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Feminism: Sex & gender discussions

Rape culture in action. Massive Trigger Warning

163 replies

scallopsrgreat · 21/11/2014 22:19

Warning: There is a brutal rape described in the opening paragraphs. So please self-care.

The article is from RollingStone and is about the systematic erasure and cover-up of womens rape and sexual assault experiences at the University of Virginia. It is quite long but also very detailed.

From 'friends' to officials these women are encouraged to forget. They are paralysed by lack of information, informed choices and support even from those who are seemingly trying to help.

The article really doesn't pull any punches and describes really well how women's experiences are minimised. It also shows how rapists aren't monsters. They live and function (sometimes even heroically) in the community. It shows how they do plan their rapes (sometimes quite chillingly). How they feel entitled to rape these women and how they don't see it as a big deal. They don't expect to get caught. They may not even see it as rape or simply just don't care.

Just in case anyone thinks women aren't oppressed. Or feminism has gone too far. Or rape culture doesn't exist.

It's so frightening.

I also think it should be highlighted and the University of Virginia named. Because they have gone to great lengths to silence the voices of these women over decades.

OP posts:
PuffinsAreFictitious · 21/11/2014 22:32

Bookmarking, not sure my anger levels can cope tonight.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:33

ill read it.

PetulaGordino · 21/11/2014 22:35

fucking tradition

i don't know why i'm shocked, but it is so starkly clear in that how real and how powerful is the idea of it being "social suicide" for the victim if the rape is reported, not the attacker

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:40

Why didn't you have fun with it?" Cindy asked

:(

stargirl1701 · 21/11/2014 22:40

Chilling. The complete lack of personhood for women. The total hatred.

I'm lying in bed with my baby girls trying not to cry.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:42

she called her mother. "Come and get me," Jackie told her, crying. "I need your help."

sniff.

scallopsrgreat · 21/11/2014 22:44

It is so stark isn't it? It really got to me.

OP posts:
AMillionNameChangesLater · 21/11/2014 22:46

Oh my gosh

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:47

"You're not broken," Emily told her. "They're the ones who are fucked up, and what happened to you wasn't your fault."

true.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:47

its got me too.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 22:50

Jackie talks about her assault, she fixates on the moment before Drew picked her up for their date: "I remember looking at the mirror and putting on mascara and being like, 'I feel really pretty,'?" Jackie recalls. "I didn't know it would be the last time I wouldn't see an empty shell of a person."

Snow1 · 21/11/2014 22:57

That's absolutely horrific.

scallopsrgreat · 21/11/2014 23:17

"Chilling. The complete lack of personhood for women. " Yes this. At so many levels too. Not just from the rapists.

OP posts:
LouiseBrooks · 21/11/2014 23:31

Dear God. I really don't know which shocked me more "grab its fucking leg" or the behaviour of her so called friends.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 23:36

grab its fucking leg. was horrific.

poor poor woman.

HomeHelpMeGawd · 21/11/2014 23:37

What gets me is that it's pretty clear that rape is part of hazing ritual for that fraternity. So virtually every man who was a fraternity brother there is likely to be a rapist. God knows how many years this goes back and how many fraternities are like this at just this one university

Amethyst24 · 21/11/2014 23:44

So fucking sad. And she STILL blames herself. Awful.

Loveneverfails · 21/11/2014 23:46

I wonder when you ever stop completely blaming yourself. I never have and its nearly 18 years later.

Id love to though. and i will pray she finds total peace. and those other brave women x

Zazzles007 · 21/11/2014 23:46

I am only half way through the article. At first I thought "terrible", which then progressed to "horrifying".

And a quote from the article:

*"Jackie [a student who was gang raped] says when she asked why UVA's rape stats were hard to find, the dean said, "Because nobody wants to send their daughter to the rape school.""

Truly, truly awful Sad

Zazzles007 · 21/11/2014 23:46

Argh, bolding fail.

Snow1 · 21/11/2014 23:54

The thing that massively surprised me in the article was the lack of support and understanding from female friends, who you would have thought would understand the most. If someone had done that to a friend I'd have gone absolutely nuts.

MyEmpireOfDirt · 22/11/2014 00:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scallopsrgreat · 22/11/2014 00:03

I don't see why that would surprise you. Women aren't immune to rape culture. If anything they are more acutely aware of the implications and consequences for any women who would be swimming upstream against this culture.

OP posts:
MyEmpireOfDirt · 22/11/2014 00:03

This reply has been deleted

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MyEmpireOfDirt · 22/11/2014 00:09

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