The Rape of Europa is a myth that carries the same theme as many other myths related to Zeus. Zeus sees a young maiden and is struck by her beauty. He wants to have his way with her, but he fears his wife Hera finding out. To overcome this, he takes the form of a beautiful white bull and seduces Europa to climb onto his back. Once she is on his back, he takes her out to sea to the island of Crete, where he can impregnate her without Hera intervening. Out of this affair would come three sons that would all have a significant impact on both Crete and Greece.
Before diving into the essential aspects of this myth, it is important to discuss the importance of this myth. The word rape in today’s language carries with it a harshly negative connotation,
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However, not every piece of artwork can convey the necessary elements to clearly depict a story or myth. The object of the artwork plays the most significant role in determining how an artist will show their work. Dance, theatre, paintings, statues, and even song are only a few of the possibilities an artist can choose from. For any piece of work an artist might try a variety of styles to find the one that works best with the chosen theme. Certain styles can be associated with time periods or places, like in the early B.C.E artists mostly created pottery and small statues or how the term baroque is used to describe artwork from Western Europe from 1600-1750 C.E. Even a story can have a specific style used most often to tell or show it.
For the Rape of Europa, it is obvious a particular medium is best suited for conveying the essential elements in the story and it is paintings. The myth is not long or drawn out and there are only a few key elements needed to portray it. There is only one major scene, being when Europa is on the bulls back, that is depicted. Since there is only one scene, a single painting is able to express everything needed to be a successful depiction. Therefore, much of the artwork pertaining to the Rape of Europa are
Rape is devastating to its victims. I feel as if this statement should stand alone, underlined and in bold typeface. It is crucial that we, as a society, come to a deep understanding and awareness of this message. For that reason, I will state it again:
Many of the attitudes, beliefs, and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. By looking at myths, such as “women ask for it,” and “it would do some women good to get raped,” from a historical perspective, lead us for better understanding how they evolved. Women are still seen as the property of men, are protected as such. Men and women are still taught to occupy very different roles in today’s world. Men are usually more aggressive, and women are seen as passive. (Vogelman) This socialization process is changing, but slowly.
Thesis: It is crucial to expose the “poisonous” consequences that are a direct result of a lenient society that allows rape culture to prevail.
“Rape Myths and Facts.” Student’s Center for Health. West Virginia University. Web. The Web.
This book gives a great overview of what rape is and how it affects women. It mentions how rape is a crime of violence and not a crime of passion. It also talks about how women deal with rape and how to help them. It also goes through the politic...
In the article, Rape, Racism, and the Myth of the Black Rapist, the author, Angela Davis, discusses on the creation of the myth of the black rapist. This article brings two main ideas together to in order to make a valid argument to why both claims are false and hold no legitimacy. Davis argues that one was created in order to cover up for the other I order to veil the true offenders of sexual abuse. Davis also elaborates on the issue by adding to the argument and stating that white women are also being affected by these myths in a negative way because of the women’s bodies are being perceived as a right.
It is not a topic that is brought up often, especially at schools or at gatherings, yet it is crucial that everyone be educated, or at least informed on a topic that affects women every day. “Given that sexual violence continues to occur at high rates in the United States, it is vital that we understand attitudes and cultural norms that serve to minimize or foster tolerance of sexual violence” (Aosved, 481). Growing rates of sexual violence goes to prove that it is not taken seriously by many, especially when myths excuse the actions of the perpetrator and instead guilt victims into thinking they are responsible for the horrible act. Burt (1980), in her article titled, “Cultural myths and support for rape” attempts to make sense of the importance of stereotypes and myths, defined as prejudicial, stereotypes, or false beliefs about rape, rape victims and rapists- in creating a climate hostile to rape victims (Burt, 217). Examples of rape myths are such sayings as “only bad girls get raped”; “women ask for it”; “women cry rape” (Burt, 217). This only goes to prove that rape myths against women always blame and make it seem like it is the women’s fault she was raped and that she deserved it for “acting” a certain way. McMahon (2007), in her article titled, “Understanding community-specific rape myths” explains how Lonsway and Fitzgerald (1994) later described rape myths as “attitudes and beliefs that are generally
Traditional sex scripts of men and women create for a rape-supportive culture (Check & Malamuth, 1983). Rape is a logical extension of our sex role socialization process that legitimized coercive sexuality. Through these scripts men are taught to take initiative and persist attempts of sexual intimacy. Traits of dominance, aggression and violence are idolized (Martin, Taft & Resick, 2007). Women, on the other hand, are taught to not indicate their sexual interest or engage freely in sexuality. They should possess qualities of being passive, submissive and sexual gatekeepers (Martin, Taft & Resick, 2007).
Many of the attitudes, beliefs, and mistaken ideas about rape have been with us for centuries. By looking at myths, such as “women ask for it,” and “women secretly enjoy rape,” from a historical perspective, can lead us for better understanding how they evolved. Much stems back to the idea that women are still seen as the property of men, and are protected as such. Men and women are still taught to occupy very different roles in today’s world. Men a...
...room for improvement. The second perspective that also influences the development of rape culture are myths and societal conceptions of sexual assault, rape, and victims. Kahlor and Morrison, authors of TV Rape Myth, suggest that two of the main myths are the notion that victims “asked for it”, whether by dressing a certain way or behaving flirtatiously, and that some women lie and “claim rape” after regretting consensual sex.
Rape and rape culture have been a longstanding issue in American society. Looking at modern influences such as the media, our nation’s history, and the way our Consider the following: How has rape culture evolved through our history? What role does the media play in rape culture? And most importantly, how has rape become institutionalized in American society?
In today’s society marital rape, acquaintance rape, and stranger rape, is a huge crime all around the world. There is a difference between marital rape, acquaintance rape, and stranger rape. Martial rape is when a spouse forces you to have sexual intercourse without ones consent, and it is expected that the wife does her “duty” as a wife to have sex with her husband. An acquaintance rape is with someone that you just met, or dated in the past, or even a fiancé. Stranger rape occurs when someone that you’ve never met forces sexual intercourse upon someone without consent. Because of our patriarchal society, marital rape has become an accepted and overlooked part of society. Whether rape is a crime of sex, sexism or dominance, it is a serious crime and must not be taken lightly. The effects that it has on the individual getting assaulted are not only physical, but mentally damaging.
The mere thought of “rape” will yield a reasonable reaction from a majority of individuals. With expressions like: how could they? or, what a monster! and countless similar assertions. We often envision a bizarre scene with an unknown intruder on a dark blissful evening, jumping out of an open window and assaulting an unsuspected victim. However, that is not necessarily the case with rape victims. Oftentimes, it is those persons a survivor is familiar with and considers their friends or family that carry out these deplorable acts. In the fairy inspired Maleficent, the 1959 adaptation of the Sleeping Beauty. The scene of Maleficent’s wings being severed by an old friend while unconscious is an analogy for rape. Alluding the sentiments many
The society we live in is rape-conducive, rape-friendly, if you will. Despite the anger I feel joining those two words together, I know the sad paradox holds within it a great deal of truth. We are a violent society that has shrouded rape in mystery and shame. To stop this nightmare’s venomous crusades, all people must wage a private war to eradicate their own acceptance of the savage crime. While it is only a minority of men that actually commit rape, it is everyone’s silence that tells them it’s ok.
The topic of marital rape, is an arduous topic due to the fact that it is a detestable act of ascendancy committed by a companion. Rape, in itself, is defined as the unlawful compelling of a person through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse; it is deemed to be an act of possession and control versus an act of fulfilment from the individual consenting the action. So many times we hear of rape cases committed by complete strangers, or even by a trusted individual. Many people tend to think that rape happens to everyone, but according to studies women suffer more as victims that men do. In this paper, we will discuss how rape is not a crime of sex, but a crime of sexism, and how our patriarchal culture system leads to the acceptance of rape in marriage.