What is Rape Culture?

Rape Culture describes environments where acts of sexual violence are normalized and excused in the media and popular culture. As a result, stereotypes and false beliefs about rape are used to justify sexual aggression and minimize the seriousness of sexual violence.

Rape culture gives rise to victim-blaming, where victims and survivors of sexual assault are held responsible for what has happened to them. When rape myths are accepted, victims are more likely to feel unheard and uncomfortable in expressing what has happened and/or reporting the crime. Gender inequality and skewed views of gender and sexuality can contribute to this.

Examples of Rape Culture

Throughout culture, sexual violence is accepted, justified, and not sufficiently challenged by society. While the term “rape culture” may seem new or unsettling to some, recognizing, naming, and understanding how it manifests in our daily lives can help us fight it. A few examples are:

  • Victim blaming
  • Trivializing sexual assault
  • Sexually explicit jokes
  • Tolerating sexual harassment
  • Publicly making negative comments about a victim’s dress, mental state, motives, and history
  • A bias in the type of violence shown to one gender in movies or on television
  • “Manhood” being perceived as dominant and sexually aggressive
  • “Womanhood” being perceived as submissive and sexually passive
  • Assumptions to rationalize why women get raped
  • Not taking rape accusations seriously
  • Assuming men do not get raped

By normalizing these examples in our society, rape culture is perpetuated and spreads. When a culture of minimizing the victim becomes mainstream, it will become increasingly challenging to provide a safe space for victims to tell their stories and to report abuse.

What Can Be Done to Fight It?

It is vital that we address rape culture to give survivors of abuse the confidence to come forward and share their experiences. We can all contribute to fighting rape culture in the following ways:

  1. Do not be afraid to speak out if you hear someone making an offensive joke or making light of rape.
  2. If a friend confides in you that she or he has been raped, believe them and seek out ways to best support them as they pursue justice and healing.
  3. Pay attention to the messages you receive through the media and evaluate what you are consuming. 
  4. Have your own definitions of what means to be manly and what it means to be womanly. Do not let stereotypes determine those definitions for you.
  5. Steer clear of language that objectifies or degrades women
  6. Be mindful and respectful of other people’s physical space in all situations
  7. Ensure there is accountability for abusers. Resist the urge to allow blaming the victim, alcohol, or drug use to be an excuse for their behavior.
  8. Communicate with sexual partners and do not assume consent.

Throughout all of this, the first step is to acknowledge that rape culture actually exists and to become aware of the numerous ways it has permeated our society. Then, consider how you can rise up against it in your own life. Every day we have the choice to take a stand against rape culture by making conscious decisions. Then, we are able to serve as an example to others, so that they themselves can do the same.

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