This from Can you Relate, a helpful guide to Rape Prevention.
Ten rape prevention tips:
1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks.
2. When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone.
3. If you pull over to help a woman whose car has broken down, remember not to rape her.
4. If you are in an elevator and a woman gets in, don’t rape her.
5. When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not rape her.
6. Never creep into a woman’s home through an unlocked door or window, or spring out at her from between parked cars, or rape her.
7. Remember, people go to the laundry room to do their laundry. Do not attempt to molest someone who is alone in a laundry room.
8. Use the Buddy System! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from raping women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you at all times.
9. Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to rape someone, blow the whistle until someone comes to stop you.
10. Don’t forget: Honesty is the best policy. When asking a woman out on a date, don’t pretend that you are interested in her as a person; tell her straight up that you expect to be raping her later. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the woman may take it as a sign that you do not plan to rape her.
My co-worker recently created this list, inspired by sites like this. As I was reading, I couldn’t decide if I should laugh or be horrified by the reality that violence prevention tips are always aimed at what the targeted person should do (judgment strongly implied) to protect themselves.
In the past two weeks, headlines about rape have flooded the news—CBS Reporter Recounts a ‘Merciless’ Assault, Congo study sets estimates of rape much higher , Peace Corps volunteer speaks out on rape. And, of course, IMF Chief charged with rape. I am glad to see people speaking out about rape. But raising awareness isn’t enough. How do we actually change perpetrators’ thoughts and convince them not to rape?
If you experienced rape as a reporter, a Peace Corps volunteer, a war survivor, a hotel maid, or by your partner, you don’t need rape prevention tips. It is the rapist and the culture around us that excuses, supports, and looks away that we must change.
6 comments
September 6, 2012 at 6:29 am
witchylisa
Isn’t this somewhat satirical
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September 6, 2012 at 7:24 am
Darrin
brilliant.
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September 6, 2012 at 8:17 am
Titfortat
Would the list be the same if the gender was switched? ;)
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September 6, 2012 at 11:14 am
Titfortat
I think your spam is eating my comments. arrrggggg. ;)
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September 6, 2012 at 2:11 pm
The Arbourist
@ Witchylisa
Sorta? I think it may sound like satire when the onus for who is usually doing the raping is placed on those who are doing it, as opposed to the usual tips aimed at women.
Women *shouldn’t* have to police their actions so stringently in order not to get raped, yet much is made of what “she could have done” or “steps she could have taken” to prevent being assaulted. Blaming and shaming rape victimscontributes significantly to the under reporting of rape in our society.
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September 6, 2012 at 2:18 pm
The Arbourist
@TitforTat
Yes, it was eating your comments. I’m not sure why. Sorry for the delay. On to your comment though –
I’m think that the same could be applied to both genders. The difference you might be sensing is due to the fact that there is a power differential in our society. Women and men are not equal when it comes to interactions and the social hierarchy.
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