Like what you've read?

On Line Opinion is the only Australian site where you get all sides of the story. We don't
charge, but we need your support. Here�s how you can help.

  • Advertise

    We have a monthly audience of 70,000 and advertising packages from $200 a month.

  • Volunteer

    We always need commissioning editors and sub-editors.

  • Contribute

    Got something to say? Submit an essay.


 The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
On Line Opinion logo ON LINE OPINION - Australia's e-journal of social and political debate

Subscribe!
Subscribe





On Line Opinion is a not-for-profit publication and relies on the generosity of its sponsors, editors and contributors. If you would like to help, contact us.
___________

Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

‘Post-feminist’ or ‘pro-rape’ culture?

By Anastasia Powell and Sheree Cartwright - posted Monday, 16 November 2009


Who could forget the “Werribee DVD” in 2006, and several other cases reported since, in which groups of young men have indecently or sexually assaulted girls and young women, only to record and distribute images of the assault for others’ viewing and apparent “entertainment”. In each of these examples, a woman’s consent has, in the minds of these men, been a “non-issue”. Consent isn’t even on their radar.

The voice of the “anti-consent”/“pro-rape” group also comes to light in less than a fortnight after this year’s annual, Australia-wide Reclaim the Night rally and march, which is held on the last Friday of October and is part of an international campaign to raise awareness of and stop violence against women.

However, despite campaigns such as Reclaim the Night (which has been held every year in Australia since the late 1970’s), and if these incidents are anything to go by, it appears we are far from a post-feminist culture. These two contradictory discourses and practices (“post-feminism” and “pro-rape”) appear to exist simultaneously today.

Advertisement

Indeed, in 2009, nearing a decade after the turn of the new century, gender equality and justice, and women’s liberation seem further out of reach than ever before. Even with new discourses espousing and celebrating so-called “choice”, “equality”, and “empowerment” that came from the second wave of feminism and advances in technology, gender equality has not been achieved. We are far from it. Those who claim we live in a gender equal society have their heads buried in the sand, or in their ivory towers. The weight of evidence speaks.

These incidents and the public discussion to date about dealing with this, reflect many things about us. Such as the gender struggle that continues to exist between women and men - and the effects takes many forms, which persist in the face of legislation and community campaigns. Not least of all is the sorry state of the current situation of gender inequality and sexual violence in Australia today. These issues need to be unpacked for starters.

They raise important questions about what lies beneath: How can both women and men challenge the oppression that comes from inequitable power and gender relations, which are sustained and reproduced through interactions in “physical spaces”, and now in “cyber space”? We might also ask: what has changed? What remains the same? What can we do about our reality?

Perhaps a key question today should be about what goals are useful to create a gender equal world, where there is less marginalisation and disadvantage to all women, children, teenagers and men? If this is worth striving for then we need a call for more community action.

We need to advocate for a zero tolerance to all forms of gender violence and inequality. We need to identify and acknowledge that a culture of gender inequality not only exists, but is perpetuated everyday - by way of not changing, challenging or deconstructing our perspectives about what we expect of “men” and “women” in terms of how we should “think” and “act”.

We need to draw attention to the values, ideologies and larger social forces, which will need to be better understood and addressed (for example, by legislation and policies) if any significant changes are to take place. We also need those men who oppose rape, and who actively negotiate their relationships with women on the basis of equality, respect and mutuality, to speak up and enter into these debates.

Advertisement

Perhaps then, we can imagine and create a more robust reality that is not skewed towards distorted expectations of women and men - as being mere sexual creatures in this debate - and which exist within a rigid “dominant”/“subordinate” dichotomy. More than ever, women and men need to work together to ensure a culture that is “anti-rape” and pro-equality in our real, everyday lives.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. All


Discuss in our Forums

See what other readers are saying about this article!

Click here to read & post comments.

93 posts so far.

Share this:
reddit this reddit thisbookmark with del.icio.us Del.icio.usdigg thisseed newsvineSeed NewsvineStumbleUpon StumbleUponsubmit to propellerkwoff it

About the Authors

Anastasia Powell teaches in the School of Social Sciences at La Trobe University.

Sheree Cartwright is writing her Doctoral thesis in the School of Global Studies, Social Science and Planning at RMIT University, on women’s paid work and family arrangements after childbirth.

Other articles by these Authors

All articles by Anastasia Powell
All articles by Sheree Cartwright

Creative Commons LicenseThis work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.

Photo of Anastasia PowellAnastasia PowellPhoto of Sheree CartwrightSheree Cartwright
Article Tools
Comment 93 comments
Print Printable version
Subscribe Subscribe
Email Email a friend
Advertisement

About Us Search Discuss Feedback Legals Privacy