SEXUAL ASSAULT/WOMEN'S RIGHTS

Is There Such a Thing as a Perfect Victim?

Not in the eyes of society

This little girl may be who one would imagine as a “perfect victim.” Photo by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash

There’s a viral clip of a CNN interview going around that you may have seen. In addition to multiple pastors in this segment claiming that a woman’s right to vote should be repealed, fundamental Christian preacher Douglas Wilson proudly proclaimed, “Women are the kind of people that people come out of.”

This strong statement affirms what women have known forever. Many men, and especially those with conservative values, see women merely as property, as breeders. With people like Wilson at the helm of the patriarchy and bending the ears of powerful conservative leaders, what could go wrong?

These are the kind of men who spew purity culture principles. Not only do they teach that women should be modest, demure, and submissive, but they also teach that men are programmed to dominate women. Men simply can’t help themselves from giving in to their primal sexual urges. These are the kind of men who will blame a wife if a husband cheats.

With beliefs like these sown into the seeds of our culture, it’s no wonder that women aren’t taken seriously when we report abuse.