Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

I've shown Rape Is in my class - to convey ideas about the tactical use of rape as a war crime, and to give a broader perspective to my sexual violence students -- but the film has nothing much in it about acquaintance rape and nowhere deals with campus issues.

Margaret Lazarus - who made the film - is a great filmmaker and a friend of mine who has guest lectured at my class.  This isn't a critique of the film, per se, but even while it was being made I told her I thought it was missing something important by failing to address non-stranger violence and the nature of personal autonomy.

I don't know of any film that effectively addresses the nature of autonomy and that speaks to the ideas that might engage men, in particular, to understand that rape is not bad sex - it's bad citizenship - it's a human rights issue - and it's akin to slavery.

Comparing rape to slavery is politically incorrect but absolutely fair - and any film that makes this point effectively would be a nice change for all types of educational and training programs.  Rape Is does this a little bit but only in the context of "comfort women" during WWII.  

I also think men need to be informed about the ways "mainstream porn" exploits them - so they can resist rather than indulge some of the messages they receive about what sex is.  To that end, they should see "Price of Pleasure" and anything that Gail Dines has made.  She has an important and powerful talk about the industry that my students have said changes them forever about sex, rape and porn.  Gail's work is not a direct commentary on rape per se, but it is SO powerful, I'd choose it over any film on rape - by a long shot - if the goal is rape prevention.  It helps viewers understand where rape comes from and why - in today's culture - "normal" sex is so violent  - and violence is so sexy.  It creates mindfulness and effectively changes the viewer from the inside - rather than hitting them in the head with mandates about why rape is bad.  

I'm not opposed to any technique - and as another message on this thread addressed - any effective approach to prevention MUST include swift and harsh enforcement of anti-rape rules/laws/regulations, etc.  All the education in the world won't make a bit of difference if laws are not meaningfully enforced.

Wendy Murphy

New England Law|Boston