Rape Culture

Rape culture is culture in which rape and sexual violence are common, and in which social practices and media normalize sexual violence. Many people do not realize that making jokes about rape culture is not funny, and often times it is promoting rape culture. Rape culture is overwhelmingly shrugged off as “normal” in our society today. Many people are so accustomed to rape culture that they do not even notice it in their everyday lives. The truth is, rape and sexual violence should not be condoned, but rather, taken seriously.

I was disturbed when I saw this ad for belvedere vodka. This ad promotes rape, as well as the assumption that “loosening agents,” such as alcohol or drugs, may help men achieve sex with women. This advertisement was withdrawn from the media by the company shortly after being released and several apologies were published as they should have been. What was even more upsetting was what the first apology said. “We apologize to any of our fans who were offended by our recent tweet. We continue to be an advocate of safe and responsible drinking.” This apology clearly failed to address concerns about sexual assault or offending people that viewed this advertisement. Many people tweeted about the company’s lack of judgment and moral values. After many tweets surfaced about this terrible advertisement, the president released a statement apologizing for the “offensive” advertisement and stating that it was “inconsistent” with the company’s values. Belvedere Vodka felt so ashamed about this advertisement that they even made a donation to the anti-sexual violence organization Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network [RAINN].  Companies need to use better judgment when deciding what to publish because it affects our society in a profound way.