[TW rape culture] Intersections within rape culture
We can’t possibly hope to change rape culture unless we acknowledge and work to change the ways in which lots of other issues contribute to it. Aside from sexism and misogyny, which we have discussed widely, check out these other examples [TW on some of the links]:
Race/Racism plays a part in rape culture.
Women who identify as mixed race, or as Native American or Alaska Native report higher rates of rape than do women of other ethnicities. Approximately 90% of rapes committed against Native American victims are by non-Native people. Race is correlated to reporting rates also. For every black woman reporting her rape, there are 15 others who do not. For white women this rate is 1 report for every 5 unreported. Stereotypes about people of color impact the coverage of the crime.
Homophobia plays a part in rape culture. LGB people raped by same sex assailants are frequently not taken seriously. Corrective rape is common in many countries.
An annual report by the US State Department on human rights in Zimbabwe has said that gays and lesbians in the country face harassment and rape by people trying to ‘cure’ them. It said that lesbians were sometimes raped, even by their family members, to try and turn them straight, while gay men were forced into heterosexual sex.
Transphobia plays a part in rape culture. Trans* folks have high rates of sexual assault, and many organizations that offer resources for survivors exclude them. Trans* prison inmates are exposed to elevated risk of sexual assault by the way they are housed.
A recent academic study of the experiences of hundreds of transgender women in California’s men’s prisons — a survey that was commissioned by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation — revealed that 59 percent of male-to-female transgender prisoners had been sexually assaulted while incarcerated. A shocking 0 percent of these inmates considered prison officials to be allies in protecting their physical safety.
Religious organizations play a part in rape culture. The Catholic Church has admitted that it is aware priests from at least 23 countries have been sexually abusing nuns. And they’ve been sweeping sexual assault of children under the rug for years.
In 2001, lawsuits were filed in the United States and Ireland, alleging that some priests had sexually abused minors and that their superiors had conspired to conceal and otherwise abet their criminal misconduct. In 2004, the John Jay report tabulated a total of 4,392 priests and deacons in the U.S. against whom allegations of sexual abuse had been made.
Poverty plays a part in rape culture.
Sexual violence can jeopardize a person’s economic wellbeing, often leading to homelessness, unemployment, interrupted education and health, mental health, and other daily stressors and struggles. In turn, poverty increases the risk of sexual violence; it can make women and children more dependent on others for survival and, therefore, less able to control their sexual safety, to consent to sex, and to meaningfully address their own victimization. Indeed, persons with household incomes under $7,500 are twice as likely as the general population to be sexually assaulted.
Ableism plays a part in rape culture. People with disabilities are at very high risk for sexual assault. In addition, survivors of sexual abuse who also have disabilities may face additional challenges getting appropriate post-assault care.
Rates of rape and sexual assault [among people with disabilities] were more than twice those for people without disabilities. Youth with a disability ages 12 to 19 experienced violence at nearly twice the rate as those without a disability. People with cognitive disabilities had a higher risk of violent victimization than persons with any other type of disability.
This is not even exhaustive. These are the examples off the top of my head. I want to make it clear so I don’t have any more people feeling betrayed by me expressing my views. Please don’t expect this tumblr to be apolitical. It can’t be. This will always be a safe space for you to share your experiences with rape culture. But that doesn’t mean I have to accept every view you have and/or ignore the way things like those mentioned above contribute to rape culture because discussing them may offend you.
(via fuckyeahsexeducation)
