As humans, we are all susceptible to being victims of violence. However, as a society, we have created the notion that women are the people most susceptible to violence and that men are the people most likely to be the perpetrators of violence. These perceptions of the interaction between gender and violence can be seen throughout institutions in society. While it is simple to follow these notions, gendered violence and perceptions of violence are actually harmful to both men and women. In this essay, I will be using various research sources to support this and emphasize the importance of dispelling these perceptions. Jocelyn Hollander introduced two new terms to help explain how violence is gendered. When considering how violence is discussed,
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When one thinks of who would be considered dangerous, men of color who are strangers pose the biggest threat. However, women are also thought to be dangerous when their ability to falsely accuse a man of rape is considered. This frame of thought is problematic for both men and women. Although men are assumed to be more dangerous because of the association of aggressiveness and masculinity, they are also the ones most likely to be victimized, not women. Hollander explains “men’s risk of experiencing violence is much higher than women’s, both overall and for every type of violence except sexual assault” (84). However, this is not reflected in fear levels. Despite their reported risk levels being lower, we discussed three reasons Kimmel believed women express more fear than men did. For one, there is underreporting of violence against women. This means that the rates at which women are victimized are likely higher than reported. For two, women experience harassment every day. This can lead to the feeling that one is always going to be harassed, even when the situation does not reflect this possibility. Finally, the media plays a large role in perpetuating women’s fear of victimization. There are devastatingly high numbers of depictions of violence against women in virtually all forms of mass media, especially in the news and in the entertainment industry. This can stress the prevalence of violence …show more content…
The three approaches she uses to try and understand sexual assault are to look it on the individual level, the organizational level, and the interactional level. On the individual level, sexual assault on college campuses are a result of “perpetrator or victim characteristics such as gender role attitudes, personality, family background, or sexual history” (Armstrong; 484). For example, men who commit sexual assault are likely to feel hostility toward women, use verbal pressure as a way to obtain sex, and have multiple consensual sexual partners. In contrast, victims of sexual assault tend to have characteristics of college women. However, there are women that are more vulnerable to sexual assault because of their characteristics. These women tend to be white, are prior victims of sexual assault, are first-years in college, or are more sexually active than their non-victim counterparts are. The second level she uses is the organizational level. This level looks at “rape culture”, which developed during the second wave of feminism. The rape culture approach analyzes sexual assault “as a consequence of widespread belief in ‘rape myths,’ or ideas about the nature of men, women, sexuality, and consent that create an environment conducive to rape” (Armstrong; 485). For example, the victim blaming aspect of rape and the tendency to accept men disrespecting women because they
When one thinks of who would be considered dangerous, men of color who are strangers pose the biggest threat. However, women are also thought to be dangerous when their ability to falsely accuse a man of rape is considered. This frame of thought is problematic for both men and women. Although men are assumed to be more dangerous because of the association of aggressiveness and masculinity, they are also the ones most likely to be victimized, not women. Hollander explains “men’s risk of experiencing violence is much higher than women’s, both overall and for every type of violence except sexual assault” (84). However, this is not reflected in fear levels. Despite their reported risk levels being lower, we discussed three reasons Kimmel believed women express more fear than men did. For one, there is underreporting of violence against women. This means that the rates at which women are victimized are likely higher than reported. For two, women experience harassment every day. This can lead to the feeling that one is always going to be harassed, even when the situation does not reflect this possibility. Finally, the media plays a large role in perpetuating women’s fear of victimization. There are devastatingly high numbers of depictions of violence against women in virtually all forms of mass media, especially in the news and in the entertainment industry. This can stress the prevalence of violence …show more content…
The three approaches she uses to try and understand sexual assault are to look it on the individual level, the organizational level, and the interactional level. On the individual level, sexual assault on college campuses are a result of “perpetrator or victim characteristics such as gender role attitudes, personality, family background, or sexual history” (Armstrong; 484). For example, men who commit sexual assault are likely to feel hostility toward women, use verbal pressure as a way to obtain sex, and have multiple consensual sexual partners. In contrast, victims of sexual assault tend to have characteristics of college women. However, there are women that are more vulnerable to sexual assault because of their characteristics. These women tend to be white, are prior victims of sexual assault, are first-years in college, or are more sexually active than their non-victim counterparts are. The second level she uses is the organizational level. This level looks at “rape culture”, which developed during the second wave of feminism. The rape culture approach analyzes sexual assault “as a consequence of widespread belief in ‘rape myths,’ or ideas about the nature of men, women, sexuality, and consent that create an environment conducive to rape” (Armstrong; 485). For example, the victim blaming aspect of rape and the tendency to accept men disrespecting women because they