Fuck anyone who says that the behaviors of a woman or her lifestyle choices or what she wears means she's "Asking for it." No one asks to be sexually assaulted or harassed or raped. Ever. Ever. Ever. As basic as I believe this to be, there still seems to be a general consensus that if someone dresses racily or decides to get drunk is at fault for getting raped. While being under the influence increases those chances of such human violations, that doesn't mean she was asking for it. Say it with me: Rapists are the ones who rape. Remember Guwahati Tragedy? “Don’t tell your daughters to not step out in the night. Instead, teach your sons better.” And unfortunately, this isn't the case. Instead of attacking the root of the problem, and teaching more men that is not at all OK to sexually assault someone, no matter what they're wearing or how drunk they are, we instead teach women to not walk to their car's alone at night. We teach men that it's up to the women to be the force that prevents rapists, which limits women, and then teaches society to blame them when any such thing does happen. Men are better than this---then why do they not have to face the consequences of their actions?
This kind of thing goes on all the time, horrifically enough. For example, Steubenville. Two football players from a town who glorifies the players are being charged with kidnapping and raping a sixteen year old girl. The accusation has split the town, according to the NY Times.
"The case has shaken the football team, which has been the pride of the community for more than 100 years, and has divided Steubenville. The night of the party, residents began taking sides, with some blaming the girl, saying she was trying to defame the team with her accusation. Others said the suspected rape occurred as a result of a hero-worshiping culture of a city obsessed with high school football."
Because you know. She's obviously trying to defame them, considering the fact that pretty much all of that night was recorded on video and live-tweeted about and photographed. And since she got drunk, she must partly responsible for what happened to her. Asking for it, with her less than favorable decisions and state of sobriety.
Steubenville is appallingly, one of many example where the victim is blamed instead of the perpetrators being fully responsible for their crimes. While the case is still ongoing, it's sad to say that many things like this never become a case, with the victims and their family being too sad, ashamed, or scared to take legal measures.
Who asks for that?
