Who Are We
This site is a resource available to anyone who is in need of information regarding the intricacies of rape/sexual violence. Regardless of age, race, gender, social class, etc., sexual violence affects everybody. We provide a compilation of information and resources that enable you to acquire any immediate and necessary assistance with a number of sexual-violence-related issues.
Relevance To Sociology
Sociology looks at social behavior between groups of people. Rape is particularly interesting to sociologists because it is an ongoing phenomenon that has evolved over time. Rape is unique in regards to it's origin, development, and perceptions by institutions and the public eye. Once it was seen as "normal" behavior due to the power struggles and inequalities that women faced. More recently, we have seen a shift in power economically and within the home, with a more even distribution among women and men. Although gender-roles still exist, traditional values are becoming increasingly egalitarian. Even with an increasing amount of power being offered to women, we still live in a patriarichal society. Because of this, rape is still a very large issue and the severity of the phenomenon continues to be debated.
There has been a lot of attention given to the rape issue. Only recently have we expanded the scope into also examining rape among homosexual relationships, rape against men, and other dynamics other than just women. What is more interesting, however, is although for generations we have taught girls methods to avoid rape, it still occurs at alarming rates. We also continue to place blame onto the female victims of sexual violence. On the other end of the spectrum, there is not much that society puts in place to educate boys not to victimize girls.
Sociologist examine the dynamics of rape and sexual violence to better understand the world we live in. We have learned, over time, that rape is not about sex. Rape is, in fact, about power. Through rape, a perpetrator can gain power by forcing themselves on a victim through humiliation, coercion, etc. Perpetrators can be strangers, acquaintences, and most often, those we are closest to. Being vulnerable makes us easy targets to sexual violence, and once an act occurs, it is very difficult to recover. This dynamic is encouraged by many sources in society. Through media including pornography, television shows, music, advertisements, etc., women are continuously objectified. This objectification somehow makes rape acceptable in some ways and frowned upon in others. Other sources further support the unequal treatment of women. For example, sociological topics, such as work-place discrimination, encourage unequal treatment and the belittling of women. All of these are extensions of gender inequality as it continues to exist in our society.
Studying rape and patterns that exist with regard to sexual violence through sociological research help us to better understand gender inequality. We can also improve, through the sociological lens, our understanding of the relationship between sexual violence and gender inequality and how strongly they are correlated, if at all. Being aware of the issue of rape as prevalent in our society can help us understand where we are moving as a culture and how quickly, or slowly, we are progressing as a nation.
There has been a lot of attention given to the rape issue. Only recently have we expanded the scope into also examining rape among homosexual relationships, rape against men, and other dynamics other than just women. What is more interesting, however, is although for generations we have taught girls methods to avoid rape, it still occurs at alarming rates. We also continue to place blame onto the female victims of sexual violence. On the other end of the spectrum, there is not much that society puts in place to educate boys not to victimize girls.
Sociologist examine the dynamics of rape and sexual violence to better understand the world we live in. We have learned, over time, that rape is not about sex. Rape is, in fact, about power. Through rape, a perpetrator can gain power by forcing themselves on a victim through humiliation, coercion, etc. Perpetrators can be strangers, acquaintences, and most often, those we are closest to. Being vulnerable makes us easy targets to sexual violence, and once an act occurs, it is very difficult to recover. This dynamic is encouraged by many sources in society. Through media including pornography, television shows, music, advertisements, etc., women are continuously objectified. This objectification somehow makes rape acceptable in some ways and frowned upon in others. Other sources further support the unequal treatment of women. For example, sociological topics, such as work-place discrimination, encourage unequal treatment and the belittling of women. All of these are extensions of gender inequality as it continues to exist in our society.
Studying rape and patterns that exist with regard to sexual violence through sociological research help us to better understand gender inequality. We can also improve, through the sociological lens, our understanding of the relationship between sexual violence and gender inequality and how strongly they are correlated, if at all. Being aware of the issue of rape as prevalent in our society can help us understand where we are moving as a culture and how quickly, or slowly, we are progressing as a nation.