this week's svu was AMAZING... i won't delve into details, but it was making a statement about the serious back log of rape kits in the US. it's alarming to think how many rapists go free b/c kits aren't being tested. how many lives are kept on hold b/c the crime isn't solved. i can't imagine going through something so traumatic and horrible as rape and then have to sit through an exam (that takes up to 6 hours) where i'd be re-violated and re-traumatized, only to be told that it's going to be sitting on a shelf. these people wait for years without any resolution, without any chance of being able to move on. jennifer love hewitt described it as stunted growth:emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. and the sad reality, is that society always teaches women how to stay home, not go out late at night. no one tells men not to rape, no one sits little boys down and tells them that hitting a girl (or anyone for that matter) is wrong. this notion infuriates me! i used to wander around at all hours of the night when i couldn't sleep; and i would always worry, if something were to happen, would they blame me? would i be deemed less of a victim, b/c of the choices i made? b/c even if i took every precaution, i'd still be blamed, there's always a blame factor in sex crimes.i had an argument several years ago when a guy was saying that some women deserve to be raped b/c of the choices they make: his example was women walking through dangerous areas should know better and avoid those areas. if i didn't have any restraint, i'd punch him in the baby maker (and blame him for it). my retort (in a nutshell) was this: there are drunk drivers in this world. but would that stop you from driving? if you got hit by a drunk driver, would you be blamed? of course not! an even better example is liquor stores; they are notorious for being robbed, and a lot of times store owners keep weapons on site. when they get robbed and wound/kill the perp, no one ever blames the store owner for defending his store. then why do we blame women for being raped? does it matter what they wear or how much they've had to drink? canadian law states that consent must be given in order to engage in sexual acts: if you're too intoxicated, you can't give consent: it's not a matter of no means no... it's more of a yes means yes. (another reason why i love this wonderful country).
i feel like there is such a culture of silence around rape, it's still such a taboo, that no one wants to talk about it... well, i say, enough! i say fuck the shame, and secrecy... people need to speak out! scream out the awful truth until the world stops and listens...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoTBd86mGiY&feature=PlayList&p=95FD14FA8335101D&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=77
powerful link...
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