What Role Do Catholics Play in Combatting Rape Culture?

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Sorry - I’m slow. “M” as in modesty? If so, here’s something for people to ponder.

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I’m gonna go with “by not committing rape”
 
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Yea, in the first link I posted, the blogger was disgusted by the way universities prefer to handle the problem “internally” without involving the police. This is a criminal justice issue involving a felony; the police need to be front and center.

“Rape culture” involves a lot more than universities, despite that being the context we most frequently hear of in the media. It permeates different world cultures and affects women regardless of their clothing, mental state, or socioeconomic status. It’s a view of women that believes they are lesser beings who can be dominated or “taught a lesson.”

I’ve heard our own culture described as “sexually wounded,” but I think a lot of cultures are in different ways. Human sexuality can be the most beautiful or the most ugly thing, depending on how it is wielded.

That said, rape is very often more about violence than sex. Mass, indiscriminate rapes are often a horrible tool of warfare.
 
I’m trying to find out and so far I don’t think so, but I’m not sure. I really hope not.
 
One thing that’s not really said but I think it’s relevant in the Christian context (whether you think ‘rape culture’ exists or not):

Stop teaching girls and boys that boys are sex crazed all the time and it’s the girl’s responsibility to manage that.

Now it’s not really said in these words, but we all hear phrases like ‘that’s just how men are wired/boys will be boys/boys are visual, girls are not’. Besides the exaggerated psychological claims, it just reinforces the idea that men’s objectification of women is somehow natural and if a women isn’t covered enough, she is trying to get his attention. Also telling them that women are not only made for their pleasure (sex, relationships, babies) and hence, they are not entitled to their attention.

As for male victims, we can combat issues by telling boys that it is never okay for a girl to pressure them into doing something and that they don’t have to ‘like’ it when the girl ignores him. Show them that rape against males are just as horrible. Also take their emotions seriously instead of teaching them constantly to suck it up. Aka basically teach your sons proper Christian masculinity rather than the toxic kinds that tends to circulate around and even permeate Christian circles. Will also help their suicide rates and even violence tbh.
 
Lea101 said:
Now it’s not really said in these words, but we all hear phrases like ‘that’s just how men are wired/boys will be boys/boys are visual, girls are not’. Besides the exaggerated psychological claims, it just reinforces the idea that men’s objectification of women is somehow natural and if a women isn’t covered enough, she is trying to get his attention. Also telling them that women are not only made for their pleasure (sex, relationships, babies) and hence, they are not entitled to their attention.
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I would say (from some experience) that it also makes women more vulnerable to bad men. The problem is if you teach women that it’s normal and natural for men to be sex crazed and always wanting more, they’re going to see that as normal behavior. That makes them more vulnerable to rape because they’re going to see red flags as just men being men.
Lea101 said:
As for male victims, we can combat issues by telling boys that it is never okay for a girl to pressure them into doing something and that they don’t have to ‘like’ it when the girl ignores him. Show them that rape against males are just as horrible. Also take their emotions seriously instead of teaching them constantly to suck it up. Aka basically teach your sons proper Christian masculinity rather than the toxic kinds that tends to circulate around and even permeate Christian circles. Will also help their suicide rates and even violence tbh.
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I would add, teach boys that rejection is part of life and it doesn’t mean you’re a failure as a man. Too many young men get the idea that if they can’t get a date (often at a young age) it means they’re not a real man.
 
And never ever lose sight of the fact that rape can happen to the most virtuous and moral, outside of the dating scene.

I’m happy to delegate the nightmare of a fist around my throat and the subsequent panic attacks to anyone who still believes rape is a dating thing,
 
My parents never told me “do not murder”. It was simply part of the literal Christian fabric of our lives.
 
I hope this doesn’t come across as too pious or preachy, but the best thing to do in my opinion is to pray.

Specifically, pray the Magnificat every evening. “my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord” Let every person, male and female, learn that beautty is a reflection of God’s grace. “He pulls down princes from their thrones and lifts up the lowly.” There is more, but a thoughtful repetition of this prayer should teach that women are powerful signs of strength and beauty, not invitations to lust, or persons to be put down. God will put right any power imbalance.

Or if the Magnificat is not good enough, teach the Hail Mary. Full of grace, the Lord is with you. The Angel greets Mary with appreciation (full of grace) not to force her to give birth. Meet every woman that way, apprciating the goodness God has given them. Meet every person that way, appreciating the greatness of the Lord that has made them each unique.

We need to internalize these things, make them a part of us, if we want to get the monsters who rape off the street. It is not something that will be solved overnight.
 
I think what’s fortunate is that we’re opening up more as a culture. Rape and sexual abuse thrive in secrecy. It needs to be as easy as possible for victims to confide in their parents, their priests, the police, or other trusted adults in their lives.
 
The way I see it,“men not being able to help themselves” may explain Barnaby and his choices but it doesn’t explain rape.
At the same time,there does appear to be a group of men called Incels that @michaelarc referred to.
I think these guys “support” each other online in their misperception towards women and that they have some sense of entitlement.
I have come across this online a few times and it is quite concerning their mentality.
Ie:they seem to view woman as just objects of beauty to “get”,they get really anger and bitter when women reject them and it seems to the point of hating women,they watch videos/go to seminars on how to improve their “game” with women,seem to believe women’s value is based off their level of external attractiveness etc…
Their perceptions seem very distorted and I don’t know if this is a form of mental illness.
It seems these types of guys are pretty rare in Australia (?) thankfully but it only takes a few and maybe they are so distorted or bitter that they would take it to the level of raping someone 😯
 
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They do seem rarer in Australia. I really hope they are. They’re an unsettling and unhealthy cultish thing.
 
Far out, xenophobia. It’s not mobs of refugees raping people; more often it’s someone the victim knows.
 
Actually, this view runs parallel to the view that sustains rape culture.

You take an entire group of people, women or refugees in this case, dehumanize them through stereotypes - e.g. “asking for it” or “preying on young girls” - and use that to justify an act of violence - rape or deportation back to a violent place where they’ll probably end up shot or decapitated.

Combating rape is like combating any other form of violence or injustice; you can’t move forward until you see the image and likeness of God in everybody.
 
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gcshapero said:
Nonetheless, the role of Catholics in combating sexual immoralities is to start by being totally moral and chaste. No sex before marriage, recognizing what sex actually is according to God, no pornography of any kind, no masturbation, no contraception, being EMOTIONALLY chaste too…
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Bravo! This is the answer… and the pill that Noone seems to want to swallow.
 
A better question to ask would be: “What can Catholics do right now to fight rape culture?”

As an individual, one simple thing you can do is to boycott Hollywood (and by extension, the mainstream music industry) completely. That also goes for what passes as “wholesome” and “kid-friendly” movies and albums nowadays, which somehow they always manage to slip a little bit of degeneracy into.

If anything, the #MeToo movement has established beyond any doubt that the rumored casting couch is real after all. Pretty young women would do anything for a break or the chance to do something big, and producers like Harvey Weinstein and others high up in the industry food chain take advantage of that and dangle opportunities in exchange for sexual favors. If you can’t call that rape outright because of “consent,” it’s still exploitation since it makes those women prostitute themselves for fame and fortune when they don’t really have to.

Don’t give Hollywood and the music industry any more of your hard-earned money. Deny the beast its nourishment and hopefully in time it will shrivel up and die.

Oh, and Alex - it’s not xenophobia if the refugees are actually doing it. Quick playing the ostrich!
 
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