>> KAITLYN: Alright. Hello, everybody, my
name is Kaitlyn Cook, and as you can see,
I did my ELI on rape culture.
>> So, why an ELI?
>> First of all, I did an ELI last year, my
junior year, on free will;
>> it was one of the best experiences that
I've had in my high school career, and so
I really wanted to do another one.
>> I was also kind of exploring future career
options because I plan on double majoring
in anthropology and sociology
>> and this is a really good way to study
those fields. Second of all, why rape culture?
>> It's not the most cheery of topics. First
and foremost, I'm a feminist.
>> That doesn't mean that I hate men: it just
means that I hate the social structure that's
been put in place that puts men on the top
of society.
>> Also, this is a very important issue facing
feminism today, and the world.
>> I also had a basic knowledge of the topic
just from existing in feminist circles on
the Internet.
>> So, I had three goals this semester.
>> Goal 1 was to study what rape culture was;
goal 2 was to figure out solutions to the
problem,
>> and goal 3 was an international approach
and rape culture around the world.
>> So, for my first goal, I wanted to learn
what rape culture was and is, why it develops,
>> the roots of rape culture, and some of
the consequences. I read from various articles
and books about the topic,
>> and I also interviewed people. First off,
to understand what rape culture is,
>> we need to understand what rape is. Rape
is any non-consensual sexual act.
>> It is an act of dominance and power over
the victim.
>> Rape culture occurs when a society normalizes,
condones,
>> and sometimes even glorifies sexual violence
and rape.
>> This mainly affects women, although men
of course can get raped as well,
>> and it disproportionately affects women
of color, transgender women, and bisexual
women.
>> Rape culture is
>> everywhere in American society: you can
recognize it in the media
>> where sexual objectification of women is
rampant. For example, the song "Blurred Lines"
>> is about the blurred lines of consent,
and features many - many of its lyrics could
be taken verbatim from rapists themselves.
>> Rape culture is evident in rape laws. For
instance,
>> in Idaho, there's a difference between
rape and date rape
>>even though the exact same crime has occurred.
It makes date rape a less serious offense
>> even though the exact same crime happened.
>>Rape culture is also evident in society's
attitudes toward victims. This is called victim
blaming, and I'll talk about it more later
on in my presentation.
>> Rape culture is also evident in how women
are treated
>> in the workplace and on the street. Street
harassment is very common.
>> Guys, catcalling is a form of street harassment.
It's not flattering: in fact, it's really
creepy
>> and sometimes even scary. Sexual harassment
also happens a lot in workplaces for women,
>> and they oftentimes don't feel that they
can speak out about it
>> because a person is usually of a higher,
like, they're in a higher position than them.
>>Now, this is also
>> huge evidence for rape culture. 1 in 4
women will be sexually assaulted in their
lifetime in America,
>>and of those sexual assaults, only 1 in
4 of them will ever be reported,
>> and of those reports, only 3 in 40 rapists
>> will ever be prosecuted. And of those,
only 1 in 40 will ever be incarcerated.
>> That means only 1 in 3 prosecuted rapists
are ever actually put into jail.
>> To put this into perspective, there's only
about - only 1 in every 200 rape reports
>> are false. This data was reported in the
Washington Post, and
>> the only criticism that has ever been leveled
against it is that the false reporting data
might be too high.
>> In fact, you have a higher chance of being
struck by lightning than being accused of
rape falsely.
>> One reason that many people don't report
rape
>> is that victim blaming concept that I was
telling you about. Victims will be shamed
>> by family and friends, and, for instance,
this picture here:
>> this is what a girl was told by her family
and friends when she told them about her -
>> - the crime that was committed against
her. It also costs about $4500
>> in this country for rape victims to be
treated, so if you go to a hospital and ask
for a rape kit,
>> it costs a lot of money, and most people
can't afford that.
>> Rape culture has a lot of roots historically.
Historically, rape was used as a weapon
>> and was used to show dominance over a conquered
people. It's also very evident in mythology
>> from around the world. For example, Greek
mythology has a lot of myths that begin with
>> "The Rape of." Rape culture also spawns
from patriarchy.
>> Patriarchy is the social system in which
men are on top - on the very top of society,
where men
>> dominate society.
4:57
Patriarchy arose at about the same time as
agriculture and society.
>> No one knows exactly why, but it very obviously
happened.
>> Another root of rape culture is objectification,
specifically of women.
>> Women are seen as objects, usually sexual,
and this dehumanizes them.
>> This makes it a lot easier for potential
rapists to view women as objects
>> and thus commit a crime against them. America
also has an obsession
>> with women's virginity. Non-virginal women
are seen as "dirty."
>> This is a phenomenon known as slut shaming,
and this is shaming women for having sex,
>> dressing in any sort of way that is seen
as "sexually promiscuous," or
>> or basically having a sexuality, and being
very confident in their sexuality.
>> Slut shaming is a big issue facing America
today, where women are
>> often deemed "sluts" simply for having
sex with maybe even just one person.
>> Rape culture has a lot of consequences.
For instance, victim blaming.
>> I've touched on that earlier, but victim
blaming is when the victim is blamed for the
assault.
>> Oftentimes, rape survivors are asked by
the police, "What were they wearing?"
>> "What were you drinking?" "Were you drinking?"
And a lot of times, women are told
>> that they were asking to be raped. The
very definition of rape is that it is non-consensual,
>> meaning that nobody asked for it. Nobody
ever asks to be raped:
>> it's a terrible crime to have committed
against you. This is the reason why many women
do not report rapes
>> when it happens because they don't want
to go through that sort shame.
>> Another consequence of rape culture is
this idea the "friend zone." This is where
>> a man can shame a woman for saying no and
rejecting him, for not wanting to be
>> in a romantic relationship with them. This
puts women in this box of
>> just being a sexual being and not being
any sort - not being fit for any sort of actual
>> platonic relationship. Another huge consequence
of rape culture
>> is human trafficking. A lot of human trafficking
victims are young girls who have been
>> sold into sex slavery, and that is a really
big issue facing the world today.
>> So, my second goal was to look for solutions
to the problem,
>> because as you can see, it's very big and
has many consequences. I wanted to learn about
organizations
>> and personal ways that I could work to
end rape culture. I researched organizations
and read various articles,
>> and I also interviewed various people about
this as well.
>> One very important thing to help to work
end rape culture is understanding the idea
of enthusiastic consent.
>> Enthusiastic consent is basically a continuous,
sober "yes."
>> Basically, this means that if you want
to have sex with somebody, you need to make
sure that they are consenting
>> at all times and that they are in their
right mind to consent. This means that constant
communication
>> is required during any sort of sexual act.
Anything
>> less than enthusiastic consent is rape,
so if somebody says no, or even if
>> they don't say yes, that means that that
is rape. 'Kay. One really great organization
>> that's working to end rape culture is Take
Back the Night. It was founded in 1999
>> by Katie Koestner, who was one of the first
women to ever publicly speak out against date
rape.
>> It started, actually, in Europe as a Reclaim
the Night protest
>> in the '70s. It was a bunch of women's
rights protests, and the slogan,
>> "Take Back the Night," came from a 1978
protest in San Francisco that was protesting
>> the objectification of women in pornography.
Katie Koestner founded this organization
>> with all of those historical backgrounds,
and now she works with Take Back the Night
>> to end sexual assault, domestic violence,
dating violence, and sexual abuse.
>> She provides resources and help for victims
and people in abusive situations.
>> One really important organization is the
Slut Walk. It's a series
>> of protest marches that began in Toronto
when a police officer told women that to
>> avoid getting raped, "Women should avoid
dressing like sluts." This is horrific slut
shaming
>> and victim blaming, as it puts all of the
blame of an assault
>> onto the woman for the way that she dressed.
This protest
>> is a little bit controversial because it
often features women who are wearing little
clothing
>> or clothing that is seen as sexually promiscuous,
but it's all meant to
>> demonstrate this idea that no one is ever
asking to be raped, no matter what they're
wearing.
>> Another important project is called Project
Unbreakable. It started online by -
>> - it was started online by a woman whose
friend came to her terrified about what people
would do when she
>> told them that she was raped. So, this
woman decided that she wanted to start the
>> healing process and provide resources for
women and other people who are in
>> in abusive situations or who had been a
victim or survivor of rape.
>> I actually had a picture from Project Unbreakable
earlier, that picture of the
>> woman holding up a quote from her rapist.
>> It's mainly an art project that is meant
to help jump-start the healing process
>> for victims and let them know that they
are not alone.
A more local organization
>> is Alternatives to Violence on the Palouse.
They offer 24-hour emergency services to anybody
in
>> Latah and Benowah counties - no, wait,
Whitman and Latah counties, sorry - and it's
>> free to anybody in those counties. They
are also very discreet so that way if a person
>> needs help, little to no danger will come
to them for wanting to get out
>> of that situation. There are a lot of things
>> you personally can do to end rape culture.
First of all, you can recognize that rape
culture exists.
>> You can also stop using degrading language
such as "slut," "whore," etc.
>> Language like this dehumanizes women and
makes it more easy for them to become
>> victims of rape. You can also stop making
rape jokes.
Rape jokes normalize and
>> turn rape jokes - and turn rape victims
into something
>> that you can laugh at. It dehumanizes victims
a big deal and it makes rape more normal in
our society.
>> You can also be critical of the media.
If you hear a song that features words like,
>> "I know you want it," maybe you shouldn't
buy that song and give money to somebody who
obviously
>> perpetuates rape culture. You could also
respect others.
>> This is just a general life rule that you
should follow, but it's a really big step
into
>> helping end rape culture. You can also
help educate others as to what rape culture
is and what
>> they can do help stop it. My 3rd goal,
an International Approach,
>> I wanted to learn about rape culture on
an
international level because it is obviously
not just
>> a problem affecting the United States.
I read a bunch article about this.
>> One country that has horrific violence
towards women is India.
>> India has a very patriarchal society: women
are
>> often blamed for rape, and they're said
to bring shame to their entire family.
>> This was brought to light a few years ago,
to western media, especially,
>> when a woman was horrifically gang raped
on a bus
>> that passed through several police checkpoints,
and no one stopped it, and she later died
>> in a hospital of the wounds that she received
during the assault; but
>> that actually jump-started a women's rights
movement in India and they started working
toward solutions
>> to this issue rape culture and women's
rights in the country. They're working for
better rape laws
>> and better laws concerning women. Another
- this is actually a continent,
>> where lots of bad things towards women
happen - in Africa,
>> rape is often used as a tool of war. It's
used for power and dominance over a conquered
people.
>> Again, it's that concept that's been used
for thousands of years. This is particularly
bad in the Congo,
>> and there are lots of charities and organizations
working to help women in that area.
>> Of course, this isn't happening in the
entire whole of Africa, mostly
>> just countries that are already war-torn,
but it is very important to know that it's
happening, and also that it isn't happening
in the
>> entire continent. There are a lot of international
issues
that don't
>> have borders. For instance, honor killing
is a big issue that faces the world today.
This is
>> an extreme form of victim blaming, when
people believe that a woman brings shame
>> to the family if she is raped, and then
she's usually killed for it. Another big issue
>> that I mentioned earlier is human trafficking.
It obviously affects the whole world, and
it is
>> a big consequence of rape culture. Another
big perpetuator of rape culture
>> internationally is media. Western media
has become a huge force in the
>> entire world and as I've already learned,
rape culture is perpetuated by Western
>> and we all need to recognize that. Alright.
I have a lot of people that
>> I need to thank for the ELI. First of all,
Gretchen
Wissner for being a wonderful coordinator
for this project,
>> Carly Bean for being my faculty evaluator,
the 5th period ELI
>> class for listening to my horribly depressing
stories, my family for also listening to my
very,
>> very sad stories and tolerating all my
craziness during this whole project,
>> and my friends for also being very supportive.
Thank you for listening!
>>
