“Boys will Be Boys?” Frat Culture and Sexual Violence

In the fascinating article, “Bros Before Hos: Fraternities and Sexual Exploitation”, Nicholas L. Syrett explores the link between Greek life on college and university campuses and sexual violence.

From the earliest fraternities in the 1820s to the development of the current frat scene of parties, girls, and booze, Syrett describes how this progression reflects the evolution of cultural attitudes towards sexuality over time. By the 1920’s heterosexuality was the accepted norm for men. After the sexual revolution of the 1960’s, college-aged women became more sexually permissive. As historical sexual attitudes changed, frats did too, eventually developing an atmosphere in which men proved their masculinity and gained social status by sleeping with women. The more women a frat boy slept with, the more respect he gained from his brothers.

This emphasis on sexual conquest creates a predatory attitude towards women and sex in frat houses. Syrett comments that research in the past “has shown that fraternity men are more likely than their non affiliated classmates to rape women, and some studies have estimated that as many as 70 to 90 percent of reported campus gang rapes are committed by members of fraternities.”

To maintain their social status, frats encourage their members to have frequent casual sex and to report on their experiences. This “places pressure on men who are not otherwise having sex to do so in order to save face, and this can lead to sexual assault.” Frat parties, with their steady supply of booze and college women, are “designed to supply intoxicated women who will either consent—or succumb—to sex.”

As a part of frat culture, frat boys encourage each other to dominate women and intentionally create circumstances in which these men can perpetrate sexual violence against their female classmates. In this hyper-masculine frat culture, where the sexual conquests of men are linked to status, rape as a display of power is not far removed.

Find more on fraternity culture and sexual violence, here and here.

“Boys will Be Boys?” Frat Culture and Sexual Violence

Take Back the Night

A recent article in the Troy Record tells the story of a woman who survived such extensive abuse from her husband for so many years, she fell into a coma months after leaving him due to a brain aneurism. Her chances for survival were very slim, but she recovered and was at the Troy Take Back the Night to share her story.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Take Back the Night, it is a community rally against domestic violence and sexual assault, generally held by local colleges or universities. Survivors share their stories, people unite to protest rape and sexual assault, and then everyone marches off "into the night". Below is a video of a group of people walking for Take Back the Night.

Take Back the Night

Thank you Joe Biden!

Senator Joe Biden, a proven ally for women's rights, has done it again. Last week the senate passed The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act of 2008, based on a law written by Joe Biden, which was set to expire this year. The goal of the legislation is "designed to help eliminate the nationwide backlog of rape evidence kits and bolster DNA testing of criminals and crime scene evidence."

Here is a sample from the Press Release:

"It is estimated that 40 percent of the unsolved rape cases could be solved by taking the DNA sample collected after a sexual assault and comparing it to the existing DNA databases of convicted felons and rapists. The U.S. Department of Justice has estimated that there are at least 221,000 rape kits currently on the shelves in evidence lockers, untested and gathering dust. The Debbie Smith Grant Program has helped alleviate some of the backlog and has expanded testing to solve more crimes, but much more needs to be done.

"If there's a rape kit left sitting on a shelf, there's a victim without justice. This program must be kept alive until the backlog numbers total zero," said Senator Biden. "It is unconscionable that we have the ability to solve these crimes and hold the perpetrators responsible, but because of red tape and lack of funding, the criminals are free and their victims continue live in fear. In the past five years, we've made headway in the backlog, but we still have a long road to go before it is eliminated."

Thank you Joe Biden!! And thank you to Feministing.com for the heads up.

Thank you Joe Biden!

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence can look like many different things. It can also include types of sexual assault. There is also a new term called "Intimate Partner Violence" (IPV) which refers to abuse between two people in a close relationship, including past and present partners. No matter what someone's gender, sexual orientation, race or class ANYONE can be a victim of domestic violence. The power and control wheel (this one posted on The Riley Center website) illustrates some of the behaviors that are abuse:

Sometimes people do not even realize that what is happening to them is considered domestic violence and that they have a legal and human right to protection. Here is one story from a man who was beaten by his wife:

"I'm your basic middle class male who was raised to respect women and never hit them. I consider myself a good provider and who has had some success after my hard work has paid off with my authoring 2 best selling books and having sold a self-started company. I work hard and am a decent man. I am also one of those in total disbelief this would ever happen to me.

I hate the term battered man, I'm a DV survivor. And I can say the system (judicial, police, legal, local and state government agencies) does virtually nothing to help a man survive when they're on the receiving end of a female sociopath's attacks. In fact, the system has, in some ways, injured me more than my ex wife ever could.

My wife slapped me hard after I said no to her wanting to get donor sperm in order to get pregnant. Keep in mind her fertility doctor said there were NO physical problems with either of us to prevent her from getting pregnant. Keep in mind we'd only been trying for 4 months, but she felt entitled and was willing to beat anyone down who got in the way. . ."

You can read the rest here, as well as other stories from survivors.

What is Domestic Violence?

Spot Light On: Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

The Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (ANDVSA) is a network of 21 statewide programs providing shelter, legal advocacy, counseling and crisis assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault since 1977.

Some stats about Alaska taken from a Public Opinion Survey conducted by Hellenthal and Assoc., 2006.

• Alaska rates as the number one state in America for sexual assault and murders of women by their abusers
• Almost 75% of people in Alaska have or know someone who has experienced domestic violence
• 73.1% of Alaskans can name their local domestic violence resource

For more facts and stats about Alaska, you can also read this study published by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Spot Light On: Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault