Steubenville: We're Sick and Tired of Rape Being Treated Like an Unavoidable Joke

[redqueen]

A reasonable person might think that certain cases of rape would be clear cut and that it would be all but impossible to blame the victim of a crime, especially one with witnesses, photographs and other documentary evidence, for her own assault. But, we don't live in a world where a reasonable person can think that at all. Instead we live in a world where people are surprised because of widespread outrage over cases like the one in Steubenville.

Yesterday, in our fatiguing chronicling of rape, the Steubenville rape trial began. ABC reported that two boys "took liberties" (such an interesting turn of phrase if you think about it) with a drunk girl and now face rape charges. Attorneys for the defendants, two star football players (as everyone is intent on reminding us), argued that the boys did not rape a drunk 16-year old girl, whom they performed sexual acts on, because she "didn't say no." The lawyers are asking the court to believe that there was no nonconsensual contact during a long night in which these boys (just like these boys) put their fingers into the girl's vagina, attempted to have her perform oral sex (she couldn't hold her mouth open), allegedly urinated on her and were photographed dragging her around by her hands and feet. As one of the boys was quoted saying in a tonally rape-friendly media piece, "It just felt like she was coming on to me." Which, of course, is clear license to treat a living girl like an inflatable silicon sex doll.

If traditional coverage and similar cases in the recent past are any indication, what will inevitably evolve in the next few weeks is a media narrative about these boys, their football aspirations, their dashed hopes, and their basic all-American Boy Goodness. The flip side of that narrative is that a drunk, possibly lying, definitely regretful, stupid, slutty, selfish and careless girl ruined their hopes for the future. She'll be yet another "spider who lured them" and "ruined their lives." Here is where we indulge in the national sport of victim-blaming in high-def digital. The kind that allows us to blame one person for her own assault and avoid the rigorous self-reflection necessary to understand the system that produces kids who think its okay to humiliate and violate a limp and incapacitated girl for kicks. Why aren't we talking about why the 40+ teenagers involved that night didn't step in and stop what was happening?

...

Shame-based double standards make people think that girls who drink themselves blotto deserve what they "get" and patriarchy demands that we think of boys as unable to control themselves. Can you imagine boys and men living with double standards that police everything they wear and do in a way that they are made to understand that they should "expect" someone to use their bodies in any way they please if they are "impaired" in some way? That the likelihood of this happening is ridiculously high? What would happen if we restricted men's freedoms the way we casually and routinely do women's? In other words, if we "took" men's "liberties"? Or if they even had a clear understanding of how rape imperils their liberty. As in... it is a punishable crime. Instead, we're intent on telling girls to be afraid -- of being raped or seeking justice if they are. Seeking justice for the victims of rape should not be portrayed as some kind of unfortunate inconvenience for their rapists.

...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/soraya-chemaly/steubenville-50-cases-of-_b_2876606.html

I love Soraya Chemaly.

[JaneyVee]

1. Our culture needs to start teaching people to view rape as taboo as cannibalism.

[niyad]

2. as long as the patriarchy rules, that will never happen, alas.

[appleannie1]

3. I think she was more than drunk and wish testing for the date drug had been done.

She was too unresponsive to have simply been drunk. That out of it would have required medical intervention if it was only alcohol.

[riderinthestorm]

4. I'm hoping one of the kids who was there talks @ the drugging.

From the localleaks site it appears that it happened but since the girl wasn't tested, its by necessity moved into "rumor" category instead of being a fact.

I'm sure there's someone who knew about it or saw her drink get drugged. I'm hoping they are brave enough to testify on the stand about it.

[redqueen]

6. It can only be detected within three days.

Rape culture shames women so much that reporting at all is rare. She didn't report it within the time frame, I imagine.

The patriarchy and rape culture do an awesome job of making sure that not much changes in this regard.

[iamthebandfanman]

7. i thought one of them admitted

to slipping something in her drink at some point but retracted it?

im sick and don't feel like googling if someone else wouldn't mind too..

[monmouth3]

5. I saw photos of these guys while she was testifying. Smug, arrogant little POS...n/t

[redqueen]

8. I wish I could say I was surprised.

I wonder how many people around them would contradict the 'you did nothing wrong' narrative.

[ismnotwasm]

9. They are no joke

They're a symptom of social disease.

[Comrade Grumpy]

10. I will be deeply surprised if this case ends in anything other than convictions.

[redqueen]

12. Yes, and if they are they will serve the entire two years they're sentenced to, I'm sure. nt

[geek tragedy]

14. I hear Penn State will be recruiting by the time they get out of JV jail. nt

[Comrade Grumpy]

21. Ah, the tag team of outrage. Do you have anything of substance to say?

[geek tragedy]

23. We were commenting on the leniency of the sentence facing these rapists.

Sorry you were more interested in picking a fight than in using a skill known colloquially as reading comprehension.

Now, off to edit my ignore list.

[abelenkpe]

11. ...

"Why aren't we talking about why the 40+ teenagers involved that night didn't step in and stop what was happening?"

So disturbing. Why didn't anyone do anything?

[seabeyond]

13. yes. i want to hear from the kids that did nothing. and the adults that went beyond doing nothing,

to cover up.

this story should not stop at the court house.

[russspeakeasy]

18. I hope that question will haunt the town for years.

[bettyellen]

15. "avoid the rigorous self-reflection necessary to understand the system that produces kids.....

...who think its okay to humiliate and violate a limp and incapacitated girl for kicks."

Yep.

[Whisp]

16. Has this case been talked about on msnbc or any of the other channels?

It would be interesting to hear 'the tone' from the reporters. Usually you can tell which side they are pushing by what they omit or what they spend most time on, which clips they use, etc.

The support for this kind of atrocity goes much further than the Stuebenville borders.

[OnionPatch]

28. Yes. This mentality is by no means exclusive to Steubenville.

Steubenville is my home town and I assure you that most of the people I talk to from there are horrified and disgusted and want to see justice done. Unfortunately, this type of thing happens all over the country. Very sad.

[radicalliberal]

17. I'm afraid the two defendants are guilty, but will get off simply because they're football players.

It wouldn't be the first time. The scales of justice are unequal in cases such as this.

[Bonobo]

19. Throw them in prison for a long, long time.

Then you will see a change in people's behavior.

[redqueen]

26. The maximum sentence they face is two years. nt

[BlancheSplanchnik]

25. kicking ---excellent article.

She really nailed the filters this woman hating society uses to see such All American Boys, and the lies told to maintain the narrative of the brazen hussy who deserves what she gets for trying to bring down such good boys.

I'm too angry to say anything else.


Read "Our Guys" a story of rape in N.J....... same old story.

[redqueen]

27. She's amazing.

Her work is must-read stuff for everyone. Especially women.

[Sissyk]

29. I was pleased to hear today

that three witnesses testified that they actually did see penetration, which in Ohio is classified as rape. Maybe at least three of the kids got some sense about them and maybe are ashamed they didn't stop it. Maybe.

I hope the remember it for a long long time. The way they abandoned a friend in need.

[redqueen]

30. That's a hopeful sign.

Maybe some consciences are kicking in now, finally.

[lunatica]

31. What a great article

Thanks!