TW: This article contains information about rape and sexual assault.
Do not make eye contact, keep your head down and look behind you regularly are just some of the thoughts I have when I am walking. On a 10 minute walk a South African woman can expect to be catcalled, grabbed and much worse by shop owners, traffic cops, policemen, artisans and even government officials. You can wear tights, jeans, a floor length dress, or nothing at all and that will not make a difference. This is just a drop in the bucket of the reality of being a woman in South Africa.
Rape culture is normalised in our daily interactions at school, varsity, place of worship and the office. It is a product of systemic and institutionalised patriarchy. Everyday Feminist describes rape culture as “situations where sexual assault, rape, and incidents of violence are ignored, trivialised, normalised, or made into jokes. It refers to cultural practices that excuse or tolerate sexual violence by trivialising it and normalising it.”
Acts that Perpetuate Rape Culture
Supporting people who are accused of rape.
People who believe rape is the victim’s fault because of what she wears.
Victim shaming.
Rape jokes and people who defend rape jokes.
Churches and faith communities that promote the superiority of men and regulate women’s sexuality.
And the list can go on.
The abovementioned are acts that form part of rape culture. I hope this blog post made rape culture clearer to you and that you will help eradicate it.
*Disclaimer: This article focuses mainly on rape culture relating to women at the hands of heterosexual men, but I do acknowledge that rape culture affects everyone.
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