On Rape

I’ve become really addicted to this site http://www.inspiredbyglory.com. On the site the other day, I found a really insightful article on one of the most sensitive topics, rape. It is titled ‘I Made My Rapist Breakfast’ and speaks on our society’s tendency to victimise people who have (already) suffered (enough) from this horrid crime. Here’s a link: http://inspiredbyglory.com/i-made-my-rapist-breakfast/.

The first thing I thought on reading was, “…the face of rape has changed.” It is actually shockingly easy for a young woman OR MAN to get raped. Far easier than you think. Think about it. We easily go to houses of people we trust…even when the most contact we have had is from a one-to-one relation on social media. You have no idea how they relate with third parties but they’re nice enough to you and so a visit| a drink| a meal, is not out of place. Yesterday I was saying to Namdi how we open ourselves to people as soon we become vulnerable enough to trust them. Which makes it easy for predators. So there you are certain that the other person is as invested as you are in them; meanwhile you’re both in the same game, for different reasons. With different outcomes, predictably.

It’s also worrisome to realise how insensitive we are as a society to victims of rape, especially those who do not inspire our pity but rather engage our wrath. “Why won’t she get raped, see how she dresses…” “Even after everything that happened, she won’t sit down in one place still going out with men …” “Women are always tempting men.” I remember my uncle saying once, “A woman who stands in the market place naked should not be surprised by whatever happens next.” Thankfully his comments were directed at the TV screen not at my sisters and I otherwise there might have been one less family member on our tree. Trust. Any pride or confidence in victims seems to grate, it’s like we think people who have been violated ought to be humbled AND stay humbled by their suffering.