Jason Evert of the Chastity Project agrees . . . that a “rape culture” exists today, especially on many college campuses. However, he believes that many of the activists sounding the alarm are unaware of or unwilling to address some of its deepest roots.
“For example,” he said, “many colleges sponsor a ‘sex week’ on campus that glorifies a hook-up culture that encourages students to use one another … as long as the using is consensual. At such festivals, contraceptives are hailed as safe, responsible and liberating, while workshops are offered on pornography, sex toys and BDSM [bondage, domination, sadism and masochism].”
At the same time, he said, incoming freshmen get complimentary condoms at orientation, along with reminders not to leave their drinks unattended at parties, all in the interest of creating a “sex-positive” culture.
“Whenever human sexuality is promoted in a manner that divorces it from the demands of authentic human love, it is inevitable that people will be used in various ways, including rape.”
Sue Ellen Browder, a former freelance writer for Cosmopolitan magazine and author of Subverted: How I Helped the Sexual Revolution Hijack the Women’s Movement (Ignatius Press), concurred.
“The media is constantly telling men in our culture, ‘It’s your life. It’s all about you; do what you please. It’s all about your pleasure; fulfill your desires,’” she said. “It’s telling women the same thing; and if they don’t dress sexy to attract a man, they’re not liberated and free. When the two come together, what happens? Violence against women, more rape and more sexual assault.”
