Several weeks ago it was announced that four male undergraduate students at North Carolina State University had developed a finger nail polish that changes color when it comes in contact with incapacitating drugs. If women are suspicious that their drink has been spiked, all they have to do is stir it with their fingernail and the polish will change color if GBH, Rohypnol or Xanax is present. This is just one of several devices that have been created in an attempt to prevent date rape, including drinking straws, coasters, drinking glasses, and lip-gloss.
While many are enthused by the recent development, others feel as though it represents yet another misguided preventative measure that places responsibility for preventing rape in the hands of potential victims. In other words, anti-rape advocates believe that women should not have to wear a specific type of fingernail polish to avoid being sexually assaulted. This is by no means a new trend: young women are continually warned about the dangers of being alone after dark, dressing provocatively, or drinking alone in a bar. It is unfortunate that such warnings are still necessary, but they are so deeply ingrained in our culture that we don’t think twice when cautioning young women that they cannot expect the same freedoms as men without putting themselves in immediate danger.
I propose that our time, money, and effort should not be placed towards stopgap preventative measures, but rather towards addressing the root of the problem. It is imperative that we address the issue of sexual assault at all levels: institutional, interpersonal and individual. This multipronged approach should include combative measures from policy initiatives, to public service announcements, to more honest discussions in our families, schools and peer groups about the importance of sexual respect.
Advocates utilizing these approaches have made great strides, but the continued prevalence of dating violence indicates that the fight is far from over. Perhaps the missing piece is this: rape and dating violence should not be an issue of women versus men. Not only does this negate the fact that men experience sexual victimization (albeit at lower rates), it denies women crucial allies. The vast majority of men do not rape, do not support rape, and do not view their interests (sexual and otherwise) in opposition to the interests of women. Although gender inequities that disempower female sexuality are undoubtedly present at all levels of society (and should be addressed—but that’s a topic for another day), men are not the “enemy”. If we are to solve the issue at hand, we need all parties on board to implement a solution.
As Grinnellians, what can we do on a daily basis to create a safer environment for all students? Firstly: we need to actively combat the insidious culture of “slut shaming”. After a dubious sexual encounter, women often feel pressured to distance themselves from the situation—or risk their reputation and (given that many people unfortunately view women’s moral worth as directly linked to their sexuality) jeopardize their core value as a human being in the eyes of society. It is not a far leap to understand how this disempowering culture could lead women to accuse a man of rape. This is absolutely not to say that rape should go unreported—it is a heinous crime and should be treated as such. Rather, we need to construct an environment where women do not feel they have only two options: risk their reputation or place blame upon the male.
Secondly: we need to ensure that we are using the word “rape” in the proper context, and be sensitive with our language when describing sexual assault attacks. As a society we have the tendency to become detached from socially sensitive issues, and as a result the gravity of the issue is often lost in everyday colloquialisms. Young adolescents will say the phrase, “I was raped” to describe a variety of events where rape did not in fact occur. It is pertinent that we eliminate this phrase from our language if it is not truthful, as it fosters a culture of desensitization that ultimately trivializes trauma.
Lastly, individuals of all genders and sexual orientations must serve as advocates to eliminate sexual assault. This could include being active on campus with student organizations such as Grinnell Advocates, which aims to create greater awareness about issues surrounding sexual assault and dating violence, or Real Men, a group whose mission is to promote a positive image of masculinity and construct Grinnell as a safe place for everyone.
If joining groups isn’t your thing, practicing active bystander-ism and reaching out to individuals before, during and after you see them in a questionable situation is an effective way to diminish sexual assault. For example, if you see a girl attempting to reject a guy who isn’t taking the hint, you could divert his attention and help her gracefully exit the situation. If she leaves with him, check in the next morning and ask if she’s doing okay. There are many methods to reducing sexual assault and the stigma surrounding it, but all require active participation from the entire community. Eliminating sexual assault and creating a safe environment for all will be a long, complex process, but it is morally imperative that we remedy this all too prevalent issue.