Although many efforts are being made to eradicate rape, focus is still being placed on tweaking the actions of women so that they will protect themselves against rapists. Women are bombarded with techniques they may use to protect themselves by using escort services at night, not leaving their drinks unattended during parties, etc, etc. Most women have now heard these basic tips, and most now employ these techniques to protect themselves, yet rapes still occur all over college campuses. Do you see how these so-called rape prevention programs are forgetting to target one majorly important group of people? The perpetrators: men.
The actions of women do not need to changed; this is not our problem and our daily lives shouldn't be controlled by the threat of men's violence. A rapist on the lookout for a victim will not give up easily. Women can take all the precautions they want, and there will still be one woman who has decided for some reason or another to venture into the night (it's saddening how women no longer have the right to choose to do this if they care for their well-being). This woman will then be the one attacked and raped. Instead of aiming to limit the actions of women, why not aim at decreasing the number of rapists? Why not, in addition to providing longer escort service hours, launch seminars geared towards educating men about the horrors of rape and getting them involved in the cause to stop rape? Why not start start teaching young men about these issues from an early age? Men need to change their actions, not women. Unfortunately, many men pay much more attention to other men than to women, so these programs should be organized for men by men. Although most people would not like to acknowledge it, violence against women is an omnipresent social problem that must be combatted by both men and women. I am not trying to characterize men as violent predators, but the reality of the matter is that most violence against women is perpetrated by men, and men have the responsibility to try to change this growing problem by becoming involved in the fight against violence by trying to change the behaviors of their fellow men. We need men as our allies in this arena, or our goal of eradicating violence against women will never be met. I acknowledge that there are many men out there already fighting this battle. I thank these men and all I have to say to them is keep doing what your doing and get other men involved.