Rape culture is a term used to describe the societal practices that perpetuate the normalization of rape, sexual assault and the blaming of victims. It includes the objectification of women’s bodies, misogynistic remarks and threats, and the glamorization of sexual violence. It is a huge issue in our society that greatly damages the view that our generation has on healthy sexual relationships. 1 out of 6 women have been victims of an attempted or completed rape, and only 1 out of 3 of these rapes are reported. These statistics are shocking and they don’t even begin to explain the number of people affected by other forms of sexual violence.
Although this problem affects so many, there is still hope. The March to End Rape Culture is an event held annually in Philadelphia that features brave speakers who discuss the importance of awareness and activism against rape culture. The event took place at Paine Plaza, which was surrounded by tables supplying information for support groups, self-defense classes, volunteer programs, and more, all for one cause – to end rape culture.
The testimonies of survival and determination that I heard from the speakers were inspiring to say the least. One activist’s speech left me feeling especially motivated and determined. Preeti Pathak is a chair representative from PAVE Philly, an organization that works to shatter sexual violence promoting awareness and empowering victims. She spoke about how marginalized groups, such as women, the LGBTQ+ community, and people of color, are made to feel like we have no space. She encourages us to take up space and to use this space to fight for justice. Her bravery in talking about these issues and overcoming the systems that oppress her made me so eager to march alongside others who feel the oppression of rape culture and take up as much space as we can.
The march was invigorating. I was one of the volunteers who held a megaphone to lead the crowd in chants. Some of the chants that we rotated throughout the afternoon were, “Whatever we wear, wherever we go, yes means yes and no means no!” “Blame the system, not the victim!” “Shatter the silence, stop the violence!” and “My body, my choice!” The empowerment I felt through the solidarity of so many fellow humans standing up, united for one cause, was indescribable and the cheers of support from onlookers throughout the march was validating and exciting.
I left the march with sore feet, a lost voice, and a heart full of hope and pride. This isn’t something that can be solved with one event, but something that will take education, activism, and lots of screaming and shouting till our voices are heard. And this event brought us all together to do that. It’s a good place to start.
Like I mentioned, one of the biggest benefits of this event was the resources it made me aware of. You can find out more about these incredible organizations through this link: http://mterc.org/resources/