FSEM1010-22.FSEM: Living in a Rape Culture.F15.Levy,Carolyn

Two startling statistics: Every two minutes, someone in America is raped; and, one out of four college women are or will be victims of rape or attempted rape. As we grapple with why these may be true, we must look at the culture that surrounds these facts, the culture we must call a rape culture. What is a rape culture? A society that accepts sexual violence and the fear of violence as the norm. A society that, knowingly or not, perpetuates models of masculinity, femininity and sexuality that foster aggression, violence and fear. (from Transforming a Rape Culture) In this seminar, we will explore the culture that we live in, examine what makes it a rape culture and most importantly, we will develop strategies for change. This is a class for men and women who are earnestly interested in social change and willing to explore hard issues along the way. Readings will include Transforming a Rape Culture, Telling: A Memoir of Rape and Recovery, I Never Called it Rape, and others. In addition to readings, we will view videotapes, meet with guest speakers and conduct interviews. Course work will include writing and developing of projects and presentations