Rape culture: 'There's no other crime where a victim is so held up to question'

Rape Crisis's Kathleen Day says myths and stereotypes about rape, sex, and gender allow rapists to get away with the crime.

This conversation about rape culture has a trigger warning says CapeTalk presenter Sara-Jayne King.

We are going to be discussing rape and rape culture and I want you to be aware that this may be a conversation that you find upsetting.

Sara-Jayne King, Presenter - CapeTalk

Rape and rape culture were thrust back into the spotlight recently when two very high profile DJs were accused of raping and drugging a woman, explains Sara-Jayne.

The alleged victim made the allegations on Twitter and later opened a case with the police.

But the situation as it played out on social media in the following days really seemed to shine a light on just why the country has long been known as the rape capital of the world, adds Sara-Jayne

I was horrified to see comments from an enormous number of people, mostly men, but also some women who attacked the alleged victim claimed she was targetting the two accused of monetary gain and worse that she deserved to be raped because she had been drinking on the night the alleged assault took place.

Sar-Jayne King, Presenter - CapeTalk

But what exactly do we mean when we talk about rape culture and what can we do to dismantle it our schools, workplaces, religious institutions, and ultimately the country, she asks?

Sara-Jayne talks to Rape Crisis director, Kathleen Day.

Sara-Jayne reads a powerful quote from the Shakesville blog describing rape culture:

Rape culture is telling girls and women to be careful about what you wear, how you wear it, how you carry yourself, where you walk, when you walk there, with whom you walk, whom you trust, what you do, where you do it, with whom you do it, what you drink, how much you drink, whether you make eye contact, if you're alone, if you're with a stranger, if you're in a group, if you're in a group of strangers, if it's dark, if the area is unfamiliar, if you're carrying something, how you carry it, what kind of shoes you're wearing in case you have to run, what kind of purse you carry, what jewelry you wear, what time it is, what street it is, what environment it is, how many people you sleep with, what kind of people you sleep with, who your friends are, to whom you give your number, who's around when the delivery guy comes, to get an apartment where you can see who's at the door before they can see you, to check before you open the door to the delivery guy, to own a dog or a dog-sound- making machine, to get a roommate, to take self-defense, to always be alert always pay attention always watch your back always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down for a moment lest you be sexually assaulted and if you are and didn't follow all the rules it's your fault

Shakesville, A feminist blog about politics, culture, social justice

Day says the quote is a powerful description of rape culture. She says the term rape culture is a 'borrowed' but useful term that came about from a study of rape on American campuses.

At Rape Crisis when we talk about rape culture we are talking about the myths and the stereotypes about rape, about sex, about gender, that feed a culture that allows rapists to get away with raping and that blames victims of rape.

Kathleen Day, Director - Rape Crisis

It is extraordinary how this culture allows victims of rape to be blamed, to be questioned, to be held under suspicion. There is no other crime really where the victim is so held up to question.

Kathleen Day, Director - Rape Crisis

Social media has become a way of victims exposing rape in a way that was not always possible in the past.

She says patriarchal society is so deeply embedded that both men and women uphold these stereotypes unconsciously without often even realising it.

Listen to the discussion below:

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