Boys & Rape

Photo by sboneham

When we were kids, the sex talk pretty much consisted of a basic run down of the basics -what goes where, how babies are made and what miraculous changes we could soon expect in our adolescent bodies.

But increasingly, parents are realizing that sex is more than biology, and that it’s essential to talk about things like consent.

No one wants to talk to their son about rape. No one wants to think that their son could be guilty, ever, of raping someone. But the truth is that many boys still hold some pretty outdated — and wrong! — ideas about girls and sex. Ideas such as:

• If she’s wearing sexy clothes, she must want sex.
• If she flirts with me, she must want sex.
• If I spent money taking her out on a date, she owes me sex.
• If she doesn’t say no, it’s OK.

It’s NOT OK, though, and somehow, we need to get that message across to our boys. How? Here are 4 simple ideas you can use to teach your sons respect for girls and women:

1. Demonstrate consistent respect for humanity. Our kids need to see us showing respect for every single member member of humanity. Even the people we don’t like. Even the ones who annoy us. Even the ones who act provocatively, in any way.

Our kids need to know that beneath every human exterior lies a person with a heart and soul and hopes and dreams, and I’m a firm believer that the best way to teach our kids this essential fact is to treat others with kindness and respect. Look people in the eye. Speak gently to them. Do not make derogatory remarks about others’ appearance or history or behavior, and never, ever imply that someone deserves something due to the way he or she behaved.

Teach your children — by example — to give people the benefit of doubt. Teach them to treat others as they’d like to be treated.

2. Talk about our values. I will never be able to change the culture to conform to my values, and neither will you. I am also unable (and unwilling) to completely shield my boys from the world in which they live. But that doesn’t mean that I need to stand silently to the side when TV shows, movies or music depict any kind of abuse or degradation of another human being.

When the media depicts an act or behavior you don’t approve of, or seems to honor a celebrity for less-than-stellar behavior, talk to your kids. Talk about what you don’t like. (My kids are well aware of what I think about Charlie Sheen’s poor choices.)  Talk about why don’t like it. Talk about what kind of behavior you value instead, and why. And whenever possible, serve up for-instances and examples of exemplary behavior.

3. Respect boundaries. It’s next-to-impossible to expect our kids to respect other people’s boundaries if we don’t respect theirs. So when your son starts asking for privacy in the bathroom, give it to him. When he declines your offer of a good night hug, simply wish him good night; don’t guilt trip him into hugging ol’ Mom, or he’ll learn that he should stuff down his internal instincts in order to keep other people happy.

Respecting your sons’ boundaries may also mean listening carefully when he tells you he wants to quit a chosen and once-treasured activity. Certainly, you’ll want discuss his reasons for wanting to quit, and it’s best to ponder the decision together. But ultimately, you want your son to learn to trust his inner voice, the one that tells him when something doesn’t feel quite right. And the only way you can do that is by listening to your son, considering his wishes and respecting his boundaries.

4. Speak up. Don’t participate in the culture of silence. Don’t keep shameful family secrets. All kids need to know that it’s OK to speak up, OK to let someone know that something is wrong. So if you see someone being hurt, stop. Speak up. Intervene.

I once pulled the van over at the middle school when I saw two kids physically harassing another. I didn’t know the kids, didn’t fully know the situation, but had watched just long enough to know that what was going on was not fun for all involved. I parked the van, left the kids in the car, and got out. The bullies scrambled. I made sure the other kid was OK and stayed with him ’til his ride arrived.

I still don’t know the kids’ names. I don’t know what, exactly, my kids took from that situation, but I’m pretty sure they know that 1) their mom is not going to sit by while a kid gets hurt and 2) that onlookers can help.

Am I being overly simplistic in thinking that these four steps can help stop rape? I don’t think so. Rape was never about sex anyway. Rape is about power. Rape dehumanizes another. And learning to respect all humans, I think, will go a long way toward changing our rape culture.