The Washington Post Encourages Rape Culture

By Carl Gibson, Reader Supported News

10 June 14

emember Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock, the frighteningly misogynist candidates for the US Senate who thankfully lost their elections? George Will just wrote something that made them look like moderates. And one of the nation’s leading newspapers of record published it.

George Will is often the token conservative op-ed columnist for the Washington Post. It’s understandable that they feel the need to provide a variety of perspectives as a nationally-read, credible news source, but it’s entirely different to provide a nationwide platform for a rape apologist to demean the experiences of millions of college students. In his most recent column this past weekend, George Will made the argument that America’s campuses are damned because rape survivors lie about being raped just to have a ‘coveted status with privileges.’”

A friend of mine in college was raped on campus once. She told me about the horrible experience rape survivors like her have and the profound effect it has on their lives. After surviving the ordeal, she was faced with the choice of either reporting it or allowing her rapist to go unpunished. When she reported it, she went through the entirely separate ordeal of reliving the experience to a bunch of skeptical, mostly male college administrators whose main concern was the university’s image and the effect it would have on recruiting new students.

While she pressed for punishment and public accountability, administrators stalled and dragged their feet, asking her what she was wearing that night, how much she drank, her prior relationship with her rapist, whether or not her attacker was clear on his lack of consent, and if she understood how severe the impact would be on her rapist’s life and future if he were formally charged with rape. Ultimately, nothing happened: her rapist continued to walk free on campus, and my friend continues to struggle with depression. I can guarantee she doesn't consider herself “privileged” as a result of her experience. And I doubt George Will would feel the same way if his wife or daughter were a survivor of a sexual assault.

Will’s column inspired the hashtag #SurvivorPrivilege, in which survivors of rape shared their harrowing experiences openly on Twitter.

“Being trolled by men who threaten rape & murder when we talk about our experiences, then being mocked for feeling unsafe. #SurvivorPrivilege” -@Bullhorngirl

“Received a tweet 2day saying I must want to be raped again, since I don't want to carry a gun or learn self-defense. #survivorprivilege” -@ofthestardust

“#survivorprivilege even though it's been 20 years, my #Rape STILL haunts me and when I try to talk about it, I'm told to GET OVER IT” -@KrystinaJ1

“#survivorprivilege is not sleeping tonight” -@Scolastik

“learning to stay soberish publicly b/c people touching me ("flirtatiously" or accidentally) triggers shakes after 2 beers #survivorprivilege” -@constantnatalie

One symptom of rape culture is prominent voices in the media serving as rape apologists, implying that the apologist’s view is the acceptable norm. Another is attacking the victims of a horrible crime for being treated differently from people who haven’t survived a horrible experience. Another is constantly policing girls in high school about the length of their shorts and skirts, and never once spending any time educating boys on the concept of consent. Another is a litany of media deceiving boys into thinking that taking control and not asking for consent is masculine and attractive to women, or that putting rophynol in a woman’s drink is the norm at parties and bars. The list goes on.

For clearer evidence of rape culture, look no further than India, which just elected Narendra Modi, an outspoken misogynist, as Prime Minister. One member of Modi’s party, who oversees the state of Madhya Pradesh, went on record about rape, saying “sometimes it’s right, sometimes it’s wrong.” Just recently, the home minister of the Chhattisgarh state, who is also a member of Modi’s party, said rapes happen “accidentally.” India’s rape culture reared its ugly head in Western professional sports when, back in 2003, pro golfer Vijay Singh said he would withdraw his name from the PGA tour if Swede Annika Sorenstam were allowed to play with male golfers.

Before Narendra Modi’s election, India had long since been grappling with a rash of violent gang rapes and other horrendous crimes against women. A violent gang rape on a bus in 2012 spurred massive street protests demanding a stop to violence against women and accountability for her attackers. Just recently, two girls, ages 14 and 15, were gang raped and hanged from a mango tree. As people were protesting this latest misogynist attack, Indian riot police responded with water cannons. It isn’t hard to make the connection that extreme rape culture translates to extreme attacks on women. The Washington Post is recklessly encouraging rape culture by allowing Will to remain on staff. For Will and his editor to have continued careers at the Post, the paper has taken the position that it’s reasonable to question whether survivors of rape are sincere. The fact the Post has published and has still not retracted Will's column implies that it is legitimate discourse to suggest that rape isn't all that bad because rape survivors have a “coveted status.” Ultimately, the longer we all collectively read the Post or buy products made by the Post’s advertisers, the more we implicitly endorse those views.

If the Washington Post wants to get back into America's good graces and be considered a valid newspaper of record rather than a publisher of columns written by rape apologists, it simply needs to fire the rape apologist writing for them and the editor who allowed his dreck to be published.

Carl Gibson, 26, is co-founder of US Uncut, a nationwide creative direct-action movement that mobilized tens of thousands of activists against corporate tax avoidance and budget cuts in the months leading up to the Occupy Wall Street movement. Carl and other US Uncut activists are featured in the documentary "We're Not Broke," which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. He currently lives in Madison, Wisconsin. You can contact him at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and follow him on twitter at @uncutCG.

Reader Supported News is the Publication of Origin for this work. Permission to republish is freely granted with credit and a link back to Reader Supported News.