Chian Jhel G.

Tayupon

She Shall Not Be Blamed

Topic: Why victims should not be blamed for getting raped

Thesis Statement: Despite the incongruities in belief, it is a certainty that rape is a choice, there is

no context for it, and it is not the victim’s fault, that the rapist lusts.

I. Introduction

a. Statistics

b. Definition of Rape

c. Victim-Blaming

d. Thesis Statement

II. Body

a. There is no context for rape.

b. Rape is a choice, a crime, and never a woman’s fault.

c. Victim-blaming culture’s effects.

III. Conclusion

a. Summary of major points.

b. Thesis Statement

c. Call of Action
Chian Jhel G. Tayupon

She Shall Not Be Blamed

Topic: Why victims should not be blamed for getting raped

Thesis Statement: Despite the incongruities in belief, it is a certainty that rape is a choice, there is

no context for it, and it is not the victim’s fault, that the rapist lusts.

I. Introduction

a. In the Philippines, one woman or child is raped every hour.

b. Rape is an act where an individual forces, threatens, or intimidates another, to

have a sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual assault.

c. Despite the incongruities in belief, it is a certainty that rape is a choice, there is no

context for it, and that, it is not the victim’s fault, that the rapist lusts.

II. Body

a. There is no context for rape.

b. Rape is a choice, a crime, and never a woman’s fault.

c. Victim-blaming culture’s effects.

III. Conclusion

a. Summary of major points

b. Thesis Statement

c. Call of Action
 She Should Not Be Blamed

Would you put the blame on a victim of homicide for allowing himself to get murdered?

Do you think an infant should be held responsible for being oppressed by a pedophile? If not, then

why are sexually abused victims blamed for being raped or for “provoking” rapists? Until when,

will the society hold a person accountable, for an action that was solely initiated by someone else?

As defined by the Anti-Rape Law of 1997, rape is an act where an individual forces, threatens, or

intimidates another, to have a sexual intercourse, or other forms of sexual assault. In the

Philippines, one woman or child is raped every hour (Morales, 2017). The escalating cases of the

aforementioned misdemeanour parallels the misperceptions as to the factors leading to such

vindictiveness - the substance of which, boils down to victims, contributing to conditions that led

them to the circumstance. Despite the incongruities in belief, it is a certainty that rape is a choice,

there is no context for it, and that, it is not the victim’s fault, that the rapist lusts.

Women’s physique and current conditions are often used as excuses for rape. However,

Shullman (2016) argues that looking at the data on why people get abused, the victims were

actually sporting a range of outfits from revealing clothes to snowsuits. Even infants and toddlers,

who are not daringly clothed, are sober, and do not go out at night are molested. Leyco (2018)

confirms that the Department of Social Welfare and Development is alarmed over the increasing

number of rape and incest cases involving children. This is justified by disturbing news on 4-month

old, 8-month old, and 18-month old infants being raped (Manto, 2018; Andrade & Yecyec, 2018).

A Social Weather Stations survey in 2016 disclosed that incidents of harassment often happens

during daytime. This only substantiates that there is no context for rape – no dress code, no setting.

Rape happens in no definite time, in any place. If you think that the solutions to rape are broad
daylight, longer skirts, zero cleavage, and no curves, remember that in Yemen, there was a guy

who drools over a woman’s arm exposed below the elbow (Williams, 2013).

Rape is a choice, and never a victim’s fault. A person chooses to abuse another, and should

bear full responsibility for the crime (Southern Connecticut State University, 2015). Humans are

capable of controlling themselves, of choosing how they would act or express their urges. The

Philippine Commission on Women (2018) firmly stated that ladies are raped because their bodies

are viewed as sexual objects that can be owned and abused by men, not because they wear this, or

do that. Rape is not a switch turned on by drunk women or revealing clothes. It is something that

avaricious men can flick on and off (Wilkinson, 2017). Provocative outfits, getting drunk, and

going out at night are not invitations for sexual assault. Thus, blaming women for being raped is

an absurd argument. No matter how bare a person could be, if one chooses to do the right thing,

no sexual violence could have happened.

Victim-blaming culture has come a long way presently, which is alarming because the

abusers’ crimes are somewhat excused, accountability is narrowed and victims become afraid of

coming out. This culture tells women to change their behaviour, drink less alcohol, and not to put

themselves in risky situations in order to prevent rape (Woodruff Laboratory, 2015). This

standpoint provides, that victims are at fault when they are oppressed, and thus, should be changed.

Clothes do not rape women, nor do parties, alcohol, clubs, uniforms, diapers, nor do dark

streets. Rape is a choice, there is no context for it, and that, it is not the victim’s fault, that the

rapist lusts. So stop asking what the victim was wearing, or what did she do to provoke the

perpetrator, or why she did not fight back. Stop telling women to avoid this and that, to prevent

such crime. Start telling people to condemn this immorality. Tell everyone that victims do not

cause rape. Rapists do.

 References

Williams, B. (2013). Stop Blaming Rape on Women. Retrieved from

https://christandpopculture.com/this-should-go-without-saying-stop-blaming-rape-on-
women

Wilkinson, S. (2017). Blaming Perpetrators and Victims of Rape. Retrieved from

https://graziadaily.co.uk/life/real-life/lets-explain-blaiming-perpetrators-victims-rape-
sexual-assault/
Philippine Commission on Women. (2018). Rape is a Crime, Not a Laughing Matter. Retrieved
from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/01/18/no-laughing-matter-rape-a-crime-human-
rights-violation-says-commission-on-women

Morales, Y. (2017). One Person Raped per Hour in the Philippines. Retrieved from
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2017/03/07/One-person-raped-per-hour-in-PH.html

Manto, M. (2018). Man Faces Charges for Raping 4-Month Old Baby. Retrieved from
https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/2018/04/02/1802079/man-faces-
charges-raping-4-month-baby

Yecyec, A. (2018). Australian Pedophile Scully Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Murder and
Child Rape. Retrieved from https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/13/18/australian-
pedophile-scully-sentenced-to-life-imprisonment-for-murder-child-rape

Leyco, C. (2018). DSWD Alarmed Over Increasing Number of Rape and Incest Cases Involving
Children. Retrieved from https://www.dswd.gov.ph/dswd-alarmed-over-increasing-
number-of-rape-and-incest-cases-involving-children-in-zamboanga-city/

Southern Connecticut State University. (2015). Sexual Misconduct Facts. Retrieved from
http://www2.southernct.edu/sexual-misconduct/facts.html

Woodruff Laboratory. (2015). Changing the Culture of Victim Blaming. Retrieved from
https://www.woodrufflab.org/blog/changing-culture-victim-blaming

Philippine Inquirer. (2016). Survey Shows Extent of Sexual Harassment and Silence that
Follows. Retrieved from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/773013/qc-survey-shows-extent-of-
sexual-harassment-and-silence-that-follows/amp