An Assault On The Body And Mind - 1495 Words

An Assault on the Body and Mind â€Å"In the United States, rape is the most frequently committed but least reported violent crime† (Newman 205). According to the FBI, rape is defined as â€Å"unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman forcibly and against her will† (Futter, Mebane V). Seeing as though the legal definition of rape is limited, it makes it difficult for victims to prove that there was in fact a crime committed. In turn, this causes an influx of victims, as well as attackers. Society has distorted the true image of rape and made it into a social construct, per say. The issues of rape that need to be addressed are victim blaming, the frequency of the crime, and the way that America has made rape humorous. In the article titled, â€Å"Rape Is†¦show more content†¦If comedians used their talent in the opposite manner, such as raising awareness to the rape culture rather than making it seem comical and â€Å"no big deal† to their viewers, it could come together for the good of all people. The issue with bringing humor into rape culture is that it can reinforce it. In other words, it can make victims feel as though they will not be taken seriously, and ultimately silence them (Strain, Martens, Saucier). Confiding in an individual about having been sexually assaulted is intimidating enough by itself, but on top of that, the victim may not be believed. For instance, â€Å"in rape cases, unlike any other crime, victims typically must prove their innocence rather than the state having to prove the guilt of the defendant† (Newman 207). All of these factors are going against the victim, rather than making the victim feel safe and at ease. But, if that isn’t enough, most people say that the victim is somewhat to blame if they have put themselves in a situation in which rape could occur. So if provocative clothing is worn, drugs or alcohol are involved, or the victim is acting in a seductive manner, then they â€Å"mus t† take some of the blame (Newman 207). Blaming the victim for being raped due to their clothing is like blaming