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Consent: A Refresher

Jun 15, 2016

Consent: A Refresher

Last week, the internet exploded with anger over the extremely lenient sentence given to Brock Turner, who was convicted of three felonies related to his assault of an unconscious woman. When letters written by his father and a childhood friend were released, the outrage only grew, as both seemed to dismiss the assault as not really rape. His father went so far as to describe the assault as non-violent and “20 minutes of action.” His friend blamed Turner’s conviction on “po

May 4, 2016

Why Rape Isn’t Rape, Depending on Where You Live

Last week, the shocking headline made waves across the internet: the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals found that oral penetration of an unconscious woman was not sexual assault. The case presented what seemed like a clear-cut case of sexual assault: the 16 year victim was drunk and unconscious when her 17 year old companion claimed that she consented to oral sex. He was charged with forcible oral sodomy, a charge that was ultimately dismissed by the appellate court. The

On Kesha + Justice for Victims of Sexual Assault

Feb 24, 2016

On Kesha + Justice for Victims of Sexual Assault

In 2014, recording artist Kesha (also known as Ke$ha) publicly accused her producer, Dr. Luke (Lukasz Gottwald), of drugging and raping her. She filed a civil lawsuit against him, alleging that he bullied her, drugged and raped her and held her to an unfair contract. In addition to damages, Kesha asked the Court to allow her to terminate her contract with Dr. Luke (negotiated when she was still a teenager) and work with other producers. Last week, a judge denied her motion

The Not-So-Super Reality of the Super Bowl

Jan 27, 2016

The Not-So-Super Reality of the Super Bowl

Next weekend, football fans from around the country will converge in Santa Clara, California for the largest sporting event in the country — the Super Bowl. According to researchers, another group will be arriving for the big game as well — sex workers, many of whom have been trafficked. In 2010, an estimated 10,000 prostitutes were brought by their pimps to Miami for the Super Bowl, and in 2011, Dallas police made 133 arrests for underage prostitution during the week of the

What Do You Do When Your Hero May Be An Abuser?

Jan 20, 2016

What Do You Do When Your Hero May Be An Abuser?

Last week, the world mourned the passing of David Bowie. As his legions of fans paid tribute to the legendary rock star, many pointed out that Bowie was a rapist — and that he shouldn’t be celebrated. According to a woman named Lori Mattix, she lost her virginity to Bowie in the 1970’s— when she was 15 and he was in his 20’s. This is statutory rape — and the story is highly troubling, even if she describes the encounter as consensual. Many fans struggled with how to proces

Why Risk Reduction Isn't Enough

Jan 13, 2016

Why Risk Reduction Isn't Enough

Almost without fail, if an article about rape is posted on the internet, there will be at least one comment listing what steps potential victims (usually women) should take to stay safe. These strategies range from not consuming alcohol or drugs to dressing conservatively to having a buddy system so you are not out alone. This line of thinking was perpetuated by a German mayor, who — in response to mass sexual assaults in her town on New Year’s Eve — suggested that women sh

Dec 23, 2015

Baby, It’s Cold Outside?

In recent years, many have questioned whether one classic Christmas song — Baby, It’s Cold Outside — should be retired. With lyrics that suggest a drugged drink (“Say, what’s in this drink?”) and banter that could be read as coercion, it isn’t hard to see this song as problematic when viewed with a modern lens. Others defend the song as being a product of its time (1940s), a flirtatious song that is really about a woman who wants to be convinced to stay. Last week, Funny o

Dec 9, 2015

Yes, Porn Stars Can Be Raped.

Last week, several women accused a well-known man of raping them, including an ex-girlfriend and former co-workers. Witnesses to some of these assaults stepped forward and confirmed the accounts. Some of the assaults may even have been captured on camera. Yet many questioned whether these women could even be raped. Why? Because all of the accusers and the alleged perpetrator are adult film stars, leading many to conclude that these women could not have been raped. The acc

Stop Calling It Sex

Nov 11, 2015

Stop Calling It Sex

At least once a week, we see a headline in the local or national news discussing the latest case of child sexual assault (or rape). Invariably, these articles will refer to the accused “having sex with” the minor. This sort of story is seen routinely in newspapers and online media across the country, from reports about Jared Fogle to local stories about teachers raping students. When media outlets use this phrase, they are implicitly calling into question whether the child

Sep 16, 2015

We’re Protesting The Wrong People

In August, news broke that the Pittsburgh Steelers had signed Michael Vick as a backup quarterback. The backlash was immediate: animal lovers across the region sprang into action to denounce Vick (who served two years in prison for his role in a dogfighting ring), holding protests and launching social media campaigns against him and the decision made by the Steelers. While we agree that animal abuse is horrific and stand firmly in opposition to it, we can’t help but wonder

Aug 12, 2015

Viral Victim-Blaming

Last week, we posted a graphic on our Facebook page that quickly went viral — at the time of this writing, it had been viewed by over 840,000 people. With so many people seeing this picture, it was almost inevitable that we would get a wide range of opinions in the comments….and we did. Many were fantastic, and spot-on in their assessment of what this meme meant. Others completely missed the point, and did exactly what the photo was telling them not to do — blame the victi

Blackburn 101: Sexual Assault vs. Rape

Apr 1, 2015

Blackburn 101: Sexual Assault vs. Rape

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. At Blackburn Center, we raise awareness about sexual assault through our signature event, Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, as well as through the programs and services that we provide throughout the year. Because raising awareness about sexual assault often seems to be focused on the crime of rape, you may be wondering: what is the difference between sexual assault and rape? The answer depends on the context — and where you live. Blackburn

Blackburn 101: What Is Rape Culture?

Jan 14, 2015

Blackburn 101: What Is Rape Culture?

If you follow us on social media or read our blog, you’ve seen that phrase hundreds of times: “rape culture.” It’s become a shorthand term in modern culture for any number of societal issues involving violence against women…but what exactly does it mean? In the first of our Blackburn 101 series, we set out to define this term to help all of our readers better understand exactly what rape culture is ... because if you don’t know what rape culture is or how to recognize it, y

Nov 28, 2014

Why Victims Wait to Report

This originally was published in LNP on Sunday, November 23, 2014 As allegations against Bill Cosby resurface and new alleged victims come forward, it is important to remember why victims of sexual assault, especially when victimized by celebrities, wait to report, if they choose to report at all. Sexual assault can cause intense feelings of humiliation. Denial, shame and self-doubt are all typical psychological byproducts of being abused by someone you trusted. Victims often

Sep 25, 2014

Using Peer Pressure for Good

Campus sexual assault is a hot issue right now, with a Presidential task force dedicated to the problem and stories of college students taking extreme measures to bring attention to their schools’ failure to take action against their rapists. Much of the focus has been devoted to how colleges and universities handle allegations of sexual assault — or how young female college students should bear the burden of not being raped. But what about preventing sexual assaults in the

Memory Does Not Define Rape

Sep 4, 2014

Memory Does Not Define Rape

Singer Cee-Lo Green recently made headlines after pleading no contest to supplying a woman with Ecstasy; these charges arose from an incident where the same woman claimed that he spiked her drink, and that she woke up naked in his room. She immediately went to the police, and recorded a phone call with the singer where he admitted giving her the drug. Green maintains that the sex was consensual. But it was what Cee-Lo did after his plea deal that really raised eyebrows: he

Aug 8, 2014

This Is Rape Culture.

If you follow current events (or our social media pages), you have probably have seen the term “rape culture” used to describe a variety of things, from campus culture to catcalling to rape itself. This term has become part of our vernacular — but what does it mean? According to Marshall University, Rape Culture is an environment in which rape is prevalent and in which sexual violence against women is normalized and excused in the media and popular culture. Rape culture is

Aug 5, 2014

It's Never Your Fault

Sexual violence can happen to anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status. The one thing that all victims of sexual assault have in common? It’s not their fault. Ever. Rape is a crime of violence and control. A victim does not provoke it by dressing in a certain way, drinking or using drugs, or being on a date with the perpetrator. The only person at fault for a rape is the rapist him or herself. A lack of injuries or a fail