Rachel Kim

Turner
Composition 111
27 September 2014
Report Assignment
Rape, particularly towards women, is a movement that has been affixed to humans
since the beginning of time. Its significant stance in todays society has led to a number of
effects, many of which studies can prove.
Rape is defined as the act of forced, nonconsensual sexual activity with another being
(Rape). Rape essentially happens when a persecutor sexually pushes and disrespects the
boundaries of a victim, causing the victim to be unable to oppose to the act (Rape). The
reason behind the majority of the victims taking the form of women and the persecutors
personifying men is due to long-established patriarchy (Thornhill 55). Patriarchy is the
leading cause of rape culture; that is, a culture where sexual violence and violation is
common and considered normal in the sense that it is inevitable and also dismissed (Green).
Men are given the excused title of being incontrollable in their sexual desires, thus rape is
made acceptable (Green). Women, on the other hand, are deemed as not significant enough to
be concerned over, and instead, as something that is allowed to be physically used in the
circumstance that a male cannot control his needs. This preconceived mindset promotes
violent masculinity: the social expectation that males shouldnt exhibit weakness, and
therefore, are entitled to take advantage of women to prove power, dominance, and respect
(Green). Violent masculinity is habituated in patriarchal society, and this plays a huge role in
the normalness of rape culture (Green). Sex is seen as something women should provide
for men, regardless of whether or not she desire it (Green). Hence, this seeming prerogative
for men also supports violence against women who refuse to oblige (Green).
The low estimate of women raped per year is 300,000, according to the Department
of Justice (Chemaly). The high estimate makes 1.3 million women per year (Chemaly). Fifty-

four percent of rapes are not reported, and ninety-seven percent of rapists have never been
incarcerated (Chemaly). Victims of rape are six times more likely to suffer from posttraumatic disorder, and 4 times more likely to commit suicide (Who). The lifetime rate of
rape or attempted rape for all races of women is 17.6% (Who). According to RAINN,
17,342 pregnancies were results of rape in 2012 (Who). Nine out of every ten rape victims
were female in 2003 (Who). All of these statistics are a result of a global phenomenon that
has been passed on to each generation.
The long-established practices of rape have given effect to a number of consequences.
The aftermaths have concluded to be momentous and have become quite a serious subject
matter surrounding women.

Works Cited
Chemaly, Soraya. 50 Actual Facts About Rape. HuffingtonPost.com.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, Inc., 26 Dec. 2012. Web. 25 Sep. 2014.
Green, Laci. SHE ASKED FOR IT. YouTube. YouTube, 6 Sep. 2014. Web. 20 Sep. 2014.
Rape. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, LLC, 2014. Web. 25 Sep. 2014.
Thornhill, Randy, and Craig T. Palmer. A Natural History of Rape: Biological Bases of Sexual
Coercion. London: The MIT Press, 2000. Print.
Who are the Victims? Rainn.org. United States, Dept. of Justice, Natl. Sexual Assault
Hotline, 2009. Web. 25 Sep. 2014.