Citation

Kaiser DH. Kritika Explor. Russ. Eurasian Hist. 2002; 3(2): 197-216.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2002, Slavica Publishers)

DOI

10.1353/kri.2002.0022

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Does it matter who is speaking when rape is reported or described? Lynn A. Higgins and Brenda R. Silver argue that it "may be all that matters. Whether in the courts or the media, whether in art or criticism, who gets to tell the story and whose story counts as 'truth' determine the definition of what rape is." Applying social science strategies to modern societies, Colleen Ward has found evidence to confirm that the gender of the reporter is crucial to identifying and punishing rape. Survey data disclosed that, compared to women, "men are more accepting of rape myths, have less supportive attitudes toward rape victims, are more tolerant of rape, have less empathy toward victims, ... and are more blaming and denigrating of sexual assault victims." Echoing an argument made most powerfully by Susan Brownmiller, Ward connected the gender-differentiated understanding of rape to political and social cultural constructions.