# YESAL!

WE LIVE IN A RAPE CULTURE, AND WE WIL

I’m afraid to write about this.

The idea that we live in a rape culture makes me just as uncomfortable as it makes
you; I don’t really want to acknowledge that one in four Canadian women will be sexually
assaulted, or that teens and college-aged women between the ages of 15 and 24 are the
group most likely to be victims of a sexual assault or rape. I don’t want to know which of
the men in my life who I love and trust will read this and roll their eyes or—worse—will
be offended that I’m bringing the topic up because they aren't one of those guys. Because
Not All Men.

I don’t want to talk about rape culture but I will, because it is the reality that we're all
living in and pretending that it’s not is only making it worse.

WHAT IS “RAPE CULTURE”?

At its most basic, “rape culture” is a social atmosphere that supports the idea that women
are things that can be earned through “good” or “masculine” endeavours. Rape culture can
emerge in something as simple as an offhand comment about the way a woman is dressed
(i.e. “She’s asking for it in that dress!”), as a justification for making a woman feel like

she owes a man access to her body (“I’m such a nice guy... she has to go out with me or I'll
harass her until she does!”), or in a sexual assault when a woman feels coerced or forced
into a sexual act that she does not want to engage in.

In an article published in the Globe and Mail earlier this year, McGill Daily editor
Jordan Venton-Rublee succinctly articulates the broad concept:

“Rape culture... is the environment that puts the onus on the victim, not the
perpetrator. It is the actions and attitudes that lead to the survivors of sexual assault
being responsible for proving that they were in no way responsible for the crime. The
onus is on the victim, not the perpetrator.”

The concept of rape culture is hard to discuss because it’s inflammatory.
Acknowledging the existence of rape culture means that everyone has to look at their part
in it: for many women, this means admitting that they are afraid—and for many men, this
means considering that they might be viewed as perpetrators.

BY SHARON MIKI,

HOW CAN A CONCEPT BE DANGEROUS’

Pulling the proverbial fleece over our eyes wi
innocuous act. When we fail to address the s
perpetuate this culture, we are broadly allow
fear for their safety. And, worse, acceptance-
allows for larger and more dangerous incidet

Indeed, it seems that the only times we c
head. One of the most recent notable examp
Elliot Rodger at the University of California,
six people, injured 13 people, and then killed
female sex that he felt had denied him the se
as a Man.

More locally, we heard about rape cultur
the University of British Columbia (UBC) cai
during frosh week festivities. The UBC chant
overtly, unapologetically supporting a rape-c
young, Y is for your sister, O is for oh so tight
for go to jail.”

While these examples vary in their physi
perfectly articulate the danger of an ignored
okay to publicly chant about raping women :
we create an environment where Elliot Rodg
unquestioned.

RAPE CULTURE ON OUR CAMPUS

Post-secondary campuses have a lot working
potential breeding grounds for rape-culture
people who are most at risk for sexual assaul
those who are still forming their worldviews.