Rape. Is. Not. Sex.
Last week, there was a news report from Aljazeera on America Tonight about renaming sexual assault and rape as "non-consensual sexual contact" or "non-consensual sex" in policies regulating college campuses and in many people's vernacular. This is not right. Words have power, and using a euphemism discounts the severity of what happened. A crime occurred. Someone's life was potentially turned into two periods: before and after.
From a description of the video: "What is also clear from this research is that so-called “date rape” is not a pleasant evening gone bad because of too much alcohol. These undetected rapists plan and premeditate. They have a scheme for getting their victims into a secluded place where they will be vulnerable. Alcohol is part of this plan, intended to make the victim vulnerable."
One of the most common arguments about rape on college campuses is that by expelling the rapist, his/her "whole life isn't ruined." Are rapists really the ones who we want to have sympathy for? What about the survivor? Whose life is worth more to the campus judicial system? These are questions that we continually have to ask whenever words are changed or adjusted for our comfort. Why? Why can't this organization or campus or community call something what it is?
Just because a rape was committed by a college student or because it was committed on a college campus, does that make it less severe? Is that college student's life worth more than a rapist facing state prison time? These are the messages that are being sent by labeling rape something else when it occurs on a college campus or involving college students.
Renaming sexual assault just reaffirms what many advocates know, that people are uncomfortable with the idea of sex and don't even want to think about rape. It is much easier to think, especially on college campuses, that it is merely a miscommunication, instead of a premeditated attack on a vulnerable person. If you aren't familiar with The Undetected Rapist, or David Lisak's research, please watch below.
From a description of the video: "What is also clear from this research is that so-called “date rape” is not a pleasant evening gone bad because of too much alcohol. These undetected rapists plan and premeditate. They have a scheme for getting their victims into a secluded place where they will be vulnerable. Alcohol is part of this plan, intended to make the victim vulnerable."
One of the most common arguments about rape on college campuses is that by expelling the rapist, his/her "whole life isn't ruined." Are rapists really the ones who we want to have sympathy for? What about the survivor? Whose life is worth more to the campus judicial system? These are questions that we continually have to ask whenever words are changed or adjusted for our comfort. Why? Why can't this organization or campus or community call something what it is?
Just because a rape was committed by a college student or because it was committed on a college campus, does that make it less severe? Is that college student's life worth more than a rapist facing state prison time? These are the messages that are being sent by labeling rape something else when it occurs on a college campus or involving college students.
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