Quick Hit: How to write about rape

“Fun-Loving White Girls Just Asking to be Raped,” Slate-style

Jessica published a piece at the Nation offering guidance to writers reporting on rape. She points out some common problems with coverage on sexual violence — including the hilariously/terrifyingly predictable stock photos of “Fun-Loving White Girls Just Asking to be Raped,” and presents four tips for doing it right:

—When an adult is charged with assaulting a minor or someone is someone is accused of assaulting an unconscious person, don’t refer to the crime as “sex with a child” or “sex with an unconscious person.” Call it rape—because that’s what it is . . .

—If you find yourself writing or editing a sentence that describes what a rape victim wore, the kind of makeup she had on or that she acted “older than her age” (I’m looking at you, New York Times)—stop it . . .

—If the victim you are reporting about comes from a marginalized community—if they are queer, trans, poor, disabled, an immigrant, a person of color or a sex worker—take extra care that the pernicious stereotypes that surround that community do not impact your piece . . .

—If you run a story exploring the reasons why rape happens, focus on the perpetrator, not the victim’s behavior. Because despite what Emily Yoffe writes, the common denominator in most rapes is not young women drinking, the common denominator is rapists.

You can read the full article here. If you liked Valenti’s piece, make sure to check out activist Annie Clark’s guide to interviewing survivors, based on her own experiences.

Alexandra Brodsky is a Feministing editor, law student, and activist who talks about rape a lot.