Stop Telling Women How to Not Get Raped

[gollygee]

66. Women are often blamed for being raped

Sometimes by judges, sometimes by their communities. I think that the way we focus so much on what women should be doing to protect themselves is part of the reason why people look to women and what they did or were wearing when women do get raped. "Why was she dressed like that?" "Why did she invite him up?" "Why did she go to the party alone? She should have had friends with her."

And these stories are newsworthy because societal norms are changing. People are speaking out against women being blamed, therefore women are being blamed less. I plan to continue speaking out against women being blamed.

Maybe we don't see the same thing because we're different ages and what is normal to us is on different sides of this changing societal norm. When I went to college in the early 90s, date rape was just starting to be talked about, and the concept was mocked. If a woman invited a man into her room, she should have known what to expect. Women who dress a certain way should know what they're advertising. Etc. If people younger than I am don't see that, maybe I should be encouraged that things are changing for the better. But that means that efforts to change perspective are working, and I will keep trying to change that perspective.