Essay about Rape Culture Are Women Asking for It

Merril Smith’s Encycolpedia of Rape defines the term â€Å"rape culture† as â€Å"one in which rape and other sexual violence against women . . . [is] both prevalent and considered the norm† (174). Rape is not a new subject in today’s society, its origins reaching far back into history. What causes rape, though? Is it the primal drive of men to exhibit dominance over all women, or do the women share the blame because of the way they dress, act, or do their makeup? Modern American culture would place the blame on the woman who â€Å"provoked† the attack; however, a woman should not have to park closer to the building she is entering, nor should she have to carry protection just in case a sexual predator decides that she is his next victim. Men are just as†¦show more content†¦Today’s society is one in which the idea of male superiority dominates, one that Edwards et al. says fosters the idea that â€Å"rape ideologies emanate from a patriarchal system† (qtd. in Franiuk). The influences on modern American culture, what it idolizes and produces, are often times truly sickening. Popular television programs and other media present depictions of women that promote a society of rape culture. The rapper Eminem, just one of the famous rap artists who has a bad reputation, refers to women in very derogatory ways. His song â€Å"Kim† was released in 2000, and is believed to have been written about his then-wife, Kim Mathers. In it, the rapper says, â€Å"Sit down bitch/If you move again Ill beat the shit out of you,† among other things, and even goes on to describe other types of violence that he wants to commit against her (Bass). When taking into consideration Eminem’s subject matter, his popularity is alarming. His music, and thousands of other songs like his, is filling the ears of impressionable youth and naà ¯ve adults, permeating their minds with horrible ideas. The United States has ov er twenty-five hundred strip clubs, and thousands of pornographic videos are being released each year (Katz 21). This is not a society that respects women and their bodies. Instead, it is one that teaches men of every age that it is acceptable to look at a woman as though she is a piece of meat because that is what happens on the television; it is admissible,Show MoreRelatedRape Culture Essay1180 Words   |  5 Pages For centuries, rape culture has not been clearly defined by ideas, beliefs, or attitudes. As a pretty controversial subject, there is no correct definition for the term â€Å"rape culture†. It is generally defined by the way a person perceives rape, and for that reason, there are many beliefs towards rape. Rape is generally unlawful and unwanted sexual intercourse between any person. 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