Posts Tagged victim-blaming

Why do we still insist women share responsibility for “provoking” their abuse?

There’s a particular kind of irony when Whoopi Goldberg, who 29 years ago starred in a film that featured intergenerational domestic violence, makes comments in support of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith regarding the very lenient two-game suspension of Baltimore Ravens Running Back Ray Rice for knocking his then fiancee unconscious and dragging her into an elevator.

On Monday, Goldberg offered her two cents: “If you make the choice as a woman who’s 4 foot 3 and you decide to hit a guy who’s 6 feet tall and you’re the last thing he wants to deal with that day and he hits you back, you cannot be surprised!” Then added, “I know I’m going ...

There’s a particular kind of irony when Whoopi Goldberg, who 29 years ago starred in a film that featured intergenerational domestic violence, makes comments in support of ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith ...

“Stop asking people’s clothing to have sex with you, and start asking people.”

As we well know, there are several things that women can do to avoid sexual assault. Get married, buy special anti-rape underwear, and, perhaps most commonly, wear more clothing. Because clearly someone’s clothing communicates everything you need to know about their willingness to have sex.

In this video, slam poet Anna Binkovitz imagines a dystopian world in which all our intentions were based only on our sartorial choices and makes a novel suggestion: “Stop asking people’s clothing to have sex with you, and start asking people.” An intriguing idea! 

As we well know, there are several things that women can do to avoid sexual assault. Get married, buy special anti-rape underwear, and, perhaps most commonly, wear more clothing. Because clearly ...

blue and white police tape

Stop telling survivors they must report to the police

This week, I was one of three survivors that spoke at a press conference where Senator Gillibrand announced her new initiative to increase federal funding for the Department of Education to address the high rates of sexual assault on colleges campuses. After each of us shared our stories of our colleges miserably failing to support us after sexual assault, multiple reporters asked about the role of the local police in each of the investigations and whether one of the Columbia survivors, a junior named Emma Sulkowicz, reported. These questions prompted a shift that often happens when survivors speak out: a focus on the police and pursuing retribution through the courts.

This week, I was one of three survivors that spoke at a press conference where Senator Gillibrand announced her new initiative to increase federal funding for the Department of Education to address the high rates ...

New study finds that drinking doesn’t cause sexual aggression, predators target drunk women

A new study backs up what feminists have been saying for approximately ever about the relationship between drinking and rape. Namely, that alcohol–despite its impressive powers–neither magically turns well-meaning kids into sexual aggressors nor makes everything so topsy turvy that nobody has any clue what consent is and if they have it or gave it. Instead, sexual predators deliberately target intoxicated victims. 

A new study backs up what feminists have been saying for approximately ever about the relationship between drinking and rape. Namely, that alcohol–despite its impressive powers–neither magically turns well-meaning kids into sexual aggressors nor makes everything so ...

How “You get what you put out” encourages victim blaming

There are two things about me that continue to have a significant impact on my life: (1) I spend a LOT of time on the internet; and (2) I have spent a LOT of that time feeling down and out in the aftermath of traumatic episodes. As a result, I am confident that I have been on the receiving end of every shallow (yet probably well-intentioned), mostly-useless platitude that is supposed to provide some sort of groundbreaking guidance that will magically empower me to instantly pick up the pieces of my life. Over time my patience for these platitudes has shrunk significantly. Instead of being comforted by a friend’s/acquaintance’s/stranger’s words, I feel a flash of annoyance as I try ...

There are two things about me that continue to have a significant impact on my life: (1) I spend a LOT of time on the internet; and (2) I have spent a LOT of that time ...

WSJ writer James Taranto blames intoxicated rape victims for their own assaults

*Trigger warning*

James Taranto’s made up War on Men persists. In his column for the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Taranto went even further than Emily “drunk women should expect to be assaulted” Yoffe.

He argued that women who drink and are forced to have sex against their will are not only at fault for their assault, but are equally guilty of a crime.

What is called the problem of “sexual assault” on campus is in large part a problem of reckless alcohol consumption, by men and women alike.

*Trigger warning*

James Taranto’s made up War on Men persists. In his column for the Wall Street Journal yesterday, Taranto went even further than Emily “drunk women should expect to be assaulted” Yoffe.

He argued that women who ...

Im-not-victim-blaming-She-just-shouldnt-have-walked-down-there-on-her-own

Feministing Chat: Individualism, violence, and victim blaming

At this point, the cycle is familiar. A commentator writes an article telling women how they can avoid rape through individualistic, ineffective methods. Dress conservatively! Shout loudly! Stay sober! The piece never addresses how we, as a community, can resist violence, and it shifts the focus from perpetrators’ wrongdoings to the “mistakes” of survivors. In response, the feminist internet rises up to condemn the victim-blaming. The fury dies down and, a few weeks later, another, similar article emerges again.

In these reactive conversations, we rarely get the chance to dig deeper and proactively consider the roots and harms of victim blaming. We sat down (at our individual computers, thousands of miles from ...

At this point, the cycle is familiar. A commentator writes an article telling women how they can avoid rape through individualistic, ineffective methods. Dress conservatively! Shout loudly! Stay sober! The piece never addresses ...

Quick Hit: Alexandra and Mychal discuss rape, alcohol, and victim blaming in The New York Times

In response to the recent uproar over Emily Yoffe’s victim-blaming advice to young women, the New York Times “Room for Debate” asks, “What’s wrong with asking women not to get blind drunk?” (As Jessica noted on Twitter, the image included in the piece of “headless shots of young women’s breasts & drinks sends a clear message before you even get to the ‘debate.'”) Thankfully, our own Alexandra and Mychal have some answers! They both offered their smart takes on sexual assault, drinking, and victim blaming.

In response to the recent uproar over Emily Yoffe’s victim-blaming advice to young women, the New York Times “Room for Debate” asks, “What’s wrong with asking women not to get blind drunk?” (As
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