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.
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