basis? "The world is not a safe place for women....Forcible rape is the most frequently committed violent crime in America today," (Griffith, 1977) Despite all the advances of the equal rights movement, a double standard remains prevalent in our society. "Women must be both unsoiled and alluring...as symbols of [man's] power and ...prowess. Women are encouraged to be passive and to need pampering or protection. [At the same time], a man's dignity depends on that he try as hard as possible to push sexual issues as far as he can." (Morrison, 1986). This leads to a conflict between women becoming sex objects while at the same time remaining pure, and men using sexual conquest as a form of status.
Rape seems to have become accepted by United States society. People rarely ask why men rape; they simply think of it as one of the many mysteries of human nature (Griffith, 1977). There is an answer to this silent question, however, people have yet to face it. "In our culture, male eroticism is wedded to power. [Furthermore,]...not only does our culture teach men the rudiments of rape, but society, or more specifically other men, encourages the practice of it," (Griffith, 1977). There are many documented accounts of a group of men witnessing a sexual assault and cheering on the attacker rather than trying to stop it (Griffith, 1977).
Myths about those who are attacked and those who rape continue to propagate throughout. There is a "...pervasive belief that women like to be raped," stemming from both men's interpretations of women's fantasies and the tendency for people to rationalize their actions (Le Grand 1977). On the contrary, it is also true that "the best way to humiliate a woman is to rape her, " (Sanford, et al, p. 5). This is a contradiction, which shows the former belief to be a myth.
There is also a prevalent belief that men who rape are mentally ill and cannot control their sexual desires. In actuality, "...most rapists have stable sexual partners...and...in approximately half of reported attacks...(in a study of the Seattle area), the rapist does not ejaculate," (Sanford, et al, p. 9). This curtails the idea that rape is solely a fulfillment of sexual needs.
The way in which society views rape is reflected in part by the judicial system's idea of dealing with it. On the whole, laws against rape "...seek to protect the innocent from an unjust rape conviction, rather than to protect women against rape," (Le Grand, 1977). As a result, a man's previous rape conviction(s) are not considered as admissible evidence; whereas, the sexual reputation of the victim is considered a crucial deciding factor of the outcome of the trial (Griffith, 1977). Even worse, victims are barely treated as human beings but, rather, "...as just another piece of evidence," (Bohmer, 1977). This is an example of a common theme within the judicial system which stems from the "notion that women are lesser beings than men, " ( Morrison, 1986). There is a strong implication that women corrupt men into performing immoral acts, and "men who rape are not responsible for their actions since they are victims of...fierce desires that can be considered impossible to control once aroused," (Le Grand, 1977).
Along with this, there is a lack of sympathy for rape cases. "Victims frequently report that their encounters with the police, district attorney, and courtroom personnel were more traumatic than the rape...itself," (Bohmer, 1977). Furthermore, if the victim had willingly entered the attacker's car or apartment, she is less likely to receive a sympathetic hearing than if the defendant had broken into her apartment or attacked her on the street (Bohmer, 1977).
In addition, state laws toward marital rape imply that a man's wife is his property rather than his partner. "As of January, 1985, approximately 27 states exempted husbands from persecution for the rape of a wife with whom he was currently living, " (Finkelhor, Yllo, p. 140). It wasn't until 1984, when New York charged marital rape as a crime under any circumstances, that a state in the union completely abolished such exemptions for marital rape (Finkelhor, Yllo, p. 143).
One way these views are stimulated is through the mass media. Those within the institution decide to a great extent what information one should receive (Sanford, et al, p. 5). Women are provided "with a very complete list of behaviors that precipitate rape, " (Sanford, et al, p. 8). On film the responsibility of the rape falls upon the woman, with her "provocative dress, speech, walk or general look, " (Sanford, et al, p. 8). This reaffirms the myth that women are "asking for it." We see this so often and in such bizarre circumstances on television that we grow desensitized to it. More specifically, girls become confused as to what a threat is, and boys are subliminally taught that rape is just another part of life in the big city (Sanford, et al, p. 12).
The idea of false accusation is often used as a tool to heighten drama; however it influences the viewers into thinking that the majority of rape cases are the same, rather than an actual attack. In the few portrayals of the victim and rapist knowing each other, the woman always has the secret desire to be raped (Sanford, et al, p. 6). Also, if women defend themselves on film, they are depicted as being unfeminine, abnormal, and deserving of the viewers contempt (Sanford, et al, p. 8). For example, in the film "The Accused," the female lawyer who speaks strongly against rape is portrayed as being very tough and masculine, posing as a threat to men. The end result is that women watch the movies, find themselves in similar situations, and feel they must either be helpless and deserve what is happening to them, or refrain from speaking against rape for fear of being ostracized by society. At the same time, would be rapists watch and believe that the more the woman struggles, the more she is enjoying it. (Sanford, et al., p. 6)