All Nonconsensual Sex is Sexual Assault: How We Categorize and Minimize Rape

[redqueen]

(Content note: sexual assault, statutory rape)

People, as it turns out, really love to categorize sexual assault.

They like to speculate about which ones are worse or more traumatic. They like to refer to certain sexual assaults with sanitized language that either glamorizes or minimizes what happened. If at all possible, they like to leave words like “rape” and “assault” out of it.

...

Nonconsensual sex. Underage sex*. That old standby, sex scandal. The lengths to which writers and editors will go to avoid using the words “rape” or “assault” are impressive. It’s interesting because usually journalists make an effort to choose language that grabs as much attention as possible (at least, that’s what was impressed upon me repeatedly during my year in journalism school).

“Sex scandal” sounds like something you’d find in a tabloid and forget by tomorrow, when yesterday’s papers are today’s subway litter. ”Underage sex” sounds like “underage drinking.” “Nonconsensual sex” sounds like a bad idea fueled by apathy or impatience, like having sex without a condom. It makes it sound like consent is just an added bonus, in case you really want to cover all your bases.

All of these common journalistic tropes insist on using the word “sex,” but all sex without consent is by definition assault or rape.

...

http://freethoughtblogs.com/brutereason/2013/09/12/all-nonconsensual-sex-is-sexual-assault-how-we-categorize-and-minimize-rape/

[Deep13]

1. agreed

for instance,

Church sex abuse scandal = Church child rape conspiracy.

[ismnotwasm]

2. Excellent article

I'm thinking of sports players who seem to have these "scandals" on a fairly routine basis.

[redqueen]

3. It's such an important point.

It needs to be repeated until it stops being acceptable to minimize rape/sexual assault.