Nice Girls Don't Get Raped

Nice Girls Don't Get Raped

          Rape is one of the most despicable acts that a human being can commit, yet it is the most commonly committed violent crime. It is a form of sexual assault. Rape is a crime of hate and violence committed by a man who uses sex as weapon to inflict violence and pain on his victim. Society’s viewpoint on rape has drastically changed over the years. In the past if a woman was raped she would be made to feel as if it was her fault. This is because women were considered to be property, their worth determined by the status of their virginity.

          Before women were recognized as the individuals that they are, they were viewed as property and property was valuable. If a man wanted a wife he had to buy her. In essence, women were considered to be nothing more than a brand new car. By raping a woman you are “taking the car out for its first drive”. You are then putting mileage on the car. It is now used and worthless. Society’s view of rape was purely economic. If raped an unmarried woman her father suffered, since his investment is no longer of any relevant worth. During times of warfare, rape was a socially acceptable behavior. A man simply took whichever woman he wanted, raped her, and then brought her to his home/country. She was little more than a trophy, living proof of his strength and virility. Sometimes the man would bring her back to be a concubine in his country, allowing thousands of men to rape her on a day-to-day basis. This was considered to be the spoils of victory. In fact, the word rape is derived from the Latin word, rapere meaning to steal or carry away. Whereas in modern society people recognize who the real victims of rape are. They recognize women have rights, and one of them is the right to control who touches their body. They are not property but people, and equal to men. Women are not the spoils of victory.

          “It is stupid to make a fuss out of being raped. The only sensible thing is to take no notice: for it is obvious no young woman allows herself to be abducted if she does not wish to be.” (Herodotus called the Father of History)) That was the general viewpoint of society. If you were raped you must have been asking for it. Maybe you wore your skirt too high or walked in a suggestive manner. Nice girls don’t get raped. Does that make sense? What woman wants to be held down, beaten and then raped? ‘Oh please good sir, I wore this skirt for you. Can you rape me now? Never mind the fact that I am begging you to stop and struggling underneath your grip. I am just asking for it.’ Today people recognize that rape can happen to anyone; from the oldest to the youngest, from the most modest to the most provocative. They recognize that being raped is in no way the victims fault. The fact that her skirt ended at her upper-thigh does not matter. No means no. And under the law by sexually assaulting any woman, no matter what her sexual history or model-like looks are, it is against the law. You can and will be convicted for it.

         The difference between raping a married woman to raping a virgin is that deflowering a virgin is considered to be a much higher offence. A virgin was believed to have supernatural powers because of her chastity. She possessed powers that could ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity to her people. Anything that was good, beautiful and spiritual belonged to the virgin. Her virginity was a valuable commodity that was ruthlessly protected by her entire village. Raping a virgin was considered a heinous crime for two reasons: it brought down the wrath of the gods and lessened her price on the marriage market. As punishment the rapist would be forced to marry his victim and pay three times the dowry price. He would also never be allowed to divorce his victim. The father of the victim can also enact a thing called “the rape of retribution” which legally permitted him to rape the rapist’s wife or sister. In modern society no such laws exist. The term “rape of retribution” is unheard of. Raping a virgin or a married woman carries the same penalty. The will not be forced to marry her rapist. Instead she can throw him behind a jail cell.

         In conclusion, many of the deeply rooted attitudes towards rape are remnants from a past which had little or no consideration for women as a people. The myths about rape are views on a women’s place in a sexist world, where she had no legal, social or human rights. She was considered to be nothing but a valuable commodity. Her virginity is the only thing that men cared about. Being raped meant the end of the world for her. But in today’s society women are appreciated for more then just their virginity. They will not be punished for being raped, but rather admired for overcoming such a tragedy. The rapist would be the one facing the disgust and contempt of the community. It is now a much better world for the women to live in because she now has her rights and is protected under the law.