Warning: This post contains graphic depictions of sexualized violence. Lauren Wolfe, director of the Women Under Siege Project which documents the incidence of rape in war and militarized zones, this week posted an opinion piece, End Culture of Rape in 2013. As she knows better than most, this is easier said then done. The [...]
Tag Archives: rape
Rape as a Weapon of War
Rape became politicized during the recent election. Extreme conservatives favored the modifiers “legitimate” or “forcible” while feminists countered with the slogan, “Rape is rape.” When a woman is raped during an armed conflict, rape takes on a different character. Rape becomes a weapon of war− a cheap weapon of war. Under any circumstance, rape is [...]
Surprise! Attempted Rape Scene In Episode of “The Walking Dead”
AMC, I have a bone to pick with you. Your “rape-fest for ratings” sneak attack on this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead” pissed me off. Ever heard of a trigger warning, assholes? From what I understand, “The Walking Dead” is a show about killing zombies. Your viewers want blood and gore and violence [...]
One Man’s Struggle To Teach UN Forces How To Stop Rape
Patrick Cammaert is often quoted as saying that it is now more dangerous to be a woman than it is to be a soldier in war. But perhaps he should be quoted more widely on another startling fact: that UN peacekeepers the world over turn away when they witness rape.
Why Rape Should Matter To Your Vote: 50 Facts
God, again. Rape? What is the big deal? There are more important issues than “the rape thing.” At least that’s what I keep hearing. However, I am with Garance Franke-Ruta who asked recently, in an Atlantic piece called Richard Mourdock, Mitt Romney, and the GOP Defense of Coerced Mating: “Do we want to live in a country [...]
Let’s Talk About Victim Blaming
After seeing a rather offensive ad on the internet about rape and victim blaming made by police, I decided to throw my two cents into the mix about this quite frankly enraging matter. To me victim blaming is somewhat of a paradox. If you are a victim it is because something unwanted happened to you [...]
Violence Against Women is STILL A Global Pandemic
Next month is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and at the end of November, the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence takes place. Last Fall, I wrote an article in the Huffington Post called “Violence Against Women is a Global Pandemic.” If you click on the link, you can review the deplorable statistics. It [...]
Paul Ryan: Leading the Charge to Nullify Rape, Deepen Abortion Stigma
When news broke Sunday about Paul Ryan’s new comments about rape, I was just finishing a new post for the Independent Voter Network about the Todd Akin news cycle and what it showed us about media bias (and our own biases). Indeed, I was naive enough to think we had all learned something: One wonders [...]
Outing Your Rapist on Twitter: Savannah Dietrich’s Fire Power
A lot has been written about Savannah Dietrich, the 17 year old girl who almost faced jail time for tweeting the names of her rapists. After her story went viral, the prosecutor decided not to file charges against Dietrich for violating a judge’s order to stay quiet about her case. Guilt was well proven – [...]
Surviving Rape: What I Want Other College Students to Know About Title IX
Title IX is a federal law best known for transforming women’s athletics. But Title IX covers much more than sports: it also protects victims of bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual assault; pregnant and parenting students; and women studying science, technology, engineering, and math. Last month, Title IX turned 40. This is my Title IX story. After-rape [...]