Description
Raphael, an attorney and senior research fellow at DePaul U. College of Law, examines the tactics that rape-deniers use, arguing that they insulate rape-culture, protect rapists, and harm women. These tactics include the distinction between "real" rape and unwanted sexual encounters that are considered less morally charged, the assertion that in a world of liberated sexuality women are responsible for the "consequences" of the hyping of false rape claims and the outright disbelief in rape's prevalence, and more. She considers the merits of these arguments to understand their persistence. To this end, she interrogates why some data is missing at best, and dismissed at worst by rape apologists. She considers a spectrum that ranges from conservative republicans to feminist writers like Naomi Wolf. In addition to analyzing these public figures and popular rape-discourse in general, every other chapter or two reconstructs a rape survivor's story in her own words, revealing the insidious effects rape-denial has on victims. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
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'More than half of women and girls lie about rape . . .' 'Feminists exaggerate rape prevalence to demonize men and raise money for their cause . . .' 'Girls cry 'rape' when it's nothing more than regret over bad sex . . .' Such emotionally charged false accusations have convinced much of the general public and the media that acquaintance rape is a figment of the imagination. As author Jody Raphael reveals in Rape Is Rape, the more acquaintance rape is reported and taken seriously by prosecutors, judges, and juries, the louder the clamor of rape denial becomes. Through firsthand interviews with victims, medical and judicial records, social media analysis, and statistics from government agencies, Rape Is Rape exposes the tactics used by the deniers, a group that includes conservatives and right-wing Christians as well as some controversial feminists. The personal stories of young acquaintance rape victims whom Raphael interviewed demonstrate how assaults on their credibility, buttressed by claims of low prevalence, prevent many from holding their rapists accountable, enabling them to rape others with impunity. Rape Is Rape is an exposé of those using rape denial to further their political agendas, and it is a call to action to protect the rights of women and girls, making it safe for victims to come forward, and end the acquaintance rape crisis. A resources section is included for those seeking help, advice, or hoping to get involved.
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