Kairos of Rape Culture

Many people believe that rape culture is simply a culture in which women begin to speak out against their male rapists; Those people are almost absolutely wrong. In today's society, it is not uncommon for the victim to be blamed for his/her rape, told that they are lying, or for their abuser to not be convicted. In a world of rape culture and victim blaming, modern feminism aims to change this.

In the recently taken protest photo we are analyzing, we see men and women participating in the DC Slutwalk, a movement whose purpose is to protest against excusing rape because of what the victim was wearing, doing, or ingesting. Based on that definition, we can observe victim blaming as telling men and women that wearing promiscuous clothing, flirting, or drinking alcohol makes sexual harassment, sexual abuse, or rape excusable.

Though it is called, quite blatantly, "rape culture," Slutwalk regards sexual harassment as a huge issue in this culture. According to a telephone survey done by Penn, Schoen, and
Berland Associates, 87% of American women 18-64 have been harassed by a male stranger, with more than half reporting being touched, grabbed, or followed by a strange man.

Most of the protest signs one will see at a Slutwalk protest pertains to what a woman is wearing and the unacceptability of harassment and victim blaming based on clothing. Some women some fully dressed, some in underwear, all to convey the message that an outfit cannot consent.

In a time when a majority of Americans see rape, harassment, and abuse as excusable, modern feminists and movements like Slutwalk strive to eradicate these toxic thoughts from peoples minds.

Mia Salenetri