Rape-Splaining: 10 Examples of Victim Blaming
TRIGGER WARNING: discussions of rape, abusive and offensive language.
The tragic case in December of 2012 of a 12-year-old girl raped at gunpoint by three teenage boys in Chicago sparked outrage and horror. This month, after Cook County prosecutors announced the boys will face charges as adults, many in the public have spoken out in support of the victim—but social media is unfortunately also rife with victim blaming and slut shaming.
This is “rape-splaining”—attempting to explain away cases of rape and assault. Rape-splaining is an all-too-common phenomenon that perpetuates a rape culture that excuses sexual misconduct.
Here’s a list of the top 10 examples of rape-splaining, as exemplified by comments made on blogs, social media sites and other forums. When you hear one of these excuses, don’t let it just pass: speak out.