First, I want to give more clarity to one of the documentaries that I mentioned in class today. Miss Representation is about the lack women in politics, but they also discuss how women are sexualized in media. For example, how women who are running for office are discussed in regards to what they are wearing or how they look rather than the policies that they stand for. If you're interested in seeing what it's entirely about, check out the trailer here. This trailer is an extended version, so it's a bit longer than usual.
Also, I really recommend watching The Mask You Live In documentary on men (a companion to Miss Representation). This really addresses what we were discussing in class today with hyper-masculinity. The idea that men are nurtured into taking control and being aggressive. For if they don't, they are labeled as not 'manning-up' or being 'masculine'. I can also see this documentary being a good supplement to our research projects.
And herein is where I'd like to place my blog today. This idea of hyper-masculinity (thanks for bringing this up again, Jackson!). Like I mentioned in class, when I was searching rape cases to research, I was shocked by the amount of prominent and high-profile rape cases that were involving athletes. And while I've recognized how hyper-masculinity plays into why rape occurs, I didn't realize it's impact until today. Seeing the list of cases on the white board that involved athletes was overwhelming. And when considering the culture that surrounds athletics, there was a strong argument for why many rape cases do involve athletes. Of course, this doesn't mean that every athlete will be a rapist. On the contrary. The stat given in class was that approximately 94% of men will not commit a rape. (I do wonder the accuracy of this stat, since most sexual assaults are not reported). Yet, there is something to be addressed with the frequency in which rape occurs among athletes. While I can't quantify this association, as an observer, it is something that is hard to dismiss.
Is there a sense of entitlement? After all, athletes--especially college football players--are placed on a pedestal. They are revered and protected by the university in many cases. You need only look to FSU or University of Montana in which the poor handling of rape cases in pursuit of protecting the players had detrimental ramifications.
Are sports feeding into the rape culture? Considering male athletes--and more specifically football players--they are conditioned to be aggressive, to be an initiator. Does this trait, therefore, flow into other areas of their life? On the surface, it would be easy to say yes. But I wonder if there is more to this.
Finally, I want to stress that in no way do I think that rape is confined to football teams. It is merely illustrative of the ways that hyper-masculinity can manifest itself. In addition, I know that this discussion dives deeper than what I am brought up here. I just found that our discussion in class was interesting and stimulating.
To consider "How do men get to the point that rape is an acceptable choice?"
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Kairos
In class today we discussed how kairos was used in the ending chapters of Missoula by Jon Krakauer. So, I think I'd like to try to discuss some instances of kairos that stood out to me.
First, as mentioned in class, I saw the timing of Jordan's trial to be an element of kairos. First, his trial began shortly after Beau (the perpetrator from a previous case) was sentenced to prison. This made for an opportune time for both the prosecutor and the defense. For the prosecutor, it was a moment to take a sexual assault case to court. With Beau's case ending in a plea bargain and the other cases that were mentioned in the book not taking steps towards prosecution, the prosecution had an opportunity to bring justice. For the defense, however, it was a moment to vindicate a 'wrong' charge. And it would be these narratives that would determine the outcome.
When one considers the community climate at that time, it was easy to see how the small town would be so passionately divided. Fans and non-fans of the UM football team alike. This, obviously, had an influence on how both the victim and perpetrator was perceived--ultimately leading to the moment that had developed (the trial). Lawyers on both sides would have to craft their side of the story in order to have the outcome that they each desired. And the ways in which each side crafted their story was interesting.
When reading the account, the prosecution seemed demure. Not that they weren't doing all they that could to win the case. Of course, this may be because, in contrast, the defense was so passionate, over-the-top, even bullying those that were on the stand. Even this aspect, the way that each side handled the trial, has an element of kairos that affected the outcome of the trial. And, perhaps, this is why the trial ended the way that it did.
Another instance that stood out to me was Kirsten Pabst election as county attorney. When looking at how she left the prosecutors office, started her own business, joined Jordan's case, and shared office space with Paoli--one could see how these 'choices' had lead to her appointment. It begs to question her intention with the way in which she went about things (namely, sharing office space with Paoli who contributed to her campaign). But it is astounding that she had positioned herself in Missoula, MT to be a viable candidate for county attorney. Being on the 'winning' team had made for a valid argument for being elected to office. I realize that my biases are based on what I read in Krakauer's book, but she almost seems deceptive and willing to do whatever it takes to benefit herself. Far from what some of the other individuals were striving for.
First, as mentioned in class, I saw the timing of Jordan's trial to be an element of kairos. First, his trial began shortly after Beau (the perpetrator from a previous case) was sentenced to prison. This made for an opportune time for both the prosecutor and the defense. For the prosecutor, it was a moment to take a sexual assault case to court. With Beau's case ending in a plea bargain and the other cases that were mentioned in the book not taking steps towards prosecution, the prosecution had an opportunity to bring justice. For the defense, however, it was a moment to vindicate a 'wrong' charge. And it would be these narratives that would determine the outcome.
When one considers the community climate at that time, it was easy to see how the small town would be so passionately divided. Fans and non-fans of the UM football team alike. This, obviously, had an influence on how both the victim and perpetrator was perceived--ultimately leading to the moment that had developed (the trial). Lawyers on both sides would have to craft their side of the story in order to have the outcome that they each desired. And the ways in which each side crafted their story was interesting.
When reading the account, the prosecution seemed demure. Not that they weren't doing all they that could to win the case. Of course, this may be because, in contrast, the defense was so passionate, over-the-top, even bullying those that were on the stand. Even this aspect, the way that each side handled the trial, has an element of kairos that affected the outcome of the trial. And, perhaps, this is why the trial ended the way that it did.
Another instance that stood out to me was Kirsten Pabst election as county attorney. When looking at how she left the prosecutors office, started her own business, joined Jordan's case, and shared office space with Paoli--one could see how these 'choices' had lead to her appointment. It begs to question her intention with the way in which she went about things (namely, sharing office space with Paoli who contributed to her campaign). But it is astounding that she had positioned herself in Missoula, MT to be a viable candidate for county attorney. Being on the 'winning' team had made for a valid argument for being elected to office. I realize that my biases are based on what I read in Krakauer's book, but she almost seems deceptive and willing to do whatever it takes to benefit herself. Far from what some of the other individuals were striving for.
Tuesday, September 13, 2016
Beyond Brock
Over the past couple of weeks, I've been setting aside any articles, videos, or posts that are related to rape. And with the release of Brock Turner a couple weeks ago, I thought I would post some of the things that I came across associated with his story...
The first is a video reaction to his release after only 3 months in jail.
This video clearly states a common reaction to Brock Turner's release. The woman interview, a raper survivor herself, brings up several valid points with Brock's early release (let alone, the short sentence that he did receive).
The second is an article about steps California has taken since the fallout from the sentencing of Brock Turner.
This is a good start: mandatory sentences for "whenever the victim is intoxicated or unconscious and the perpetrator does not have to use force". However, this law should be expanded. What makes the rape of a woman who isn't intoxicated or is conscious (rather, a forceful act) unworthy of a mandatory sentence? I think that this falls into our discussion of hierarchy and how we view certain acts. Perhaps, in the minds of those that created the law (in conjunction with the national attention that the Brock Turner case brought), prompted the lawmakers to only consider "without force" to be deserving of a mandatory sentencing. But I would argue that any instance of rape should come with a mandatory sentencing. Rape in and of itself is a violent act and should be treated as such, no matter if it was forceful or not.
The third is an article about a policy that Stanford is enacting in lieu of Brock's case.
I find this article to be really interesting. The university is attempting to dissuade sexual assault on their campus by banning hard alcohol and limiting bottle sizes (for those over twenty-one). This ban, however, does not apply to graduate students. Therefore, it begs to question why Standford thinks that graduate students wouldn't be prone to committing sexual violence. I think that this is a misstep for the university. To make allowances for a specific group, perhaps based on age, does not remove the possibility of sexual assault occurring. The truly revolutionary approach would have been to ban hard liquor on campus for all students. Why would the university want to the maintain a possibility of sexual assault on their campus (which they are inherently doing by allowing graduates access to hard liquor)? And like the professors in the article pointed out - Standford is still not dealing with the issue of consent. .
Finally, a photographer takes a visual approach (Note: graphic images) to make a statement about Brock's release and the problem of sexual assault.
These photographs have an almost disturbing effect to them. The "victims" dead stares are haunting--making these images so powerful. Even considering the violent positions that the "victims" are placed in show the realities of sexual assault. Perhaps the most revealing aspect about these photos is the diversity of race and gender. As stated by the photographer "I don’t want to demonstrate that only a black man can rape a white man. You don’t know the strength of a person. You don’t know their capabilities"
The first is a video reaction to his release after only 3 months in jail.
This video clearly states a common reaction to Brock Turner's release. The woman interview, a raper survivor herself, brings up several valid points with Brock's early release (let alone, the short sentence that he did receive).
The second is an article about steps California has taken since the fallout from the sentencing of Brock Turner.
This is a good start: mandatory sentences for "whenever the victim is intoxicated or unconscious and the perpetrator does not have to use force". However, this law should be expanded. What makes the rape of a woman who isn't intoxicated or is conscious (rather, a forceful act) unworthy of a mandatory sentence? I think that this falls into our discussion of hierarchy and how we view certain acts. Perhaps, in the minds of those that created the law (in conjunction with the national attention that the Brock Turner case brought), prompted the lawmakers to only consider "without force" to be deserving of a mandatory sentencing. But I would argue that any instance of rape should come with a mandatory sentencing. Rape in and of itself is a violent act and should be treated as such, no matter if it was forceful or not.
The third is an article about a policy that Stanford is enacting in lieu of Brock's case.
I find this article to be really interesting. The university is attempting to dissuade sexual assault on their campus by banning hard alcohol and limiting bottle sizes (for those over twenty-one). This ban, however, does not apply to graduate students. Therefore, it begs to question why Standford thinks that graduate students wouldn't be prone to committing sexual violence. I think that this is a misstep for the university. To make allowances for a specific group, perhaps based on age, does not remove the possibility of sexual assault occurring. The truly revolutionary approach would have been to ban hard liquor on campus for all students. Why would the university want to the maintain a possibility of sexual assault on their campus (which they are inherently doing by allowing graduates access to hard liquor)? And like the professors in the article pointed out - Standford is still not dealing with the issue of consent. .
Finally, a photographer takes a visual approach (Note: graphic images) to make a statement about Brock's release and the problem of sexual assault.
These photographs have an almost disturbing effect to them. The "victims" dead stares are haunting--making these images so powerful. Even considering the violent positions that the "victims" are placed in show the realities of sexual assault. Perhaps the most revealing aspect about these photos is the diversity of race and gender. As stated by the photographer "I don’t want to demonstrate that only a black man can rape a white man. You don’t know the strength of a person. You don’t know their capabilities"
Wednesday, September 7, 2016
More references for Chapter 9
Due to time constraints in class yesterday, I was unable to share the resources that I came across in chapter 9. With that, the following is my annotated bibliography:
The Criminal Justice Sytem: Statistics. (2016). Retrieved from RAINN: https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system
This page from the website RAINN.org—the largest anti-sexual violence
organization (per their website)—gives statistics of perpetrators in relation
to other crimes committed. This includes number reported to police,
number of reports that lead to arrest, number of cases referred to a
prosecutor, number of cases that lead to a felony conviction, and number of
incarcerations.
- While this reference centers on the justice system, this resource can be beneficial as it provides access to other current statistics specifically related to rape, abuse, and incest. I also found that their resources on safety and prevention to be valuable information. There's sections for parents students, including warning signs that someone has been assaulted or abused.
Whitney, E. (2015, April 22). Missoula County Prosecutor Kirsten Pabst's
Statement on Jon Krakauer's Book. Montana Public Radio. Retrieved from http://mtpr.org/post/missoula-county-prosecutor-kirsten-pabsts-statement-jon-krakauers-book
This is a statement by Kirsten Pabst, the Missoula County prosecutor, from
Jon Krakauer’s book Missoula
that was released shortly after the release of the book. Her statement
argues the role of a prosecutor, acknowledges her department had problems in
communication, and shares the action taken to improve the department and how it
handles rape and sexual assault cases.
- At the end of chapter nine, Kirsten Pabst had made an online statement attacking Gwen Florio and the targets that are the focus of Krakauer's book. This particular statement, given shortly after the release of the book, interested me because of how she responds to Missoula. I found the list of changes to her department to be really interesting and wonder how effective these changes have been within the department.
The Criminal Justice Sytem: Statistics. (2016). Retrieved from RAINN: https://rainn.org/statistics/criminal-justice-system
- While this reference centers on the justice system, this resource can be beneficial as it provides access to other current statistics specifically related to rape, abuse, and incest. I also found that their resources on safety and prevention to be valuable information. There's sections for parents students, including warning signs that someone has been assaulted or abused.
- At the end of chapter nine, Kirsten Pabst had made an online statement attacking Gwen Florio and the targets that are the focus of Krakauer's book. This particular statement, given shortly after the release of the book, interested me because of how she responds to Missoula. I found the list of changes to her department to be really interesting and wonder how effective these changes have been within the department.
Florio,
G. (2015, April 20). Gwen Florio: Krakauer's Book Accurate . Montana Public
Radio. (E. Whitney, Interviewer) Retrieved from
http://mtpr.org/post/gwen-florio-krakauers-book-accurate
This online interview is with Gwen Florio, shortly before the release of Krakauer's book. She discusses the accuracy of the book (she attended parts of the trail), how he used transcripts that were on the record, and use of the college disciplinary hearing. In addition, she discusses the controversy surrounding certain parts of the book.
- This interview proved to be interesting--a first person account of someone that was involved with the cases in the book. Although it was a short interview, it certainly gave a different perspective to what is written in the book.
Friday, September 2, 2016
"She shouldn't have been drinking in the first place"
In class Thursday, part of our discussion centered on the rhetoric of what our attitudes of men versus women getting drunk are. Especially given that all of the stories that Krakauer shares involve intoxication. This struck a chord with me. For, honestly, I have associated a woman getting drunk as more inappropriate than a man getting drunk. That is, I associate a drinking behavior more with men than I do with women. Perhaps part of this perspective lies within the public display--men are more visibly seen as drinking and getting drunk than women are. (Or maybe I just choose to notice men who are drunk more often than women?). For example, male drunkenness is commonly seen at sporting events, parties, bars, etc. And with the constant public display comes a normalization and expectation that men drink/get drunk and women don't. And these stereotypes feed into the current campus rape culture.
This, of course, does not mean women do not drink--as a woman myself, I drink alcohol. But I think it becomes easy for our society to place blame on a woman if she is drinking and then raped. After all, "she wasn't supposed to be drinking in the first place". And I think this plays into the ethos of how the target is perceived.
For example: If women aren't supposed to drink--but they do--then they are making a bad decision. Therefore, the ramifications of that bad decision, no matter what they are, is her fault. She then becomes the harlot, the promiscuous woman, the slut, the tease...
While in comparison the rapist just made a bad decision (rape) and was unable to control himself because he was drinking. Which brings us back to the perspective mentioned before--"men are supposed to be drinking/drunk", therefore, they're just doing "what is normal/expected of men".
But I like how Sydney summarized the intention and argument of book--especially given that the stories in Missoula involve intoxication by both men and women: alcohol isn't supposed to be the excuse that makes rape okay.
However, herein lies the problem: our society still considers alcohol an acceptable "excuse" to explain someone's actions (among a myriad of other factors). This leads to a lack in prosecution or lenient sentences; such as those seen in Missoula or, in most recent news, the Brock Turner case.
This is why the challenge to consider how I view men versus women drinking struck me. I had to evaluate my thinking, perspective, feelings on that statement. To question why I consider men drinking alcohol different than women. To ask myself what feeds into my own stereotypes of men/women drinking. To be aware of how this perpetuates rape culture and violence against women.
Check out this timely article that reminds us of just a few women that were affected by an "alcohol excuse"
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