Rape Stereotypes and Misrepresentation in Fantasy Media

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The current mistreatment of rape on Game of Thrones (2011) encourages damaging rape stereotypes. Rape in fantasy setting is nothing new. If anything, it is the norm. Most fantasy settings are loosely based on the Middle Ages, in which rape was prevalent. Some writers even claim it would be "dishonest" to not show rape in their stories. (Hibberd & Martin, 2015, para. 7) There is nothing outright wrong with portraying rape, but it is becoming increasingly common to simply include rape for shock value, and then moving on with no real consequences.
Many medieval fantasy settings include rape. Video game series such as Dragon Age (2009) and The Witcher (2007) include quests of the protagonist saving women from being raped. The Fionavar Tapestry (Kay, 1995) novels include a woman being raped by a shapeshifter who takes the form of her father, priest, and her past …show more content…

The answer is simple, as explained by Casey Cipriani from IndieWire; "Sexual violence is very, very real. You don 't go about your day expecting to be beheaded, but the reality is that it 's not only possible but likely that a woman will be or has been raped in her lifetime." (2015, para. 15) A rape victim watching a brutal rape on television can be triggered, having the memories of their past brought back for them, making them relive the traumatic experience.
Sexual violence in fantasy, especially a television program as high profile as Game of Thrones, can have damaging effects on society when portrayed poorly. In America it is estimated there are 293,000 victims of sexual assault each year. (RAINN) Game of Thrones not only risks making a portion of their viewers relive a traumatic experience simply for shock value, but in it 's repeated misuse of the sensitive topic it is encouraging rape stereotypes and desensitizes society to an issue that is already largely

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