Tag Archives: sexual violence

Did Last Night’s Episode Of “Game Of Thrones” Need A Trigger Warning?

Amelia McDonell-ParryApril 23, 2012 //

A look at season two! Read More »

Mind Of Man

Don't judge John DeVore for reading "Game of Thrones." Read More »

Rape In "True Blood"

The show has a way of glossing over rape. Read More »

I’m a big fan of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.” I’ve seen every episode, carry a torch for Peter Dinklage’s character Tyrion Lannister, and revel in the show’s embrace of nudity, sex and violence. (I’ve even got the books tucked away for my upcoming trip to Mexico — woot woot!) But did anyone else think last night’s episode went, dare I say it, a bit too far? As Emily McCombs noted over at xoJane, that scene featuring King Joffrey – and if you watched, you know what scene I’m talking about — needed a trigger warning like WHOA. Mind you, sexual violence is nothing new on “Game of Thrones” — I swear, rape is threatened or referred to in nearly every episode — but this particular depiction, in which Joffrey forces one prostitute to beat and sexually torture another prostitute for his amusement (OMG, he is THE WORST!), was almost too much for me to take. And then I found out, via my own personal GoT Encyclopedia, John DeVore, that the scene didn’t even happen in the books! Though the TV series has basically stuck to George R. R. Martin’s material from the onset, the writers/producers decided to add that scene just for funzies, I guess? Because we didn’t already hate Joffrey enough? GoT fans, what did you think? [xoJane]

The Soapbox: On Consent Culture

Holly PervocracyMarch 22, 2012 //

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

New "Rape" Definition

A new definition of rape has been approved by the FBI. Read More »

Rape Checklist

A handy checklist of things that cause rape. Read More »

Kinky Sex Tips

For vanilla girls who want to try a little kink. 8 Photos »

Today I’m going to fulfill a promise I made quite a while ago, and talk about what a consent culture would look like.

A consent culture is one in which the prevailing narrative of sex — in fact, of human interaction — is centered around mutual consent. It is a culture with an abhorrence of forcing anyone into anything, a respect for the absolute necessity of bodily autonomy, a culture that believes that a person is always the best judge of their own wants and needs.

I don’t want to limit it to sex. A consent culture is one in which mutual consent is part of social life as well. Don’t want to talk to someone? You don’t have to. Don’t want a hug? That’s okay, no hug then. Don’t want to try the fish? That’s fine. (As someone with weird food aversions, I have a special hatred for “just taste a little!”) Don’t want to be tickled or noogied? Then it’s not funny to chase you down and do it anyway.

The good news is, there are things you can do to bring this about. Things beyond just “don’t rape people” (although that’s an excellent start). Keep reading »

New App “Circle Of 6″ Can Prevent Sexual Violence

Jessica WakemanMarch 21, 2012 //

I Was Date Raped

Amelia was date raped in college by a guy she liked. Read More »

CDC Sex Assault Data

Adolescent girls and preteen boys are at the highest risk for sexual assault. Read More »

Drunk Is A Feminist Issue

Why women everywhere should be concerned about binge-drinking. Read More »

I’ll admit I was skeptical when I heard that the White House was holding a technology challenge for developers to create an app that would help prevent sexual violence. All of the stuff that I believe can change the prevalence of sexual violence — harsher punishments for criminals, a cultural change on what consent means, a modification of the way we use alcohol and drugs — cannot be found in the App Store. But I’m impressed — very impressed — by the contest’s winning app called Circle Of Six. Keep reading »

Indonesia To Thoughtfully Ban Miniskirts So Female Lawmakers Don’t “Invite” Rape

Jessica WakemanMarch 6, 2012 //

Cops Warn Vs. Skirts

NYC police warned women not to wear skirts to avoid a serial rapist. Read More »

Uggs Banned By School

Uggs were banned at one middle school, but it's not why you think. Read More »

Speedos Forbidden

A UK resort has banned men from wearing skimpy speeds. Read More »

Sorority Dress Code

Get a load of the Pi Phi rush dress code beauty rules. Read More »

Thank goodness female lawmakers in Indonesia have their male colleagues to look out for them. These silly women simply thought their outfits were a fashion statement, but little did they know that their “provocative” clothing invited rape. That’s why members of Indonesia’s parliament have drafted rules to ban female lawmakers from wearing miniskirts and other “skimpy clothes” items to work. Said the speaker of the Indonesia’s House of Representatives:

“We know there have been a lot of rape cases and other immoral acts recently, and this is because women aren’t wearing appropriate clothes. Women wearing inappropriate clothes arouse men, so it needs to be stopped. You know what men are like — provocative clothing will make them do things.”

Thanks, guys! I know how hard it must be not to rape your female colleagues. Really, it’s a wonder women are allowed to work alongside you at all. [AFP]

NYC Cops Warn Against Shorts & Skirts To Avoid Serial Rapist

Jessica WakemanSeptember 30, 2011 //

Victim Blaming

Rape victims are never to blame for their assault. Read More »

Date Rape Drug Test

A date rape drug test may soon be available. Read More »

Rape Checklist

A handy checklist of things that cause rape. Read More »

A gift from me to you, A Handy-Dandy Guide On Things Not To Do If You’re A Cop — Or Anyone — Talking To Women About Sexual Assault When A Serial Rapist Is Afoot:

Suggest that wearing a skirt, shorts, or dress is just asking for it.
That’s it.

Unfortunately, the NYPD did not get that memo. Women in areas of Brooklyn — which has been ground zero for a serial rapist/groper throughout the spring, summer and fall — report that NYPD officers have stopped them on the street and offered unsolicited victim-blaming sartorial advice. One 25-year-old who identified herself as Lauren to the Wall Street Journalsaid she was stopped by a cop while wearing shorts. “He pointed at my outfit and said, ‘Don’t you think your shorts are a little short?’” Lauren told the WSJ. “He pointed at [other women's] dresses and said they were showing a lot of skin. He said that such clothing could make the suspect think he had ‘easy access.’”

Oh, for f**k’s sake.

Keep reading »

Lara Logan Opens Up About Sexual Assault In Egypt: “They Raped Me With Their Hands”

Jessica WakemanApril 28, 2011 //

In February, the world held its breath when CBS’s “60 Minutes” reporter Lara Logan was badly beaten and sexually assaulted while covering the political uprising in Egypt’s Tahrir Square. After being rescued by civilians and a group of soldiers, Logan abruptly left her coverage and flew home to the U.S., where she was hospitalized for four days. Logan and CBS then released a statement.

Now, in an interview with The New York Times, Lara Logan has opened up publicly for the first time about the brutal assault. Keep reading »

Profile Of A Campus Date Rapist

Jessica WakemanMarch 5, 2010 //

Statistics have shown that most men who commit rape or date rape are known to the victim: friends, friends-with-benefits, boyfriends, husbands, even family members, etc. But even as someone who is attuned to news stories about sexual assault, I was unaware that researchers have gathered more info in the past decade about who these men are, on the college campus, specifically.

For the past two weeks, National Public Radio and the Center for Public Integrity have aired four stories on NPR about how sexual assaults are handled on college campuses in a series called “Seeking Justice For Campus Rapes.” Their most recent story, entitled “Myths That Make It Hard To Stop Campus Rape,” absolutely blew my mind. I had no idea about a 2002 study of men on college campuses in which one in 16 admitted to behavior that meets the definition of rape or date rape and the overwhelming majority of these men were repeat offenders. Keep reading »

Is Rape Still A Crime If The Rapist Was Sleepwalking?

Ami AngelowiczOctober 21, 2009 //

OK, this story is literally a nightmare. Nick Walker, a 21-year-old student at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, went out drinking with some friends, including a 21-year-old girl who was visiting for the weekend. As the night wound down, they all passed out at the friend’s apartment where she was staying. This poor girl woke up in the middle of the night when she felt a “weird sensation.” She found that all of her clothes had been removed and that Nick was on top of her. Nick has no physical memory of any of this—he left the next morning without a word to the victim and later friend-requested her on Facebook, as if nothing happened. When she pressed charges, he was shocked and says that if he did rape her, he must have been sleepwalking. He admitted that this has happened to him before with his own girlfriend. Ack! How awful for everyone involved. Still, whether it was a conscious act or not, the fact remains that this poor girl was raped. Who pays for the crime? Is it fair that this guy should have been cleared of the rape charges? [Daily Mail] Keep reading »

When Sex Is A Weapon: Surviving Date Rape

YourTango.comSeptember 19, 2009 //

I just found out that my rapist is dead. Not only is he dead, but he ended up killing a lot of women. I always wondered if he would rape again, but I never thought he would graduate to murder.
Keep reading »

Do We Live In A Rape Culture?

Ami AngelowiczAugust 19, 2009 //

Normally, I’m not big on low-budget documentaries. But this new video called “Our Hidden Culture” really got me thinking. It argues that we in the United States live in a “rape culture”—where unwanted sexual attention is constantly lavished on women (hello, cat callers), where sexual violence is constantly portrayed in music and on film (that’s you, Eminem), and where women are always expected to be sexual creatures (thanks, Victoria’s Secret). When these behaviors are accepted as the norm, of course we see sexual harassment, verbal abuse, discrimination and, yes, rape. The idea here is that sexual violence is as much of a social problem as a personal one. These little things become so commonplace that we may not even notice them, but it’s these very attitudes that lead to violence. Keep reading »