Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Slut-Shaming & Blaming Rape Victims. What is the world coming to?

Slut-shaming. This term has gotten some attention over the internet the past few months. But what does it mean? Basically, it is "the idea of shaming and/or attacking a women or a girl for being sexual, having one or more sexual partners, acknowledging sexual feelings, and/or acting on sexual feelings." (Source). So, let me get this straight...in society, it's 100% acceptable for men to go around acting like a "slut", but if a women does it, oh no. Society still views women as innocent, stay in the kitchen, submit to every ridiculous whim of your husband. Sorry, this is 2012. There are women on the police force, in the fire department, and in the military dying for their country. But heaven forbid they even so much as think about sex.

There is also another...branch off of this. Rape victims. People saying how it's the women's fault that she got raped because she dressed to provocatively and was obviously "asking for it". Sorry, wrong again. It does not matter what a women is wearing. No one asks to get raped. Even if she is your girlfriend, fiance, or wife, shoot even if you're in the middle of having sex, the second she says "no" you're raping her. She doesn't even have to say no for it to be rape. Why do we focus on blaming the victim? I don't know. But I do know this is why a lot of rape cases go unreported. Because the girls are afraid they will be blamed, or they're afraid they won't be believed. Well why wouldn't someone believed that you were raped? Because of false rape charges. How do false rape charges happen? A common example:

And underage girl has sex with a guy over 18. Her parents find out and she doesn't want to get into trouble or have her parents think she's a bad kid, so she yells rape on him.

Because of claims like these, rape victims are afraid to come forward, afraid that they won't be taken seriously.

The photo below is from the Slut Walk. This girl was wearing that outfit when she was raped. She obviously asked for it right?


It's a shame that in this day and age, we are blaming the victims of crimes, and not the perpetrator. It truly and honestly disgusts me how someone can say, with a straight face, that the girl above, or any women, deserved to get raped.

Below are some photos I've found from year's past Slut Walks:






There are plenty more I could post, but you get the idea. For those interested, Slut Walk DC 2012 will be held August 11, 2012. Visit their facebook page here for more information.