Buried Alive

In one of 6 overdue library books I am currently holding hostage (in hopes I get something out of this school in addition to graduation) come the following quotes about rape prevention policies:

“…there is an effort to debunk the stereotype of women’s danger–the stranger–whereas on the other hand, offering advice about how the prudent woman should behave to avoid the potential danger of the (presumably) male stranger…This contradiction, I suggest, can be understood through an analysis of the creation of the responsible woman.” (Emphasis mine)

“Police advice exists within a context that takes for granted the responsible woman–the woman who commonsensically takes all necessary precautions to avoid the violence of men and treats the violence of women as encounters that can, given responsible precautions, be avoided…What is important here is the use of imagery about victims.  Only the deserving and unfortunate victim is the legitimate recipient of care.  Presumably, she is responsible.”

 How many of us go running into dark streets with our pants pulled down?–Landing spread eagle before the nearest leering onlooker?  How many of us attend “Martini Roofie Night” (ladeez discount special) at the nearest club/bar/party/caveman brouhaha? 

(And even if a woman does go running into the dark alleyway with her pants pulled down it is likely she is running from Rapist A, only to land before Rapist B on accounta the rapist-to-world-population-ratio and not convenience. )

We couldn’t have knocked ourselves up(side the head) any harder if we tried: travel in groups!, go to well-lit areas!, be near your drink at all times!  But, as Susan Miller explains throughout this chapter, by pushing this age-old advice we insult women’s intelligence and limit the conversation.  Rape prevention in brochures, police advice, websites are, of course, geared towards women as preventative agents for the violence they encounter.  And by keeping rape prevention policies in such prehistoric terms we further alienate those who experience rape the way it most commonly occurs: by someone we know, call a friend, a coworker, a family member, or other trusted ally.

At the end of the Chapter, Miller asks what a radical feminist rape prevention method look like.

 I propose this:

 “Don’t Rape Her” brochures/handouts/billboards/  visible and available at EVERY Government building/place of business on the planet.  These would include such advice as:

1. Unplug your wanka from your hard drive.

2. If you find yourself always “checkin’ out” the ladeez go entrepreneurial on your ass and start a business from home.  Order food online.   Take all necessary steps to rid yourself of the known world.

 3. Don’t get drunk/high/hang out with “the guys”/be bored/solicit toddlers in “revealing clothing” or any other excuse you’ve read has worked in one of our fine publicly funded courts of law. 

4. Avoid marriage.  Wife-lodges via Gifts-from-God are still rape.

5.  Remove it.

What would your policy include?