In this section of the course, we will look at a variety of “rape myths”. Rape myths are attitudes, false beliefs, and stereotypes concerning how rapes and sexual assaults occur, who perpetrators and victims are, along with the motivations behind such assaults.
They distort the realities of sexual violence and contribute to a culture which normalizes, tolerates or excuses such violence.
Such myths can also prevent those who have been sexually assaulted and/or raped from reporting these crimes and/or from seeking help in dealing with their trauma. This may be because they feel to blame or partly responsible for being assaulted and/or think that they will not be believed etc.
By educating and informing ourselves about some of these common myths we should be able to productively participate in discussions concerning sexual violence, be able to assist those who have been sexually assaulted and overcome our own doubts, fears, and concerns should we ourselves be victimized.
Rape myths are both rooted in societal attitudes towards women, as well as the result of certain pieces of misinterpreted and misapplied historical academic research. Patriarchal attitudes towards women are deeply rooted in our society and continue to manifest themselves.
Whilst white nationalist and holocaust denier Nick Fuentes’ post on Twitter/X, “Your body, my choice. Forever.” (5th November 2024) may simply appear to be that of a misogynistic outlier, it was viewed 90 million times and reposted 35 000 times (this was an attack on one of the rallying cries for female bodily autonomy and reproductive rights that became popular in the 1970’s, “My body, my choice”).
The move away from women being viewed both socially and legally as chattel/property of either a father or a husband, has been a slow one.
In the U.S., the states, starting with Mississippi in 1839, gradually started to allow women the right to own property, control their own earnings, and inherit assets etc. However, it wasn’t until 1920, with the passing of the 19th amendment that women were given the right to vote and be seen as independent citizens with political agency.
However, the “Head and Master’s” Laws that many states still had that gave husbands control over various household decisions and property etc., weren’t repealed until the 1970’s and 1980’s.
It took until 1993 for marital rape to be criminalized in all 50 states; before this marriage implied the idea of perpetual sexual consent.
Whilst legally some corners may have been turned, not all parts of society have followed as quickly and adjusted their attitudes accordingly. Many of these rape myths echo historical views towards women, and are used to minimize the extent and impact of rape and sexual assault on those victimized, along with minimizing the perpetrator’s role in such attacks/assaults.