Silence is not sexy

Two days ago on Saturday, over a thousand women and men convened in Union Square for New York’s “SlutWalk” to protest rape culture and the prevalence of victim-blaming. Their message was clear: No matter what a woman chooses to wear or how a person acts, rape is rape, and the victim is not responsible for a rapist’s actions. While it seems that the public opinion is slowly starting to shift for the better on this topic, even at Columbia many still feel that it is up to women to avoid risky situations. But this is the wrong group to target. Women and men deserve to live without fear, and our law enforcement, fellow citizens, and classmates must universally acknowledge that rape is never excusable or accepted.

The protests at SlutWalk are part of a worldwide movement, but many protesters at the N.Y. demonstration were objecting to a rise in sexual attacks in Park Slope and the inappropriate reaction of police officers who scolded women for wearing short skirts. Effectively, these officers are placing the onus on women to dress and behave in ways that avoid unwanted advances. The flaw in this logic is severe, as it assumes that the actions of women dictate whether or not they will be sexually assaulted, when in reality there is little to no correlation between the way a woman dresses and whether or not she will be raped.

One aspect of SlutWalk that is important and laudable is its inclusion of men. There is no doubt that rape is a gendered crime—the vast majority of rapists are men, and the majority of rape victims are women. But there are exceptions, and it takes support and awareness from people of both genders and all sexualities to put an end to the harmful attitudes that exist. These issues affect all of us to some degree.

While some people take issue with the name “SlutWalk” and argue with thoughtful reasoning that the walk perpetuates the sexualization of women, the core philosophy of SlutWalk and groups like it is indisputable. And the attitude that a woman is responsible for avoiding rape is noticeable even on campus. This perspective fabricates a stranger who will rape a woman as soon as she is alone on the street, ignoring the fact that 73 percent of rape cases are committed by a person who knows his victim. It lets men off the hook for making their own responsible and respectful decisions and offensively suggests that they cannot control themselves. It blames women for actions committed against them that are undeniably wrong.

It’s true that our generation’s hook-up and drinking culture can make this issue a complicated one. Two people should not have sex if they are too intoxicated to verbalize consent, and silence from a partner is not a signal to go ahead. But no woman should live in fear of being raped, or live with guilt and shame if such a horrible thing happens to her.

Consent is Sexy, the mandatory program at Columbia during NSOP week that discusses these issues, is doing an admirable job of raising awareness before first-years begin their college social lives. But why stop after the first week? Many first-years would be able to relate more to the discussion after they have attended parties and have realized the importance of the topic at hand. Additionally, Columbia students should support Take Back the Night and other, smaller groups that are changing attitudes about consent and rape culture. Columbia students shouldn’t be afraid to raise their voices on this issue, whether that means joining the next SlutWalk or confronting friends about apathetic attitudes. Consent is sexy, but silence isn’t.