The horror of the Cornell rape case is how ordinary it is | Moira Donegan
Many men rape; many men giggle encouragingly, or shrug indifferently, when their friends rape. Many men rape, and few seem to think that it’s a very big deal Maybe more than anything else, sexual violence is repetitive. Men commit it in patterns: mostly against women who are close by and vulnerable, just below them on some social hierarchy: their assistant, their date, their friend, their…
According to Moira Donegan, a Guardian US columnist, the horror of the Cornell rape case lies in its ordinariness. Many men rape, and some giggle or shrug when their friends commit the act. Sexual violence appears to be a repetitive pattern, with men targeting vulnerable women who are close to them socially – their assistants, dates, friends, daughters, students, or babysitters.
Men commit these acts because they see opportunities and because it boosts their status. They often fail to recognize the difference between sex they've had that was rape and sex that wasn't. They may not even register their victims' unwillingness, expressing vague contempt instead. Donegan emphasizes that men often do not seem to register the gravity of their actions, seeing it as an ordinary part of their behavior.
She advises readers seeking information and support for rape or sexual abuse issues to contact organizations such as Rainn in the US, Rape Crisis in the UK, or 1800Respect in Australia. The source does not attribute any specific details, names, or figures to the allegations.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian US's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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