American Rape Culture: Are You Surprised?

One quarter of high school girls in America have been victims of physical or sexual abuse or date rape. This means that it is probable that a female in our life has been a victim of physical or sexual abuse or date rape whether it's our mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend or girlfriend. Equally important to understand is that the lasting effects of a female being sexually assaulted increases their susceptibility to pregnancy, more domestic violence, STD's, eating disorders, substance abuse, addiction and attempted suicides. 

What the above statistics communicate to us is that the culture of sexual violence simultaneously creates a culture of silence. There are females we unknowingly speak to and closely interact with each and every day, oftentimes in our own household, who are victims of physical or sexual abuse or date rape, yet they never shared that with us. 

The fact that people were/are actually surprised about the multiple sexual assault allegations coming out of Hollywood, Government and Corporate America confirms some things:

1. People don't study "history" and how it shapes current systems and predicts future outcomes. This New World [America] is the face of Old World [Europe] misogyny. We live in a society that labels women 'minorities' even though they are the numerical majority... Thus their issues and concerns are also of minor importance UNTIL it financially impacts the so-called majority [men].

Culture Bandits

2. Rape Culture is exactly that: a culture. It's a way of life which includes a language, social agreements [norms] and various other people activities that reinforces its institutions and economy. Holding those who are responsible is a start yet not good enough. The culture itself requires a systemic paradigm shift to insure that this doesn't continue to happen.

3. "Some", NOT all, of these Sistergirl Networks and Feminist Groups are nothing but misandry. A vagina with teeth is not the right weaponry to behead the snake. Again, the culture itself requires a systemic paradigm shift, not Nola Darling collective freedom.

4. In this country, the most degrading insults you can hurl at a human being refer to the degradation of women: b*tch, p*ssy, mother f*cker, f*ckboy, c*nt, f*ggot and etc. This reflects the psychological framework behind the culture that we live in, that men and women perpetuate. Suing or firing someone for sexual misconduct/harassment doesn't change that mentality. It's usually just a public warning by men for men to keep some of those thoughts to ourselves.

5. As men, we are adorned with the phallus bearing costume of the misogynistic status quo in the same way that white people wear the complexion of white supremacy. Because of this we must work hard to demonstrate that we're not with the sh*ts when it comes to publicly denouncing dudes who are sexual predators, even if that's our brother. Our voice and action is important because it provides evidence to neutralize the rhetoric that all men are sexual predators. Obviously since this kind of culture has been allowed to live it confirms that there are many men who cosign this bullsh*t. The only way people are going to know and trust that some of us don't cosign that way of life is when we're proactively engaged and aligned with others who are against this Rape Culture. 

It's easy to talk about how horrible issues like this are yet the real question is, "What are we doing about it?" Prior to these reports coming out in mainstream media I started the above "Boys as Allies" Rights of Passage Program; the first official initiative through my Atlantis School For Gifted Youngsters. Boys as Allies is a FREE 10-Week Rights of Passage Program for boys ages 12 to 14 that explores ideas and myths about manhood, masculinity and is a proactive deterrent against sexual violence. Some of the topics we cover are: Self Knowledge, The Male "Box", Misogyny and Sexual Violence, Respecting Intimate Partners, Being Allies with Girls and Woman and etc. Also, participants earn $100 upon completion of my program surveys! If you would like me to do a workshop on my program in your city, speak on a radio show or include me in a panel discussion on any of the related topics, you can email me at: atlantisbuild@gmail.com. 

Peace,
Saladin