Rapist sympathizers justify a rapist’s action, and are just as sickening as rapists themselves. They flock to defend the person being accused, building a support system greater than those who actually need it. Women who are survivors of sexual assault are branded as criminals, and are seen as bad guys in a patriarchal, misogynist enabling society.
Rape sympathizers validate rapists by placing their feelings and reputations above the livelihoods of survivors.
Some of the most commonly rape empathizing sayings are, “Well, maybe he could not hear her say no,” or “maybe she was leading him on? Was she wearing revealing clothes? Was he her boyfriend?” Another completely appalling saying that many like to use in defense of a rapist is, “Well maybe they are just coming out for fame, or for perhaps a book deal.” These statements are revolting.
When women don’t come out with their rape accusations it is because her integrity, reputation and sexual history are automatically questioned. They are branded a whore, liar or scam artist. The rapists however, are met with an incredible defense team, like Brock Turner.
Being only 15 years old, and having to sit in a courtroom of grown adults asking about my sexual history is a memory that is forever burned into my brain. I was a child being questioned about her fault in her own rape.
When I was raped, it was by a close friend who I trusted, and who I had no prior problems with before. We were simply two friends who went out to the mall and then went to eat. Basic activities that happen between friends all the time. When I decided to go forward with the justice system, I still had hope that it would work in my favor, and the terrible actions of the rapist I once called my friend, would be punished.
Instead, I was met with the reality that America doesn’t give a shit about sexual assault survivors. Like in the Brock Turner case, my rapist pleaded guilty but was merely charged with a slap on the wrist because the judge was more interested in what would happen to my rapist who was a student at UC Santa Barbara. His lawyer said that he could “have a promising future if he keeps behaving under parole.” Never once was my future questioned. Never once was the outcome of my future considered and never once were my psychological traumas due to the assault ever considered.
My case isn’t uncommon. Victim blaming, and rapist sympathy occurs often in America’s judicial system. This can be seen in Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s allegations against Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. He was an accused sexual assault predator that was confirmed into one of the most powerful positions in America for life. Where is his punishment?
Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward with her allegations against Brett Kavanaugh after accused sexual assault predator, President Donald Trump, unsurprisingly enough, appointed accused sexual assault predator to the Supreme Court Justice.
Before the alleged assault came out, Dr. Ford lived her life as a professor that was not particularly well known. However, once Kavanaugh was elected, her life was thrown into shambles. Her traumatic experience happened more than 30 years ago, but that should not defer away from the fact that she indeed was assaulted. Her assault was openly mocked by the President of the United States, Donald Trump. His followers all cheered and laughed and did so openly because obviously it isn’t an issue to mock a sexual assault victim in the United States.
According to the The New York Times, Dr. Ford’s prepared statement regarding her assault states, “I don’t have all the answers, and I don’t remember as much as I would like to. But the details about that night that bring me here today are ones I will never forget. They have been seared into my memory and have haunted me episodically as an adult.”
Her trauma was questioned publicly, and still others were more concerned about Brett Kavanaugh and his reputation.
Too frequently, the question is asked about how the rapist or person being accused of sexual assault, will cope with the accusations. The trending #himtoo movement, although turned into an internet meme, has been circulating social media.
The “fear” that some men may have about going on solo dates because of the paranoia or that they may be falsely accused for sexual assault is a petty way for misogynists and rape sympathizers to once again put themselves over the fear women have. Women have fear leaving their house late at night, going on dates, hanging out with friends and basically every day activities.
In fact, only 2 to 8 percent of rape allegations are false. However, rape sympathizers ignore the other 90 percent of very real rape accusations and focus on the false ones instead.
America is a safe haven for rapists and the justice system works in favor of rapists. Sexual assault survivors are not safe in the rape sympathizing climate that America has continually upheld. Justice for survivors need to come first, and basic moral rights for survivors need to be enforced.
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