Nicole+R’s+2015+OpEd+Article



"Carry your keys in your hand like this, Put them in between your fingers,  And make a fist."

"Go with a group if you are out past eight, If you don't, you decide your own fate"

"Don't leave your drink unattended at the bar. Don't lead men on, they may take it too far."

You have heard these terms before haven't you? Spoken by adults, family and friends. This is where injustice begins, And persecution of rape ends.

Men should be offended, When we are teaching women not to get raped. It's like it is in their blood, To treat women like a piece of fleshy steak.

"She was asking for it", Well that's one big mistake. One cannot be asking for it, By definition of rape.

Boys and men are raped too, But it is not the same. They don't get asked "Were you drunk? What were you wearing?" .... They get asked for their name.

Even schools are now singing the song, "Cover up your shoulders, Your skirt must be 18 inches long" "It's inappropriate to show your skin. It is an invitation, to let boys in."

BUT RAPE HAS NO DRESS CODE.

We, Americans chant, "//Land of the free and home of the brave//" Yet half the population can't go out at night. They are locked down, they are being chained. Held down, not able to fight. Chained by their fears, chained by their worries, Chained by the lone thought of rape. Walking down the street she constantly hurries, Because if she doesn't her life might be at stake.

We live in a world where the victim must have made the mistake.

We live in a world where we blame the victim for what went wrong.

We live in a world where yelling FIRE is more effective than yelling RAPE.

We live in a world where sexual harassment has been atoned for, for far too long.

Sexual assault has penetrated our way of living. To the point where we slut shame women, even if they said no to giving. It has slithered its way into our media and radio, Where we sing a song, with a meaning we don't even know.

Rape is no longer behind closed doors or in a dark alley way. Rape is now represented through "blurred lines" with visions of "fifty shades of grey"

I hope to expose the light upon you, And dare you to take in what you see. We need to fight the oppression, And I want you all to join me.

This is not all feminism and this is not all lies. This is our world, conjuring up its own demise.

Now watch carefully day by day, And now you will finally see, The heinous crimes, That we let run free.

We are now seeing truth,

Through the eyes of the vulture.

Because this...

This...is //rape culture.//