Lean In Further: Ridiculous myths pollute the way we think about rape
The myth that false rape accusations are common is one that is perpetuated by society and by many people — usually men — on campus. College students think that 50 percent of rape accusations are false, and the number of unfounded rape accusations ranges from about 2 to 8 percent, according to The Huffington Post. An unfounded rape also does not mean that it was a false accusation. It could mean there wasn’t enough evidence to continue the investigation or the survivor retracted the story out of fear. So the number of actual false reports is likely lower.
While women can also rape, 98 percent of rapists are men. Men are far more likely to be the victim of a sexual assault or rape charge than they are to be falsely accused of it.
There is a myth that women have sex and, regretting it, claim they were raped in order to get back at a man. The belief that women somehow benefit from being labeled a victim is ridiculous and incredibly insulting. Reporting rape almost always guarantees that survivors will be put on trial for their actions. Questions are constantly asked about what they did to deserve being raped. Were they wearing seductive clothing? Were they flirting or drinking? Had they previously had a relationship with this person, or anyone for that matter?
There is a narrative that many people have about what makes a “real” rape victim. It is a woman, usually white, who was held at gunpoint by some man who hid in the bushes. We have a made-up idea of what a typical victim and rapist look like. Rapists aren’t some obvious-looking strangers; they are people that, in most cases, the survivor knows. Rapists can be friends or relatives. By forgetting that, we cannot see the perpetrators for who they truly are.
According to “Meet the Predators” by Thomas Millar, about 4 to 8 percent of the male population are rapists. The majority of rapists are serial offenders, with about six victims. Out of those men, the majority go after and attack intoxicated women, most of whom are acquaintances or friends.
When we hear the all-too-often story of “she had sex while drunk and regrets it,” that is not the case. What most likely happened is that she was targeted by a predator, whom she knows, and taken advantage of while unable to give consent because she was intoxicated. It is much more damaging to choose to believe an accused rapist than stand by the side of a survivor. Even when accused and convicted, rapists like Ma’Lik Richmond of the Steubenville case can return to play high school football and lead lives unscathed.
With the concern of not being believed, it is no wonder that 68 percent of rapes go unreported to the police. That number drops to 11 percent for women on college campuses. 98 percent of rapists will never even spend a day in jail.
Rape happens on college campuses, including Ohio University’s. About 1 in 4 to 1 in 5 women on campuses will experience an attempted or completed rape throughout the course of her college career. Women who live in sorority houses and in campus dorms are more likely to experience assault as well. It is time we stop doubting their stories.
The only way to combat these serial rapists from continuing their reign of assaults is by stopping them and by reporting them. But only when we create an environment where survivors are believed and feel safe to report can that happen.
Jessica Ensley is a senior studying journalism and an active member of F--kRapeCulture. Email her at je726810@ohio.edu.
