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Time Line Project

Introduction

There are numerous times in our history where we fail to understand the gravity of a situation. Rape, the way we have situated it in the U.S has been deemed important, but not necessarily as a War crime. Yet, as far back as slavery rape has been a strategic tactic used to tear down communities. Yet, in the present day, we sometimes ignore the historical relevance and high grave of bodies. This topic is close to my heart because the pain that women and girls are facing is international and needs to be addressed. Our girls are under attack and we have an obligation to address the matter.

TimeLine: 

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/1817008 

Conclusion

Rape is something that sadly will not go away until we alter the culture. We need to start creating legislation that shows the importance of taking this issue seriously. Our society needs to un-teach the dangerous gender roles we have created that continue to perpetuate rape culture. If we continue to neglect the traumatic effects that rape has had on the world, we will be contributing to the genocide of our own people.

Sources 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/bosnia-war-rape-survivors-speak-serbian-soldiers-balkans-women-justice-suffering-a7846546.html

http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4078677.stm 

https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ACT77/075/2004/en/

https://www.facinghistory.org/nanjing-atrocities/judgment-memory-legacy/rape-weapon-war

http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/lieber.asp

https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/customary-ihl/eng/docs/v1_rul_rule93

https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/28/world/un-court-for-first-time-defines-rape-as-war-crime.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/witness/2018/06/silent-war-rape-weapon-syria-180611071447939.html

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RR #5

What is INM about?

“Invisible No More” addressed a harsh reality that society has strategically decided to ignore. Communities of color have consistently suffered at the hands of inappropriate use of power, especially when law enforcement is concerned. When there is media coverage on the topic, usually black men are at the center of attention. While, black men are targeted and killed at an alarming rate, there is a demographic of people that are also impacted. The experiences of black women, indigenous women, transgender women and women of color in relation to racial profiling and police brutality has been ignored due to numerous factors. This text intentionally discusses the experiences of women and provides a platform for healing, strength and a call to action. The media does not show the excessive force, sexual coercion and sexual violence that these groups endure, which has rendered the population invisible.

Why does Ritchie say she needed to write this book?

Early on in the text, Ritchie makes it clear that she hopes to “amplify the experiences, voices, work, and perspectives of Indigenous women, Black women, and women of color…”(Richie p.4). This piece is about spreading awareness and giving these a space to feel valid and heal.

What chapter has been the most powerful to you so far and why?

Chapter 7 for me was most powerful because it not only discussed modern consequences but also tied in the historical aspect. She highlights the narratives that were circulated in relation to black women (Jezebel perception), Indigenous women (Prostitute perception) and Asian women (vectors of disease perception) that facilitated the sexual violence that these women endured. Through evaluating prostitution laws and how they marginalize woman of color, police officers optimize on their vulnerability to extort sex and indulge in acts of sexual violence. There are numerous cases where women have been promised to be released if they give the officer “some”. What type of society do we live in where those who are vowed to protect us, are the very ones who are abusing us.

Ritchie, Andrea J. Invisible No More: Police Violence against Black Women and Women of Color. Beacon Press, 2017.

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The idea behind broken windows policing itself is racially charged because the same tactics are not being used in affluent white neighborhoods. We only see this hyper policing in poor communities of color, where there is a large chance to observe small violations. The framework relies on the assumption that small violation arrests is a preventative tactic to crimes such as murder. This assumption is flawed because maybe among 100 arrests made only a few are actually found to be actual serious offenders. Everything about this strategy is ineffective and racially charged because of the dispmrorpotionate arrests of people of color. 

This type of policing should not be used at all because it unequally targets a particular population. Arresting for minor offenses in my eyes does not directly correlate to preventing an increase in crime rates because there are numerous other factors to consider. First, how do we define crime and are the punishments attached to certain offenses justified. We see with mandatory minimums that a lot of African American males are sentenced to long periods of time because of these strict laws. That in and of itself has negatively impacted the way that communities of color perceive law enforcement. Less as as symbol of protection and mores as a threat to the family dynamic. We also must examine the environments that are policed more than others. Usually these poor communities of color are using different survival strategies in order to provide for their family. This can be in the form of selling drugs, stealing, etc to offset the gap that their income does not provide. 

Media Report 3

    Chapter 2 of Invisible No More introduces “broken window” policing, leading to mass incarceration of Black people and people of color. The “broken windows” theory was presented by George Kelling and James Q. Wilson. According to Kelling and Wilson, if signs of disorder and minor offenses are present in a community and left unattended, it is only a matter of time until that community is stricken with violence. This way of policing resulted in a “zero tolerance” disposition by officers, and an increase in the enforcement and prosecution of minor offenses (Ritchie, 2017). This form of policing has tremendous repercussions for Black people and people of color. According to Ritchie (2017), policing this way has an underlying motive to “criminalize and control the movements of people deemed undesirable throughout US history.” Fear is the undercurrent of “broken windows” policing. Fear of violence and chaos in communities, and even Anti-Blackness, are reasons for support of this form of policing. Ritchie (2017) states “Ultimately, broken windows policing isn’t about reducing crime; it’s about assuaging white fears.”

    The Impact of “Broken Windows” Policing on Black Communities, featured on Elite Daily’s Insights, presents the way that this form of policing unfairly affects Blacks more than Whites. The video is intended to educate people about “broken windows” policing and the different views regarding it, from a retired police officer to everyday citizens. Although both Blacks and Whites may be equally as likely to commit minor offenses such as jaywalking, Blacks are unjustly prosecuted more for these offense. The video states that “broken windows” policing can be used as an effective form of policing and reduce rates of crime, but it can also be used as a tool of abuse. Those who believe “broken windows” policing works are presented in the video along with why they feel this way. Many of the minor offenses that police officers may prosecute are rarely enforced in White communities, while they will be strictly enforced in Black communities. Ritchie (2017) states that this form of policing can be used as a way for officers to act on racial and gender biases and face little to no consequences. The video states that people with minimal political power (often Blacks and people of color) are targeted, arrested, and prosecuted for minor offenses. This can lead to demeaning behavior by police and dehumanization of Blacks and people of color. It has also been seen as a factor in the increase in mass incarceration of people of color.

Discussion Questions

Do you believe that “broken window” policing works? Why or why not?

Do you believe that this form of policing should be used on minor offenses to prevent an increase in crime rates later on? Do the long-term effects outweigh the short-term?

After watching the video, how do you believe the unequal enforcement of “broken window” policing can be solved?

Notice, P. (Producer). (2016, February 10). The Impact of “Broken Windows” Policing on Black Communities. Elite Daily. Retrieved August 8, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNoHcUnJ2aU

Ritchie, A. J. (2017). Invisible no more: Police violence against black women and women of color. Boston: Beacon Press.

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MR #3

Introduction of the text

After watching the 13thon Netflix, I continued searching for documentaries that were related to the topic of mass incarceration. I stumbled upon another documentary called “The Seven Five”. The 2014 documentary was directed by Tiller Russell. The film examines police corruption in the 75thprecinct in New York Police Department during the 1980’s. Specifically, the documentary addresses one of the largest police corruption scandals in New York surrounding robbing drug dealers for thousands of dollars over a rough 10 year span. I chose this media because I wanted to showcase how marginalized populations are continually being exploited by law enforcement even before they enter the mass incarceration system.

Who has produced the media?

The documentary was distributed by Sony Pictures. Producers were Eli Holzman (Project Runway), Aaron Saidman (Undercover Boss) and Sheldon Yellen(CEO of BELFOR).

Who is the intended audience?

I think this documentary is for the general public that may not have been aware of the corruption that was occurring in this NY Precinct and probably other precincts around the country. As most documentaries are created to inform and educate and “The Seven Five” did just that.

How is the topic or issue presented?

The documentary begins by explaining the environment that was NY. The riots, the falling economic conditions, gang activity, murders and the day to day dangers that law enforcement encountered. Then we are given the backstories and profiles of the detectives and officers at the 75thprecinct that could offer context to the corruption. I appreciated the constant testimonies of those involved and those who had knowledge of the situation because it showed how at the time the ordeal had been normalized. From my point of view, each officer was able to offer their perspective and that brought the story to life.

Critical analysis

I love watching content that addresses law enforcement/mass incarceration etc because these institutions are able to use and abuse their power, specifically targeted towards people of color. I have the utmost respect for law enforcement and the work that they do, however, pieces like this are a reminder that we must keep a keen eye on systems meant to keep “order”. Law enforcement has managed to spina narrative that they are above the law that they enforce, which can create the illusion that they are invisible. Accepting bribes in order to avoid prison/jail time sadly is a reality many communities of color deal with daily. We must take instances such as this to re-evaluate and reconstruct what we know as the law enforcement system. Because first it starts with covering up bribe money, then covering up cases of sexual violence committed by law enforcement and dismissing acts of police brutality. What happens when those that are supposed to enforce “law and order” are above the law and un-regulated? Chaos.

Does the presentation of the topic maintain the status quo or serve to provide an alternative or more truthful representation of the issue?

I definitely feel that this documentary offered a truthful representation of situations that may be going on all around the country. The more we are aware of situations like this, hopefully the more likely we will be to condemn this type of behavior.

Discussion Questions

1.    Why do you think police training continues to reinforce the idea that you must backup your fellow officer no matter what?

2.    There is usually an assumption of a checks and balance system within law enforcement, however it seems to be flawed. How do we prevent this type of exploitation of communities of color in the future?

3.    The main culprit in the documentary ends up serving 13 years for all the crimes he committed. Do you think this is a fair sentencing based on the sentencing disparities the people of color face? Why or why not?

Citation

Russell, Tiller, director. The Seven Five . YouTube, YouTube, 14 Sept. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ouHQdvhS6k.

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Reading Response #4

What is an Incel?

Incels (stands for involuntarily celibate) area “subset of straight men who have constructed a violent political ideology around the injustice of young, beautiful women refusing to have sex with them” (Tolentino 2018). These men often subscribe to notions of white supremacy. They identify themselves as mostly unattractive and socially inept. To them, it is less about the act of sex and more about have dominion over female bodies. Their misogynist views on women have labeled feminists as female K.K.K because of the supposed hell that women have made their lives.

What is the Incel community about?

The community shares a central thesis that “their involuntary celibacy results from the shallowness of women, who they think want to date only traditionally attractive men” (Ohlheiser 2018). There are numerous message boards that encourage violence towards women who may have sexually denied them or treated them in a negative way. Many of these forums and chats have become private in order to avoid being observed by reports/journalists. With the incident in Toronto, it was very easy for Incels to blame the women because they should not have treated Alek in such a manner that would force him to commit such an act. It is dangerous to see such unhitched anger towards women because of some perceived sense of male domination that has not actualized. Because the Incel community and its concept is bizarre, there has been hesitation from Canadian government to label the attack as an attack of terrorism. It is seen that if men are unattractive and can’t acquire women that way, then force must be used in order to get them to sleep with you (Williams 2018).

How does it relate to our readings thus far?

With the focus of this section being Structural and Institutional Violence, the Incel community has optimized on the already misogynistic views that modern culture has created. White supremacist movements and male-centered movements have created a realm where these individuals can flourish. Our readings thus far have addressed the different types of violence that women face and this up and coming community poses a large threat to the autonomy of women. Because groups like this cannot be labeled as terrorist or have not been labeled as hate groups, stopping their progress is difficult. As we have seen before, this ideals are less about pleasure and more about controlling women by any means necessary.

Dastagir, A. E. (2018, April 26). “Incels, Alek Minassian and the dangerous idea of being owed sex”. Retrieved August 6, 2018, from https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/04/26/incel-rebellion-alek-minassian-sexual-entitlement-mens-rights-elliot-rodger/550635002/

Earp, J., Katz, J., Young, J. T., Jhally, S., Rabinovitz, D., & Media Education Foundation. (2013). “Tough Guise 2: Violence, Manhood & American Culture”.

Ohlheiser, A. (2018, April 25). “Analysis | Inside the online world of ‘incels,’ the dark corner of the Internet linked to the Toronto suspect”. Retrieved August 6, 2018, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2018/04/25/inside-the-online-world-of-incels-the-dark-corner-of-the-internet-linked-to-the-toronto-suspect/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.efbf60f72a86

Tolentino, J. (2018, May 15). “The Rage of the Incels”. Retrieved August 6, 2018, from https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-rage-of-the-incels

Williams, Z. (2018, April 25). “'Raw hatred’: Why the 'incel’ movement targets and terrorises women”. Retrieved August 6, 2018,from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/25/raw-hatred-why-incel-movement-targets-terrorises-women

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Media Report #2

With this week’s discussion of how sexual violence is connected to men’s masculinity, the media I chose to examine expands on the dangers of the “man box”. Tony Porter is an educator and activist who is internationally recognized for his effort to end violence against women. The TED Talk highlights “the man box” which includes all of the mannerisms that society has deemed appropriate for men. The box includes, showing no emotion, be aggressive, heterosexual, etc. These traits in particular craft the aggressive behavior that men direct towards women. We see through various literature that the socialization of young boys places a restrictive hold on how they can express themselves, which leads to destructive behavior. Raising young boy in such a culture is difficult because the narrative is usually directed towards young girls. Roxane Gay mentions that when she was talking to her sons about rape culture, it sounded like “It’s not okay to hit the girl you like. And it’s not okay to hit the girl you love”(Gay 8). The difficulty that Gay displays is important to address because we see that rarely are conversations had with boys about how to react to others in a way that’s not violent. A man should never lay hands on a woman, but there are other ways to assault women that are not physical. We should not only be teaching our boys how to behave physically but also how to express themselves in a healthy way. Rape culture has long been painted as a women’s issue and this TED Talk addresses the role that men have in the narrative, It is easy to identify the toxic masculinity exhibited in men, but how do we deconstruct and redefine? While there is not one exhaustive solution, Porter mentions that we have to stop insulting our sons by calling them girls, because we are simultaneously teaching them to devalue girls/women. Socializing institutions such as the family, media, etc. must collectively understand the importance of changing gender norms/scripts because it isolates gender non-conforming individuals are creates a vicious cycle of violence. Jackson Katz mentions in “Tough Guise 2” that there are an overwhelm amount of statistics that show men are responsible for violence against women and children in various spaces (Katz 2012). We cannot continue to let our boys just be boys at the expense of others.

Discussion Questions:

1. With all the literature that examines the socialization of men, why hasn’t the culture shifted yet?

2. How can parents have effective conversations with their children around rape culture and how to start a healthy socialization of young boys and girls?

3. Provide an example of how the media perpetuates the unhealthy socialization of young boys and girls. Why haven’t they altered the narrative to show examples of healthy behavior?

Citations

Gay, Roxane. Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture. HarperCollins, 2018.

Katz, Jackson, TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, Nov. 2012, www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue/transcript.

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I think the targeted audience may be split on whether to defend themselves in a situation such as this because of various factors. This incident took place in space with an audience, video footage and the woman involved felt safe enough to address the assailant. However, if this situation happened in a closed area for example and the assailant had a weapon, the outcome may have been different. While it was amazing to see a woman using her agency to defend herself, not all women are afforded the same opportunity. Sometimes defending oneself may cause more damage than just remaining passive. In addition, many times when women are not able to defend themselves in the moment, they may choose to report the incident and sometimes are not taken seriously. Then the victim blaming may begin and they may be questioned as to what they were doing that could have led to their assault. As we can see, every situation is different and the outcome really depends on what the victim feels comfortable doing, whether that be fighting back or remaining passive. 

To be honest jail seemed like the logical thing to do in the moment, but it does not rectify the greater issue of men inappropriately imposing their power over other people. The man was released a few days later and probably returned to his daily routine. Highly doubt he was in the cell reflecting on how what he did was wrong. If anything, I feel like he might have left more conscious of how to do something similar again and just make sure he does not get caught. I do not know what an effective solution looks like, but it must include addressing the toxic masculinity and how it factors into sexual violence in any form. Jail in this situation is just a cold, uncomfortable temporary home. 

Media Report #1

Written by: Alex Green, Daily Mail Online posted July 19, 2018

My first media report for this class is in correlation to last Tuesday and Wednesday’s readings regarding gender & violence and social construction. When I was watching the news and saw this story come on, I was immediately intrigued. While working as a waitress at a restaurant in Savannah, Georgia, 21-year-old Emelia Holden was groped from her behind by a man walking by. From videos I have seen in other situations where women are touched inappropriately without their consent on film, most of them do not retaliate. However, this woman did not let this man get away with touching her that way. In the video, you can see she reacted within a split second, grabbing him by the neck and slamming him against the wall. She then proceeds to reprimand him for his actions, publicly humiliating him in front of surrounding customers and calls for her manager.

The police fled to the scene and arrested the man after being showed the CCTV footage, who was in jail for two days, released July 2. 

“I just did what I thought was best. I took the guy down and my co-workers called the police. As soon as the cops saw the CCTV footage, they immediately arrested the man. He sat in jail until Monday so in my opinion, he got what he deserved” (Daily Mail, 2018). 

I think the message being sent is that women should not be afraid to fight back and defend themselves if they are in trouble or are in a bad situation. 

Relating this to Gender and Violence, many women are considered easy targets.

“All that I want from my experiences is for women to know that it’s okay to stand up for yourself. You have every right to wear what you want and you most certainly have every right to defend yourself” (Daily Mail, 2018). 

With all of the women coming forward about sexual assault and violence, along with the Me Too movement, I think this article definitely had a positive message. Also bearing in mind the film we just watched, The Hunting Ground (2015), many women feared coming forward about sexual assault. Emelia Holden set a fantastic example for women around the world that standing up for yourself and defending yourself is perfectly fine.

Discussion Questions

After reading the article and watching the video, do you think the targeted audience will be more likely to defend themselves when in a situation like this or similar? 

Do you think the man that groped Emelia should have been in jail longer or had another consequence for his action? Why/why not?

Works Cited

Green, Alex. “Customer in Savannah Grabs a Waitress’s Backside so She Tackles Him.” Daily Mail Online, Associated Newspapers, 19 July 2018, www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5970019/Customer-grabs-waitresss-backside-tackles-throws-ground.html.

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First off, I think it is amazing that you chose media content that directly correlates with a film we watched in class. I wholeheartedly believe that Katz’s gender helps other men hear his message because he understands what they may be experiencing. It is one thing if a women is trying to inform other men on how their violent behavior is a danger to those around them, the men may view her as bickering or a man hating feminist. Now a man can say the exact same thing, to the same group and the group be more receptive to the content. Is it fair? No. But with a topic as sensitive as this, it is imperative that the person who is disseminating the information is able to connect wit the audience for retention purposes. Katz has an extensive background in studying manhood and violence, so he qualifications allow for him to build more rapport with the targeted male audience. When watching the documentary “Tough Guise 2″ the perspective that Katz was able to offer as a male was amazing to me because he brought up some really important points on how youth males are taught to be aggressive, suppress emotions and use violence to solve their problems. It is  in conjunction with individuals such as Katz that we will be able to tackle issues of violence correlated to masculinity and the safety of women and children. 

At face value the statement may seem a little confusing, but in essence over 70% of the violence committed against women were by men. Thus, the media paints the issue as something that occurs to women without directly addressing the men’s role in the situation. The toxic masculinity that has been perpetuated by our culture through how young men have been socialized and the media influences, must be analyzed closely. It is clear that women from all backgrounds are fighting against the violence women endure at the hands of men. However, rarely do we hear about men taking accountability for their role in such a violent act. Since the issue has been polarized along the lines of gender, both sides must work together in order for there to be progress. 

MR #2

https://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue/up-next

The media report I chose to write about was Jackson Katz’s TED Talk titled Violence against women- it’s a men’s issue. Jackson Katz is also the creator of Tough Guise II, which we watched for this class. He is an educator about violence, a cultural theorist, and the co-founder of Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP). Katz also received his PhD in cultural studies, and has published numerous journal articles and books about masculinity and violence.

In Katz’s TED talk, he discusses how gender violence issues have been viewed as a women’s issue; however, women are most often the victims of violence, not the perpetrators. Most violence against women and violence against men is committed by men; therefore, when we discuss gender violence, it is crucial to look at society’s influence on young men and how power, violence, and masculinity go hand in hand. He also discusses the role of bystanders, and defines a bystander as “anybody who is not a perpetrator or a victim in a given situation, so in other words, friends, teammates, colleagues, coworkers, family members, those of us who are not directly involved in a dyad of abuse, but we are embedded in social, family, work, school, and other peer culture relationships with people who might be in that situation” (Katz). This bystander perspective is crucial to much of Katz’s thinking, because although many men do not act out in violent ways, their reactions to other’s violent actions or sexist comments can perpetrate or help prevent violence against women, children, and girls. Katz’s TED talk is intended for a wide audience, yet is directed specifically at men, especially middle-aged men and older who have power within society. He is calling these men to take action and spark change for the girls and women that they love in their lives to make society a more fair and safe place for them to live. I think that it is in Katz’s favor that he himself is a man, as many men may not disregard his speeches, writings, and books as simply “women’s thinking”. Men may either accept his message, or they may be defensive; this is clearly seen in the comments following his video. However, I believe that Katz’s message is a positive one, and one that needs to be examined and acknowledged in order for change to occur. Focusing on simply women and the victims of violence enhances victim blaming, and does not help eliminate the pervasive issue of gender violence within our society. This presentation ultimately provides an alternative and more truthful representation, and offers a viewpoint may ignore yet is crucial to understanding gender violence within society.

Katz’s discussion that both men and women are affected by the violence of other men is important. This is clearly seen in Tough Guise II. Katz also acknowledges violence against other genders outside of the binary. This is seen in Gay’s Not That Bad, as violence and the rape culture is not only cisgender men against cisgender women, but also transgender men and women and those who are nonbinary and genderqueer. Katz’s discussion also intersects with similar issues of race and sexuality. In this TED talk, Katz discusses how when we say “gender” or “sexual orientation” or “race”, we often think of minority groups, such as women, the LGBT community, and individuals of color. Therefore, when we talk about these issues, the dominant group is often not discussed or not acknowledged. Yet, the dominant group is often the group perpetrating hatred and violence, and therefore needs to be addressed in order for change to occur. All in all, I think that Katz’s call to action directed towards men can also be directed towards any dominant group within society. If dominant groups begin to speak up and promote equality, change truly will occur. 

Discussion Questions 

1) Do you think that Katz’s gender helps other men hear his message? Why or why not?

2) Do you think that violence against women is a men’s issue? Why or why not?

3) What are some other dominant groups that are commonly not discussed yet should be?

4) Do you believe that bystanders have a significant impact on creating change? Why or why not?

Works Cited 

Gay, Roxane. Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture. HarperCollins, 2018. 

Katz, Jackson, TED: Ideas Worth Spreading, Nov. 2012, www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue/transcript.

Katz, Jackson. Tough Guise 2- Violence, Manhood, & American Culture, Media Education Foundation. 

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MR#1

http://www.espn.com/espnw/feature/22002385/in-fight-sexual-assault-college-football-brenda-tracy-truth-triumphs

The article that I selected discusses the story of Brenda Tracy and the gang rape she endured in 1998. Tracy was gang raped by four men, three of whom were college football players and she mentions that “it was one of the greatest moments of her life”. It is fascinating to see how she took such a traumatic experience and used it as a platform to further the campaign to end sexual violence. Her outlook on the situation has propelled her into an avid advocate for survivors and has reiterated that she would not go back and change anything because if it didn’t happen, she would not be where she is today.

The media text is trying to communicate the silence a woman who was impacted by sexual violence and how she has been healing and living in her purpose. The text shows how such a traumatic event may seem out of sight and out of mind, however, women all across the world are experiencing some form of violence and are their experiences are being discounted by society. The targeted audience would be other survivors, lawmakers, college campuses, etc. The content discussed is relevant to those listed and many more because rape culture has become the new normal and we must work to eradicate it. It is being made clear to the audience that there is more work to be done with awareness and evaluation of laws and other policies. In a way, through her article we see her rise like a phoenix from the ashes and hone in on her purpose. An inspiration to say the least. The audience will definitely be touched by Tracy’s story and how she managed to overcome. Hopefully the targeted audience will take some time to read on more literature related to the movement and possibly get involved. This article was definitely an awareness piece but also a call to action. The message was positive, a little hard to digest emotionally, but essential. To take a situation filled with pain and manage to persevere is an example we should all take notes from.

The thing about sexual violence is no one is exempt. Whether you are black, white, pink, male, female, heterosexual, gay, upper class, middle class, sexual violence does not discriminate. There are definitely disenfranchised group of people who are at more risk of sexual violence, but the message of persevering is the same. Your current situation is not your final destination. There is definitely some discrepancies in how different identities deal with their trauma due to access to resources and the silencing affect that impacts some groups more than others.

Crossman, Matt. “In Fight against Sexual Assault in College Football, Brenda Tracy's Truth Triumphs.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, 12 Jan. 2018, www.espn.com/espnw/feature/22002385/in-fight-sexual-assault-college-football-brenda-tracy-truth-triumphs.

Discussion Questions

Why do you think it is so difficult for universities to charge students who have committed acts of sexual violence?

What other steps can be taken in the sports world on college campuses in regard to educating on consent?

Why has it taken so long for laws/policies to be adjusted to serve sexual violence survivors? What other steps need to be taken? Why?

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RR#3

           “Not That Bad covers a wide range of topics and experiences, from an exploration of the rape epidemic embedded in the refuge crisis to first-person accounts of child molestation and street harassment. “ (Gay 2018) Roxane Gay is the author of “Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture”, which analyzes a collection of essays from survivors of sexual assault. While sexual assault is one of the key focuses, other forms of violence. Gay felt the need to create such a work to bring attention to how women have to measure the harassment, violence and aggression in their daily lives. Being that Gay, herself is a rape survivor, her perspective on the matter is vital to providing an intersectional analysis of feminism, womanhood and violence.

           Gay mentions that she “first came up with the idea for this anthology, she wanted to assemble a collection of essays, writing that engaged with the idea of rape culture, what it means to live in a world where the phrase rape culture exists” (Gay XI). She had a fascination with the discourse around rape culture because the term was used often, but rarely do people engage with what it actually means. Essentially this peace became more than analysis. It was meant to be a place to give voice to people’s experiences, a place for people to shape how bad this all is, a place for people to identify the ways they have been marked by rape culture” (Gay XII).

           The term itself “not that bad” is a statement that many survivors use in order to try and cope with their trauma. However, we see through the testimonies of survivors that these are narratives sold to victims by their abusers. Nora Salem eloquently explains ““The idea that one violation is vastly worse than the other is probably not so different a rationalization than what goes through a date rapist’s mind” (Gay 150). This book it about letting survivors and the rest of society know that their experiences are valid and there is no reason to suppress it.

Works Cited

Gay, R. (2018). Not that bad: Dispatches from rape culture. New York: Harper Perennial.

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RR#2

Watching “The Hunting Ground” hit home in a few ways due to my involvement at TCNJ. To start with, the main backdrop being at a college campus, I could relate to the ever-prominent hookup culture. To be young and be placed in an environment that offers you perceived unlimited freedom. Viewing this film highlighted a hidden reality of the undergraduate experience: sexual assault. Friends of mine who have been affected by instances of sexual assault have had to not only learn how to cope but also how to maneuver the conduct process. It was mind-blowing to see the lack of action taken towards assailants when it came to sexual assault cases. Ivy League institutions such as Princeton, Harvard, UNC Chapel Hill, etc underreporting the number of sexual assault cases and the lack of compassion taken towards victims is astonishing. Parents send their children to school to have transformative experiences, not life scarring ones.

The personal testimonies of the men and women who had faced different types of sexual assault made me cry because as a woman, I could feel their pain and it was frustrating. Frustrating to know that there is a system that renders you powerless when you are at your most vulnerable. However, it is in these moments of helplessness, that the women and men involved used their agency to empower themselves and others around them. Researching Title IX, Title IX cases and collecting testimonies of other sexual assault survivors is no small endeavor. I want to specifically link the Gender Violence portion on the experience of African American women with the testimonies of African American women in “The Hunting Ground”. Historically, the bodies of African American women have been exploited and their voices were silenced because it was assumed that they were not valued enough to be heard. While it is the 21stCentury the silencing of women of color and women overall affect the way we are valued in society.

The issue of sexual assault is way more complex than the perspective I am going to offer but I do feel it adds to the conversation n how to move forward with empowering survivors. There needs to be a national review of how institutions are reporting sexual assault cases, so that they are more inclined to report cases. There also needs to be a review of those involved in the reporting process, because there seems to be a lot of victim blaming, when that is not the purpose of the process. Reporting any type of crime, especially those involving our peers is already daunting and to have administrators/faculty question the authenticity of your experience is even more disheartening. Sexual assault is not new, yet we have an obligation to find a way to effectively address the matter and tend to the trauma of our young adults.

O’Toole, L. L., Schiffman, J. R., & Kiter Edwards, M. L. (2007). Gender Violence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2nd ed.). New York University Press.

Ziering, A. & Dick, K. (2015). The Hunting Ground. United States: Netflix.

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Reading Response #1

“Intersectionality is a way of understanding and analyzing the complexity in the world, in people, and in human experiences” (Collins and Bilge, 2016). People usually use intersectionality as an analytic tool address problem around them. The term has gained a lot of traction in society, especially at college campuses when trying to create an inclusive and fair campus community. (Collins and Bilge, 2016). Intersectionality provides one the opportunity to examine issues of socioeconomic disparities, access to education and social equality through a more invasive lens because more factors are taken into consideration.

 According to O’Toole and Schiffman, gender violence is, “any interpersonal, organizational, or politically oriented violation perpetrated against people due to their gender identity, sexual orientation, or location in the hierarchy of male-dominated social system such as families, military organizations, or the labor force” (O’ Toole, Schiffman, & Kiter Edwards, 2007, p. xii). This inappropriate use of power in order to control the bodies of women greatly impacts gender dynamics today and can be directly correlated to cases that address violence towards women in different environments.

 Historically, we see that gender violence is not new because tactics of rape and coercion had been utilized to control women in their communities (O’ Toole, Schiffman, & Kiter Edwards, 2007, p. 6). “Hegemonic masculinity becomes a breeding ground for gender violence through the socialization of boys in families, mass media images, military, etc “(O’ Toole, Schiffman, & Kiter Edwards, 2007, p. 8). While it may seem simple to identify the roots of male dominance, the psychological and institutional systems that have evolved and sustained over time are exceedingly complex” (O’ Toole, Schiffman, & Kiter Edwards, 2007, p. 8).

 Works Cited

Collins, H. P., Bilge, S., (2016). What is Intersectionality? In Collins, H. P., Bilge, S. Intersectionality.

O’Toole, L. L., Schiffman, J. R., & Kiter Edwards, M. L. (2007). Gender Violence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives (2nd ed.). New York University Press.

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WGS 235 Introduction

Good Evening Everyone!

My name is Meme Cisse and I am a Senior Sociology and African American Studies major. I have one last semester in order to complete my degree in December. I was born in Queens, Ny but I have been raised in a couple different states (my parents liked moving when I was younger). During my time at TCNJ I was extremely involved through Greek Life, leaderships programs, etc. On the rare occasion when I have fun, I love sightseeing, trying new foods and reading. Taking this class was an easy decision because of my interest in analyzing violence through the lens of gender, psychology, etc. With topics that are extremely relevant to the liberation of marginalized bodies, it felt right to take a course that would expose me to literature and opinions I was not exposed to prior. I cannot wait to engage in thought provoking discussions and get to know everyone else!