Sexual Violence and Patriarchy
Rape is a fate worse than death. Consider carefully the term 'rape' and its implications. Would anyone ever say that rape is acceptable? From the most complacent patriarch to the angriest feminist , all would declare rape to be a terrible crime. But the apparent consensus is mythical as the reasons behind arriving at this opinion are diametrically opposite. For patriarchal forces , rape is evil because it is a crime against the honor of the family , whereas feminists denounce rape because it is a crime against the autonomy and bodily integrity of a woman. This difference in understanding rape naturally leads differential proposals to fight rape. In the patriarchal perspective , rape is a fate worse than death ; there is no normal life possible for a raped woman. Thus the way to avoid rape is to lock woman up in homes , within the family , under patriarchal controls. In this understanding the raped woman is responsible for the crime against her as she 'dared to cross the la