Research Paper On Slut Shaming

1025 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How does social media affect gender roles in society

Slut Shaming: A War On Women Whore and Slut, two words that seemed to have forced their way out of the mouths of hundreds of girls in the last decade. Often enough, these words are used to berate and tear down other girls for acting a certain way, dressing in a way that is considered “provocative”, or having more than one sexual partner: an act called Slut-Shaming. According to the author Jessica Valenti, “I was called a slut when I didn 't have a boyfriend and kissed a random boy at a party. . .I was called a slut when I wore a bikini on a weekend trip with high school friends. It seems the word slut can be applied to any activity that doesn 't include knitting, praying, or sitting perfectly still lest any sudden movements be deemed whorish” …show more content…

Victims often find that they have to deal with a lot of harassment even after being shamed. For example, some men will come onto girls who have a reputation of being ‘sluts’ because they think the girls are going to be ‘easy’ and ‘into it”; thus, slut shaming can ruin how people, especially men, perceive and treat a women. Slut shaming can also increase rape culture by discrediting a women’s allegation of rape due to her sexual history. In so many cases where rape is reported, officers and lawyers attack the victims by questioning how they were dressed prior to being rape, how they acted, were they being ‘promiscuous’, or were they flirting with their rapist; if any of the above questions were answered “yes” they would claim the victim was “asking for it”. In the Steubenville rape case, a 16 year old girl was recorded being raped by two football players at a party. The footage was later sent to other classmates and quickly spread throughout the whole school; as a result of the “stigma surrounding sexual assault, she [the victim] was labeled as a slut and viciously tormented by her classmates,” (Nelson, 3). In cases like these, girls are slut-shamed for being victims of sexual

Show More
Related

  • The Hunting Ground Summary

    607 Words  | 2 Pages

    When university or police find out about the sexual assault, they immediately blame the victim or question what the victim was wearing, drinking, or doing. “Brownmiller identified four basic rape myths: (1) All women want to be raped; (2) a woman cannot be raped against her will; (3) a woman who is raped is asking for it; and (4) if a woman is going to be raped, she might as well enjoy it” (Helgeson, 2012, p. 432). In The Hunting Ground, the rape myth, which a woman who is raped is asking for it, is seen throughout the testimonies of the survivors. Clark, herself, was told by her dean that “rape is like a football game” and asked if “looking back, what would you have done differently?” (Ziering & Dick, 2015). These rape myths affect how many victims actually report and how seriously sexual assaults are taken within universities and the justice system. For example, some women, themselves, subscribe to rape myths because they see how current cases are handled. “Women who did not physically fight off the person who raped them and who subscribed to the rape myth that “it can’t be rape if a woman doesn’t fight back” were less likely to acknowledge that they had been raped” (Helgeson, 2012, p. 434). Universities need to teach first-year students about consent and how to

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Leora Tanenbaum's 'I M Not A Slut'

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    Before social media was ever a thing, there was not much meaning when a girl was singled out and called a slut. When called a slut, the girl definitely knew that she as was being bullied and harassed. However, today the word “slut” is so casually used that it is almost like greeting someone. “Through the “slut” greeting, girls and young women hail each other the way police officers hails the citizens” (Tanenbaum, 2015, pg.113). It has been so widely used by many girls that

    Read More

  • All Men Are Created Equal: Except Women

    1347 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most horrible things that has erupted from the subjugation of women is rape culture. Rape culture is the downplaying of the crime of rape to appease the violator, the accusation that the victim made a choice that led to their rape, or even jokes that suggest rape. According to Jessica Valenti’s, “In Rape Tragedies, the Shame Is Ours,” in today's world many people give in to rape culture by participating in these acts that somehow change our mindsets into believing that, “it is more shameful to be raped than to be a rapist”. Once ...

    Read More

  • Integrative Shaming Theory

    1162 Words  | 3 Pages

    The proposed theoretical framework that works best with drinking under the influence is the Reintegrative Shaming Theory. At the core of the Reintegrative Shaming Theory is the need to shame individuals engaged in criminal activities. However, the shaming has to function within the context of a criminal justice system. The theory premises that tolerance of crime is a pre-requisite for the worsening of illegal activities (Hay, 2001). Secondly, the theory connotes that stigmatization inherent to the shaming of crime is disrespectful because it tends to outcast individuals from the general community, which is a pre-requisite for further rebellion. Additionally, the best theory of re-integrative shaming is the “disapproval of an act within a continuum of respect for the offender, disapproval terminated by the ritual of forgiveness [leading to] crime prevention” (Dansie, 2011, pp. 71). The proposed Re-integrative Shaming Theoretical approach identifies that shaming (or social disapproval) creates emotional distress on the offender. The scope and extent of the shame are bound to vary because different people respond differently to shaming. However, standardization of the structured shaming may

    Read More

  • The Just World Theory Of Criminology

    1019 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexual assault and rape are a serious epidemic in today’s society; statistics show that one in five women will be the victim of rape or attempted rape in their lives. (United Nations Development Fund for Women, 2008). And the reporting of sexual assault to the police is exceptionally low and few offenders are successfully prosecuted this leads to a lack of support and education within the community. (Madeleine van der Bruggen,

    Read More

  • Sluts and Lesbians: More Alike than Different in a Society of Labels

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Dunn, Jennifer L. "Chapter 30" Everyone Knows Who the Sluts Are:How Young Women Get Around the Stigma. 207-10. Print.

    Read More

  • Rape Myth Acceptance: The Blame On Women

    1166 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • The Movie Easy A: Glorifying the Slut Stereotype

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    Modern America, in accordance to course materials and personal experiences, overtly sexualizes people, specifically among the youth, engendering new versions of gender expectations, roles, relationships, and how society views people based on appearance, sexual promiscuity or supposed promiscuity, and so on. Easy A (2011) represents an example clarifying how gender socialization impacts today’s youth via several concepts such as slut shaming, slut glorification, challenging masculinity, dating/hooking up, gender expectations and social acceptance. This film primarily focuses on a female’s promiscuity. Olive, the main character, is automatically labeled slut, after a rumor she unintentionally sparked by a bathroom conversation. Soon, the rumor spread and Olive became “school slut” in minutes.

    Read More

  • Leora Tanenbaum’s Slut!

    2660 Words  | 6 Pages

    Leora Tanenbaum’s book Slut! imposes the argument of the unfairness and small mindedness of the sexual double standard between teenagers and what leads them to label others of the name slut. Throughout the book, the author discloses many different studies and stories to help the readers understand the underlying cause and issue of the name slut and how it affects different girls and women around the country.

    Read More

  • Slut In Victorian Era

    1052 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the Victorian era the word “slut” meant that a woman had a lot of casual sex around the town. Heidi Stevens explains how sluts were perceived in the Victorian era, “"The only contrast that existed was a fallen woman — a slut," Bronstein says. "You were bawdy and loved sex and you had no credibility. You were the lowest sort of citizen."” (Stevens). As time went on the word slut started being used in schools around the 1990’s. Young women would get their reputation ruined in the 1990’s if they were considered a “slut”. These young women usually will forever label themselves as a “slut” or someone who isn’t “good enough” for a serious relationship. Nowadays if a woman gets labeled as a slut she is considered one out of thousands but back in the 1990’s there were only a handful that were singled out. “What’s different today is that we still have slut-bashing, but in the 1990s and previous to that, every middle school and high school had one to two girls singled out and labeled a slut. Now, in 2015, the word is everywhere. Almost every girl has had the experience of being labeled a “slut.” I have yet to meet a girl under the age of 25 who has not been called a “slut.”” (Steinkeller). Over time the demographic has expanded greatly. Looking at the history of the word “slut” the word has gone to a specific group of women who were sleeping with a lot of

    Read More

  • Rape And Rape

    1539 Words  | 4 Pages

    Inertwined with rape myths, are subsequent rape scripts. As Ryan (2011) and Clay-Warner and McMahon-Howard (2009) showed, depending what script is prevalent or dominant, reporting rates and overall acknowledgement can be greatly affected. Our understanding of what constitutes a rape or sexual assault needs to significantly change otherwise countless victims will remained silenced. If the understanding of these crimes was broadened, and the acquaintance scenarios taken more seriously, more victims would come forward, report, and get the help they may desperately need, in addition to aiding the legal system in punishing the offender and improve society’s population.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Sexual Assault

    1436 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sexual assault is an offense that plagues many U.S. citizens. Although some studies show that rape is on the decline, other studies report that the phenomena actually occuring is that less rape victims are reporting the crime. In fact, approximately 68% of sexual assaults go unreported to the police according to the U.S. Department of Justice in a National Crime Victimization Survey from 2008-2012. It is common knowledge that rape victims are usually severely traumatized after the event, which leaves them susceptible to various emotions such as shame, anxiety, numbness, fear, denial, and guilt. Because of this, many rape victims decide to repress their experience and let it go unheard. However, not only does this prevent them from healing emotionally,

    Read More

  • Female Sexualism In Jamaica Kincaid's Girl By Jamaica Kincaid

    927 Words  | 2 Pages

    Due to the girl’s current lifestyle and behavior, the mother is focused on sharing the value to save her daughter from a life of promiscuity. The mother fears her daughter will become a “slut” and insists that is exactly what the daughter desires. Moreover, the mother is very blunt with her view when she uses repetition with the statement, “… the slut you are so bent on becoming.” (Kincaid92). It is very clear that the mother holds a reputation to such a standard that it could determine the overall quality of a woman and her life. Therefore, a woman’s sexuality should be protected and hidden to present the woman with respect and to avoid the dangers of female sexuality. The mother is very direct in calling out certain, specific behaviors of the daughter. Such as, the way the daughter walks, plays with marbles, and approaches other people. The mother is very persistent that the daughter must act a certain way that can gain their community’s respect. She fears the social consequence of a woman’s sexuality becoming

    Read More

  • Rape Injustice Against Women

    1917 Words  | 4 Pages

    Rape is known as one of heinous crimes a person can commit to someone else. Even though US’s justice system recognizes that rape is a serious threat to women’s physical and mental safety as well as their autonomy, our justice system gravely fails to convict and persecute the perpetrators, making women vulnerable to these sexual crimes. Hence, many women, especially those who are victims of rape, live in fear, which seriously curtails their freedom of movement and confidence in everyday life (Chamallas, 2013). Not only our justice system fails to protect women from rape, but also our society’s skeptical attitude towards rape severely affects rape victims to come forward or report their terrible experiences. The general public views rape as a myth rather than as a fact, and believes that women cry rape just to get public attention, sympathy, and compensation from the perpetrators. Even if the rape did happen, most people still blame women for being irresponsible. Due to the lack of our justice system in convicting rapists and our society’s misconception of rape, the conviction rate of rape is very low even though it is a common crime in our country.

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On Body Shaming

    852 Words  | 2 Pages

    Shaming has been around since anyone could remember. Body shaming, shaming of other’s skin color, shaming the image of a person. People don’t realize in 2017 body shamming no longer exist. Both men and women take pride in their body and they love every bit of it. However, women have been targeted far more than man when it comes to body-shaming. Women no longer care about how they look like as long as they love themselves. Everyone was born with a different body; every individual has a different definition of beauty. For Jan Shedd to call out Demetria Obilor for being curvy and wearing a size 6 dress publicly on Facebook, was extremely uncalled for. It also demonstrates how society now thinks about body shamming since multiple people, including

    Read More

More about Research Paper On Slut Shaming

Open Document