A Better Way to Talk to Boys About Rape Culture
Ask them, "What do you think about the words, 'rape culture?'" Then listen. Listen to what they say and to what they express. Listen for the silences and hesitation. Listen past the defensiveness. Bite your own tongue, if you must, but instead of building a rebuttal, try to hear what's behind your boys' words. Paraphrase his words. Repeat them back to him. Ask if you've heard him correctly. Ask for clarifications. Ask to hear about his experiences. Almost all of us can agree that rape is a truly heinous crime, and that no human should ever attack another that way. But things get complicated and slippery when we start to discuss and define rape culture, a term created by women to describe the systematic and habitual shaming and blaming of women for their own sexual assaults. A term … [Read More...]
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