How language can normalize victim-blaming, admins., student explain

Last week, protesters flooded campus with copies of an email connected to the off-campus organization OZ that they said exemplified "rape culture" at Penn. 

But how connected is the text of the email — which contained spurious phrases like "May we have your attention please/We’re looking for the fun ones/And say f**k off to a tease" — to actual violence against women?

Sexist language does perpetuate a sexist culture, administrators and students interviewed for this article said. 

“Language and the words that we use, they serve to normalize certain behaviors and ideas, and so the more often that you hear people discussing certain things or using certain terms, [it] signifies an acceptance of that thing," said Malik Washington, the associate director of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education.

In relation to the OZ email, president of Men Against Rape and Sexual Assault and College senior Sam Summer said that much of the rhetoric regarding the language in these specific emails has highlighted the fact that rape is not explicitly mentioned. As soon as one begins to analyze the language, however, he says that the implication is clearly there.

“They are basically asking the women they sent the email to, to dress in a certain way, not because wearing tight clothes makes you feel sexy or powerful," he said. "It’s definitely for the pleasure of the brothers."

Summer also pointed directly to the use of the word "tease." Labeling someone a tease does two things, he said. 

First, it "implies that all of the arbitrary factors can tell you if someone is interested in having sex with you," such as consuming a lot of alcohol, wearing tight clothes, talking for more than two minutes or even just showing up to a party. These factors, he said, can be mistaken for consent.

The second effect of the label tease, he said, is that it indicates that there is a fundamental issue with a person changing his or her mind regarding the extent of sexual activity.

OZ members have not spoken out or responded to requests for comment since the protest began.

Penn Anti-Violence Educators are part of a group at Penn focused on how to be an active bystander. A central part of their goal, Washington said, is to change not only the language people use, but the way in which they use it. 

Rape, he said, should be spoken about in a meaningful way. In PAVE, the presenters reference the phrase "that test raped me," as an example of how people commonly trivialize the meaning of the word rape and the impact it has on survivors.

The issue of language as a means of perpetuating rape culture has been gaining traction due to the national coverage of the OZ email, as well as a similar email sent by an affiliated fraternity at the University of Richmond.

“There has been a lot of discussion from the White House Task Force to Protect Students From Sexual Assault, which shows that nationwide there is recognition that is is difficult for victims to come forward," said Director of Special Services Pat Brennan.

“The more we talk about sexual assault and educate on special service,” she added, “the more we hope to create a culture that will encourage people to come forward.”

But language that alludes to or reinforces the concept of victim-blaming can make the process of reporting a crime even harder.

“We see a really strong relation between language and the normalization of victim-blaming,” especially when it comes to holding a woman accountable for the events leading up to the assault, said Director of Sexual Violence Prevention Jessica Mertz. 

Downplaying such language as a joke can encourage the behavior as well.

“When you see someone who is older who you respect just being an asshole, that sets the norm in the fraternity that it is okay, so all of a sudden you have everyone speaking that way," Summer said. 

Another issue that perpetuates this culture is group-wide tradition. Summer said when groups are around for a long time, some traditions, which originated as "sexist," have stuck over the years.

Rape culture is certainly not a new phenomenon. Brennan said that she and her colleagues have been “working 40 years to dispel the rape culture,” and have “worked so hard to provide the support that we do.”

MARS has been working with on-campus fraternities to raise awareness of these issues, but is hoping to expand to other all-male groups like off-campus organization OZ. 

Summer said that though punitive measures may be a good place to start, it is not the most effective way to respond to incidents such as the OZ email. 

“Within their own listserv, GroupMe, or when they are alone, I don’t think that language will go away,” he said. “The other way to change the behavior is to change the ideology that underlies that behavior."

The best way to reform a group, Summer said, is to do it from the inside. 

“Talk about it if you notice something that feels weird to you.”

Staff Reporter Rebecca Tan contributed reporting.  

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.