What is Fitting Justice Against Rape?

I happened to read a review of 'Teeth' in The Guardian earlier today (Let's not go into why I'm forever quoting the Guardian. At least, not in this post). The reviewer termed the movie a 'rape-revenge' theme one and while that was intriguing enough, and the article contained a few insights which took me by surprise, it was the last few lines which really hit home — hard.

"It's possible to give all these films a feminist reading. In Teeth and Thelma and Louise there is definite wish-fulfilment for female audiences in seeing brutality addressed in direct and often inventive ways. But in every case, there is a bleakness that ultimately undermines any other message. Cumulatively, they induce a sense of fear - the sense that the footsteps behind you are growing louder - and a recognition that, while harassment proliferates, justice does not. This may be realistic, but there's an inadvertent misogynist message, one that encourages women to feel unsafe, to stay at home."

How ironic is that? They talk about justice apropos rape and they still do not manage to sound supportive of victims. I'm rather taken aback that anything that speaks up against rape could ever be classified as 'feminist' but I'll let that slide for now. What has me bothered more is the obvious effect that these movies are having, the kind of message they are sending out. I'm not entirely sure if anything associated with rape could end on a positive note — 'positive note' is a rather cloudy concept here — but is there actually an alternative to the further helplessness and hopelessness that these movies and reports etc induce, with their content?

I once read a book titled Retribution. It detailed the story of a woman who is stalked and brutaly raped hours before her bar exam, loses faith in everything, moves to a new state and tries to rebuild her life, only, she is no longer the bold and brave young woman she was. Her boyfriend has left her, having tacitly blamed her for what happened and she believes him too. Years later, she has to face her rapist in connection to a different case and despite her extraordinary change in appearance he recognises her and, ignoring the legal complications this brings about, the rest f the sotry centres around what she chooses to do. Fight the case and knowing he is innocent of the charges he's been convicted of at present, let it go, or exact retribution by having him convicted?

The book did not impress me. While the scenes it described were horrifying enough, what threw me was the ending (no don't bother, it's not worth it). Retribution? Is that all the end there is to having been raped? Is that all the justice you get? And even then, your actions of vengeance (see? there doesn't even exist a WORD for this!) are not considered completely condonable. The enormity of this crime is ignored even more enormously. Show me ONE country/state/region where the laws are stringent against rape. What about it seems so trifling?

Women are the largest minority in the world. Minorities are forever being discriminated against. But history has proven that justice is served in the end. Except in this one case. Is there ever going to be an end to this? How will it end?

When will it stop? When will we see the day when shame is not the first reaction to rape? When will the 'entertainment media' wake up and quit showing rape scenes with the excuse of "It happens in real life, we're only trying to be real". What are you trying to prove by it anyway? There's no benefit to be had from it... none whatsoever. How about spending the same resources in helping to raise some constructive awareness instead, trying to sway the tide of change and attitude, not promoting more bleakness? And no, "She was asking for it dressed like that" and "Maybe she enjoys it" are not an answer. This attitude towards rape is a widely social and yet deeply personal responsibility. How about doing your bit? If it's profits you're worrying about, please the largest minority and your profits will be rolling in... we don't hold sway over the majority for nothing.