To be clear, this man has not yet been tried and is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Only the court can determine whether he is guilty or not guilty. Please do not speculate about his guilt or innocence in the comments as this could jeopardise the trial. The following commentary is not about this case, it is specifically and only about how men’s violence against women is reported in the media.
This man is not charged with having “sex” because “sex” is not a crime. Sex is something people choose to do together, with everyone involved fully able and willing to consent.
Rape is something a person chooses to do to another person without their consent, there is no mutual agreement or consent involved.
Sex and rape are not the same thing, and they are not words we can use interchangeably. When we blur that line, we cloud everyone’s ability to see what separates sex and rape – violence, force, coercion, intimidation, and a rapist’s choice to ignore consent.
This is one of the many ways in which men’s violence against women is minimised in the media and it contributes to the public perception that rape is nothing more than sex gone wrong. It is not. There is no fine line or grey area.
Rape. Is. Not. Sex.
Want to know more about the myths that contribute to this?
BOOKS
Jane Gilmore’s books, Fixed it: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media, Teaching Consent, and Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children are available now with free shipping inside Australia if you purchase from: www.JaneGilmore.com/books
PODCAST
Also available now is the Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children Podcast in which Jane invites expert guest on the show to explore agism, women’s unpaid work, consent, power and silence, and coercive control. Find out more here.
FixedIt is an ongoing project to push back against the media’s constant erasure of violent men and blaming of innocent victims. If you would like to help fund it – even $5 a month makes a big difference – please consider becoming a Patron
Helplines
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