1200 W. Harrison Street (M/C 333)

Chicago, Illinois 60607

(312) 996-3490

Rape is a gruesome and traumatizing crime that causes its survivors immense pain in a variety of contexts. From the typically thought of 'stranger rape' to the less talked about 'spousal rape', its effects have both personal and social implications. Our program seeks to acquaint participants with the many different types and circumstances of sexual assault by sharing, the stories of five role-played rape survivors. Frequently, society blames rape survivors for the act committed against them. We take a critical look at when, why, and how we blame sexual assault survivors for what happened to them A conversation on how to avoid making judgments is used as an interactive exercise to conclude the program.

What influences our perception of a rape victim? Demographic information about the victim, situational factors surrounding the event, and cultural influence will be looked at and discussed. The belief that a rape victim did something to precipitate the event rather than accepting the fact that it could happen to anyone is more comfortable for one to conclude. We will introduce and discuss in some depth several socio-psychological theories that attempt to explain how and why we draw these inferences.

There are many allegories about rape in our society. There is a comfortable myth among us that someone who is raped actually wanted to be. The feeling that all women cry rape when they want to got revenge on someone is another popular myth. Perhaps the most common belief about rape in our society is that its motivation lies in sex. Through an interactive attitude survey and directed discussion, we explore why these myths are derogatory in nature, and what causes and sustains these myths in our society.

The conclusion of the program will be an open discussion on how to avoid believing the myths and stereotypes frequently associated with rape victims. Self awareness is key to avoiding many of the judgments The audience will gain a more in depth knowledge of their personal stereotypes and beliefs, leading to a greater self awareness and understanding of the rape survivor

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