Rape

When we think of sexual assault, the last thing we should
think about is television. Unfortunately, it may be one of the first things to
cross our minds.

The fact of the matter is, if you ask a random person about
sexual assault, they might tell you the extent of their expertise is a “Law and
Order: SVU” marathon they caught over holiday break. In these episodes, we’re
taken through a horrific crime, a thrilling suspension of habeas corpus by
Detective Spitzer, and a tear-jerking closing argument in the courtroom. The
accused sits apprehensively next to his lawyers and awaits the verdict. Guilty
or innocent. Jail or freedom. Right or wrong.

There are four major problems with this.

1. Shows like this frame sexual assault as a judiciary issue
rather than a moral one.

by Colleen Jameson

1. Don't put drugs in people's drinks in order to control their behavior.

2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!

3. If you pull over to help someone with car problems, remember not to
assault them!

4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.

5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON'T ASSAULT THEM!

6. Remember, people go to laundry to do their laundry, do not attempt to

The international community has been shocked by a recent South African study, headlined in the respected Mail & Guardian and picked up by The Huffington Post, which found that 1 in 4 men admitted to rape.

by Cameron Van Patterson

These words are for the men of South Africa and the world. They were inspired by the following article http://www.mg.co.za/article/2009-06-18-quarter-of-men-in-south-africa-admit-rape

What is a “good man”? It’s a difficult question, one that has already been asked by activist and scholar Jackson Katz, and referenced in my friend and colleague Gordon Braxton’s first blog post. Simply not being a rapist oneself cannot be good enough. There must be a higher standard: are we living up to it? Although most of us do not directly hurt others, we do participate in a culture that devalues women, perpetuates gender inequality, and protects a tradition of violence.

MenSpeakUp is to Harvard Men Against Rape what Hulu is to NBC... We started Harvard Men Against Rape (HMAR) back in 2003, as an anti-sexual violence group to focus on integrating men into the fixing this very big problem that affects all of us in so many ways.  

That year, some guys from my fraternity and I showed up at some of the “Take Back the Night” week events.  I’m sure one of our female classmates asked us to go, and at that point, we thought it’d just be one of those things you show up to, hang out with your friends, show some support, and then forget about later.