Memo to the Media (Again): Quit Referring to Rape as “Having Sex”
We hate to be repetitive, but we will be, as many times as necessary. When women are raped, gang-raped or sexually assaulted in any way, it is wrong and grossly inappropriate to refer to it as “having sex”. Thanks once again to Jenn Pozner of Women in Media and News for catching this Florida Today violation of the above caveat,
I think I’ve stated the case pretty clearly, but just in case there is still any question, here is Jenn’s wording, all-caps totally appropriate shouting included:
“WHEN A STORY IS ABOUT ANY HUMAN BEING BEING FORCED TO HAVE SEX AGAINST HER OR HIS WILL — THE PROPER TERMINOLOGY IS “RAPEâ€? OR “SEXUAL ASSAULTâ€? — NOT “HAVING SEX.â€? It’s a criminal act. It’s a violent attack. It’s inappropriate to use the same language to describe it as you would use to describe consensual nookie.”
Filed under: Uncategorized, Atrocities
Likewise the UK press when reporting cases of men or boys committing rape all too often the terminology used is ‘woman was forced to have sex.’ In cases of child sexual abuse all too often the perpetrator is reported as ‘having sex’ with the child. It is never ’sex’ when the individual has been coerced or forced - rape is rape and sexual assault is sexual assault never ‘having sex.’ Although when cases of homosexual rape are reported the words ‘having/had sex’ are never printed, instead it is always rape. Double standards perhaps?