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Overview

What would happen if less than 7 percent of murderers were convicted? There’d be a huge outcry, and heads would roll. Politicians would lose their jobs; the justice system would be under intense pressure to improve its conviction rate. And that’s right.

But, shockingly, only 7 percent of rape cases result in a conviction. Most rapists go unpunished and the media doesn’t cover it much either.

Rape is common, and it’s the victim’s fault. It happens because of a culture in which people blame victims for rape.

In this article, you’ll learn about the misconceptions surrounding rape and how some rapists blame their victims for what happened to them.

Big Idea #1: Rape victims are often blamed for their own assault.

If you were in a court of law, what kind of criminal would someone be if they said the following? “She drew him into her web like a spider.” A murderer or con artist? No, it’s an attorney who used this analogy when he defended a man who raped an 11-year-old girl. It’s unfortunate but people often slut shame women for being victims of rape as though it’s their fault.

In this situation, a young girl was raped by multiple men. They returned to her several times and continued raping her.

It might seem like the men would be convicted quickly, but they weren’t because the girl wore makeup. In addition, she was Latina.

The girl was blamed for the incident, and this is not a rare occurrence. Rapists are often portrayed as victims of seduction or alcohol abuse. When James McKinley wrote an article about a gang rape in Cleveland, he noted that most people were shocked by what happened to the girl but not at all surprised by how the men acted. They feared that their lives would be negatively impacted because of the incident more than they cared about how it affected the victim.

There is a culture that supports rape, but it didn’t appear out of nowhere. It’s the product of what we see and hear in our society. The attitude toward sexual abuse is often one where victims are blamed for their own assault, and rapists get away with their crimes because they’re excused or ignored by others.

Big Idea #2: Women shouldn’t have to give up their freedom in order not to be raped.

From a young age, girls are taught to be careful of men. They’re told not to go out alone at night and that they shouldn’t talk to strange men. In addition, they’re instructed not to wear revealing clothing because it might attract attention from men who want to harm them. But is it really up to women and girls? Shouldn’t the responsibility fall on the shoulders of the attackers themselves? A lot of people think so. Police typically respond by telling women what precautions they should take in order avoid being raped or sexually assaulted—such as staying with friends when traveling or calling for help if someone suspicious approaches them—but this approach only places more responsibility on victims instead of holding perpetrators responsible for their actions.

When you’re being followed by a strange man, it’s best to get help from friends or neighbors. However, the advice in this passage can be counterproductive because if your friends don’t come quickly enough to save you, then there’s not much that you can do. Moreover, making victims responsible for their own safety is easier than blaming them after they’ve been raped. For example, one 33-year-old woman was followed home and raped even though her friend had sent her husband out looking for her when she didn’t return home on time.

Jane was raped even though she was cautious. She had every right to feel afraid, but people blamed her for the incident because she got off a bus. This is wrong, since no one is responsible for their own rape.