We care about rape culture, or at least that's how we post about it on social media
The next scroll or click away, we forget about it in an instant — upholding the same system that prejudices against victims and preys on primarily women.
Rape culture exists when sexual violence is normalised, excused, trivialised, or even encouraged through attitude, behaviour, laws, and media. It subjugates victims and shifts the blame on them indirectly. And unfortunately, our country has a society that breeds this culture.
Rape culture is not only sexual violence and rape; it starts from thoughts that enable rape to occur and let the rapists go free.
Here's a brief look into rape culture:
1. Normalisation (lowest level crime)
It starts by questioning victims of assault, such as asking, "Oh, what was she wearing?", and even covers rape jokes and "locker room talk". Normalisation involves tuning down conversations surrounding rape into jokes rooted in misogyny.
2. Degrading
Actions such as cat calling and stalking are often ignored or not taken seriously as they are not deemed as a "serious crime".
3. Removal of Autonomy
The line into violation is crossed with actions such as coercion and spiking drinks — stripping away the victim's bodily autonomy.
4. Violence (highest level crime)
These are the crimes that actually matter to people, like rape or femicide. They exist due to normalising the lower level crimes.
Let's take a look at rape culture on social media
If you notice, extreme crimes such as rape itself are the ones that make headlines. Victims are showered with empathy online, such as through the use of hashtags like #justicemustbeserved. And if the victim dies, netizens make her a martyr for this noble cause of wanting to create safer spaces for women.
It goes viral for sometime… until it isn't "trendy" anymore.
Authorities will quickly find a perpetrator to charge the crime with due to public pressure. Once that public pressure is dead, is justice being served?
Which begs the question: Do we actually care about wanting to create a safer world for women?
The truth is, we do — but not enough
Sure, we do have the thought of it. But we are all somewhat guilty of breeding rape culture in our society. It starts from brushing off borderline misogynistic jokes made by your peers. Then, when someone you know says they were stalked or groped, you go, "Oh, be careful next time".
All these "minor" actions may seem harmless. But when we avoid calling out these issues, they will eventually lead to the normalisation of violence against women.
What you can do about it is to actively try and make a change, even in your small circle
Call out misogynistic jokes made by your friends and family. Stop saying "boys will be boys" to excuse misogyny, and report when someone is sharing nudes of a person. Take victims seriously when they tell you they have been through some form of assault.
Of course, creating a safe space for women, and even men, takes a long, hard journey to achieve. But if we all put in the work in real life (not just sharing posts on your IG story), that is attainable.
Let's do better!
If you or someone you know may be at risk or has experienced sexual abuse or assault, please reach out to these Malaysian organisations:
1. WOMEN'S AID ORGANISATION (WAO)
Operating hours: 24-hour
Contact: +603-30008858
SMS/WhatsApp: +6018-9888058
Website | Facebook | Twitter
2. ALL WOMEN'S ACTION SOCIETY (AWAM)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9.30am – 5.30pm)
Contact: +603-78770224
WhatsApp/Telegram: +6016-2284221 | +6016-2374221
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
3. WOMEN'S CENTRE FOR CHANGE PENANG (WCC PENANG)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am – 5pm)
Contact: +604-2280342 | +604-3988340
WhatsApp: +6011-31084001 | +6016-4180342
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
4. SARAWAK WOMEN FOR WOMEN SOCIETY (SWWS)
Operating hours: Monday (7pm – 9pm),Tuesday to Thursday (9.30am – 11.30am), Saturday (2pm – 4pm)
Contact: +6082-368853
SMS/WhatsApp: +6016-5822660 | +6013-8044285
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
5. SABAH WOMEN'S ACTION-RESOURCE GROUP (SAWO)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (9am – 5pm)
Contact: +6088-280200 | +6011-27908020
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
6. PROTECT AND SAVE THE CHILDREN (PS THE CHILDREN)
Operating hours: Monday to Friday (3pm – 12am)
WhatsApp: +6016-7213065
Email: [email protected]
Website | Facebook | Twitter
7. INTERNET WATCH FOUNDATION (IWF)
Anonymously and confidentially report child sexual abuse content and non-photographic child sexual abuse images with IWF's Reporting Portal.
This story is part of the YouthSAYS initiative and is the personal opinion of the writer.
About the contributor:
Image via Bhagyavartini (Provided to SAYS)
Bhagyavartini is completing her Foundation in Social Science course this month at Centre for Foundation studies in Universiti Malaya. She is currently waiting for her UPU results and hoping to get into UM law.
She's passionate about women's rights, especially gender based violence. Other than that, she keeps herself busy with writing, reading fiction, and keeping up with the world.
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