There are many myths and false beliefs about rape that can make things much worse for survivors. Here are some common myths, none of which are true:
- A healthy individual can resist a rapist if they really want to.
- If a woman goes home with a man it means that she wants to have sex.
- Women who walk around in revealing clothing are asking to be raped.
- Individuals who get raped are promiscuous.
- If an individual engages in kissing and petting and lets it get out of hand, it is their own fault if their partner forces sex on them.
- No means Yes.
- An individual causes their own rape by going into unsafe situations such as bars and bad neighborhoods.
- Women like men to be pushy and forceful.
- A “real man” pushes even when his partner says no.
- An aroused man cannot control himself.
- An individual who leads a man on deserves what they get.
- If a couple have had sex willingly, forced intercourse later is not rape.
- Men rape for sex..
|
- Increasing the trauma experienced by the rape survivor.
- Slowing down or preventing their recovery.
- Discouraging survivors from telling anybody about the incident or reporting it.
- Enabling rapists to avoid justice.
- Allowing us to minimise the effect of the rape on the survivor.
- Making the survivor take responsibility for the rape instead of the rapist.
- Denying the survivor the support and assistance that they need to heal from the experience of being raped.
If you are trying to help a rape survivor, it is important for you to think about whether you believe any of these myths. Most of us are brought up to believe these things.
In order to really understand what the survivor is going through, you need to recognise that you may have false beliefs. Once you have done this it will be easier to understand what your friend / daughter/son/ wife / girlfriend is going through.
Remember, rape is not the survivor’s fault, it’s the rapist’s. ” Don’t blame the survivor, BLAME THE RAPIST”. |
