The Bullsheet

In response to Everett,

First, I would like to acklowledge the positive message you created in your bullsheet article. While I thank you for your contribution to rape discussion, I cannot help but feel that your entry only scraped the surface of rape’s enormous influence.

In your article, you were rightfully disgusted and seemingly surprised to discover that rape happens “all the time” at Denison. Unfortunately, rape is not just the reality of this miniscule population of students, but also the reality of rape as a general issue everywhere. While I agree that a cost of 500 dollars for ruphie testing is repulsive, I must also point out that “blatant” rapes involving ruphies or any other type of drug only encompass a mere fraction of sexual assaults on this campus. I regret to inform anyone who might not already know that rape on this campus is most often NOT from ruphies or any other type of date rape drug. In fact, rape commonly grows and multiplies its disgusting self through the very activity we college students deem to be stress relieving. …Parties. Unfortunately, ALCOHOL has become the new rape drug as it has excused countless acts of sexual assault through the “blurred mental state of intoxication.” Intoxication? Is that the new ruphie? Well, apparently so. Sadly, at least three of my friends on this campus, as well as many other women I know have fallen victim to rape that has been downplayed by alcohol and “situational factors.” These women have been made to feel that they were not victims of rape, simply because in our society, rape is defined as either a black or white issue that has no pity for those stuck in the grey. I guess its just tough lovin’ for my friend who had to re-arrange her room twice before she could even begin to erase the association between her bed and the “middle ground” rape excused by alcohol and “poor decision making” that occurred in her dorm. Bullshit.

I wish we lived in a world where true friends supported you if you chose to voice a rape. Again, I regret to inform you that it is not a simple matter of friends vs. foes. Again, I witnessed the process my friend had to go through when she made the brave decision to speak out about her rape. While you might imagine that this process proves who ones’ true friends are, I can assure you that the process of standing up to rape is so much more scarring. Out of the three women I spoke of earlier, only one chose to come forward. Anyone know why? Because every other woman I have ever known who chose to come forward after being raped within the realm of intoxicated “grey” situations not only lost many of her friends, but was also put through a process that was in fact public, humiliating and forever emotionally scarring. So you see, convicting a rape is not a one time event that erases itself in a month and leaves you with “true” friends. In strong contrast, the experience and rarely subsequent conviction of rape is a long, grueling process that alienates a woman and creates an element of guilt within her for the rest of her life.

So, in this response to your entry, I only intend to extend the definition of rape only to show that rape is often masked by situations that may appear to be normal, college occurrences. I think its important to remember that rape grows in many forms and extends its branches everywhere and in every way. However I do agree with you, Everett, that rape has now become “cool and ordinary” occurrence, creating a phenomenon disguised by the commonality of party hook-ups. Unfortunately, the definition of rape has become so narrow that it excludes all but few circumstances.

Marge Curtis
curtis_m@denison.edu
8789