The Sexual Revolution and Sexual Violence

An sociological informative essay.

In this day and age one can argue that children in the United States are over-sexualized. From a very young age they are exposed to concepts of sexuality and what is and is not perfect through the mass media, and nearly everywhere they look there are photos and ads with half naked women or men on billboards, in magazines, or in commercials for just about any product you can think of. Young girls in particular have ideas of what society expects them to look and act like pounded into their sponge-like minds on a regular basis. Though there is some cause for concern over what our children are picking up on, whether we try to shield them from it or not, we as a nation have actually made huge leaps forward in the past 60 years or so that our grandparents could have never dreamed of.

            The sexual revolution of the United States officially began in 1960, the year that the birth control pill was introduced to the public, but many prior factors contributed to this new liberation as well. During the 1920’s and 1930’s as families started move to larger cities for work, younger people started to explore their sexual freedom, though without widely available contraceptives every sexual encounter outside of marriage was a risk. If a woman were to be impregnated outside of wedlock she had very few options. Abortion was illegal until 1973, so if she did not want to keep the child she would be forced to either have an illegal and unsafe abortion or put the child up for adoption; and if she chose to keep it she either had to get married in a hurry or have the child’s birth certificate forever marked “illegitimate”, and be subjected to the scorn and disapproval of society.

            What perhaps served as a stepping stone toward a more liberal opinion or sexual choices and activity was the research published by Alfred Kinsey in 1948. Kinsey and his associates turned heads because people were surprised that scientists were studying what most even today would view as an incredibly private affair. Kinsey believed in a freer attitude toward sex, and through his books encouraged, intentionally or not, what soon became the sexual revolution. Twelve short years after Kinsley’s research was published, the birth control pill became available to women. For the first time in human history women were given control over their fertility, a liberation that would soon spark a desire and need for greater equality.

 As we know, revolutions are started when expectations are becoming higher, but the government is unresponsive at best. As women were able to put off having children and getting married, without having to be abstinent, many began to further their education and try to find a place in the work force. The problem with this was that though the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964, many men felt threatened by the sudden abrasion of their previously male dominated job market. The law stated that discrimination against someone on the basis of “race, color, religion, sex, or national origin” was illegal, but many complaints made by women went unaddressed by the head of the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission who was, of course, a man.

It has become clear over the years that a nation can never reach its full potential until women are given more choices and offered an even playing field. Almost every (if not all) high-income nation has given its women better rights and the ability to go to college and work alongside men in higher level jobs. Much of the world’s poverty has a lot to do with different cultures being unwilling to utilize women’s potential, and keeping them at home and unable to control their fertility. Though there is of course a large amount of gender stratification going on no matter where one looks, U.S culture has come a long way from where it once was.

If not for the sexual revolution it is doubtful that our society would be as advanced as we are today, and we continue on this trend as more women as well as men are open to social change. Of course, when any subject is concerned there is always a darker side to the story. The sexual revolution gave people the notion that sexuality is something that should be valued and explored. Unfortunately it is also something that is often exploited, and what should be a beautiful form of self-expression can be turned into a terrifying, mentally and physically scarring act. Sexual violence or rape has always been a problem in the United States, but has become an issue that is taken more seriously within the last few decades.

Until around the 1970’s women could not legally be raped by their husbands because they were considered their husband’s property, and even afterwards many states still made exceptions for many husbands as long as their wives were not intensely harmed physically. In other words, just because the wife didn’t feel like it, didn’t mean they weren’t going to have sex. Even today many women are raped by their husbands or partners, and though figures are hard to pinpoint because marital rape is less likely to be reported, it is estimated that between 8 and 14 percent of married women are raped by their husbands at some point during their marriages. In relation to this is the fact that at least 70 percent of rapes are committed by people that the victims are at the very least acquainted with, not complete strangers. This disturbing statistic is one of the biggest causes of emotional scarring after the fact. The ability to trust is severely handicapped, particularly if the person who victimized the individual was close to them.

A common misconception is that only females can be victims of sexual assault. This has always been untrue, but male victims are actually becoming more common, mostly in prisons or military settings. Although men tend not to confess to being victimized due to embarrassment, about 10 percent of all rapes have male victims, which compared to the staggering number of female victims is a large reason why many people don’t even consider the possibility that a man might get raped. This brings up the issue of why rape happens in the first place. It is more common for a man to rape another man than for a woman to rape a man. This does not however mean that the perpetrators are homosexual. They can be, of course, but typically rape is not about the actual act of sex, but about dominating another person completely. Completely taking away someone’s control over what is happening to their body is more the goal than actual sexual satisfaction. Statistics show that most defilers who are caught are not sexually deprived, and many are in lasting sexual relationships with someone.

The good news is that rape (or at least reported rape) has been gradually declining in the United States since 1993. The bad news is that the U.S. has one of the highest rape rates of all the countries. It is estimated that one in three women in America will be sexually assaulted at some point during her life. Women are more likely to be raped earlier in their lives, and the highest percentages of women subjected to sexual assault are between the ages of 16 and 24. A positive effect from these statistics is that women (and men) are given a greater amount of information on how to be aware of their surroundings and steer clear of potentially dangerous situations. Colleges are more diligent about making information and support available to their students who are in the prime age group to be victimized. Also with the help of the internet, preventative information on how to protect oneself is now available at the click of a mouse.

In conclusion, we touched on two seemingly very different subjects having to do with sexuality. First, the sexual revolution was the catalyst for immense social change and growth. The birth control pill gave women almost complete control over their sexuality, and later the legalization of abortion completed the task. Through this new sexual freedom women were able to control the speed at which they had children and go on to higher education and join the workforce. Sexual assault on the other hand is arguably the antithesis of the sexual revolution, completely robbing the victims of their sexual freedom and control. It is possible that the high rate of rape in the United States is a latent function of the sexual revolution, caused perhaps by men’s displeasure at the loss of control of women, or even the title of “breadwinner”. Perhaps the recent decline in this country’s rate of sexual assault has to do with the widening acceptance that the pursuit of gender equality is becoming more and more socially acceptable. Regardless of the reason, it is clear that the United States is headed toward a brighter future, undeniably made possible in part by the sexual revolution.

(Sources used: Society: The Basics by John J. Macionis, Delirium: How the Sexual Counterrevolution is Polarizing America by Nancy L. Cohen, Human Sexuality by Roger R. Hock, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001955.htm, and http://www.statisticbrain.com/rape-statistics/)

Author's Note

An essay I wrote for my Sociology class. Hope it is informative and thought provoking.

Reviews

[Barbara Tennyson]

Wherever did you get the idea that women today are in total control of their sexuality? Look at the HobbyLobby decision. Look at Rush Limbaugh and Sandra Fluke. Look at the way rape on campuses can be treated. There's a long way to go. We'll know we're getting closer when IUD and Viagra are the same price.

[Ashira Macy]

Very true Barbara, you bring up a very good point. I wrote this before I took my Women's Studies course and have since learned a lot more about what is and is not progressing. Thank you for your input.

[Nusquam Esse]

A solid essay you wrote here. A few personal perspectives I would like to add... #1 I firmly believe that the 'standard of beauty' in this country is controlled by only a few individuals. Those who control the media and fashion industries. The vast majority of men I know, DO NOT find the 'standard' to be appealing. I personally believe that women are meant to have a bit more fat on them (it is the medical standard after all), so I don't want someone who is slim as hell. I enjoy curves, and a body which feels maintained, but not constricted. Likewise, I like women who keep their body hair (albeit trim it); I feel it is natural. No pubic hair feels juvenile, and creepy to me--like I am with a prepubescent. I also enjoy a natural amount of armpit and body hair (not like lumberjack status or anything). And while I don't hate light makeup, I actually prefer women without any. Anyway... personal preference; but the point is, I am sick of a few men in power telling women what to look like, when I like them more natural; and hate the blow it does to their confidence #2. A man I know very well, and who has greatly influenced my own life... was raped when he was younger; by one of his mother's friends. His mother did find out about it, and did NOTHING about it. It has emotionally scarred him. And yet people act as though males are somehow exempt from this sort of thing; they are mocked for it. :( #3. I am a feminist, I believe in the core principles and behaviors; and have strictly followed them my whole life--always respect people as individuals. Respect is the cornerstone of who I am, and how I associate with others. Unfortunately, I do not like most feminists. It is because they see what they perceive as a 'war on women' (which is understandable, and in my opinion, valid) that they refuse to see me, a man, as an individual. The very things they complain about, they end up holding against me, who would otherwise be an ally to them. Sigh* I remember once holding a door for a girl, and her actually yelling at me about it--about how she could do it herself, and my outdated notions of chivalry were holding her kind back. Of course if she had actually known me, she would have known that I hold doors as courtesy for EVERYONE, not just women I want to bang... Anyway, this is a major issue in our society (and on this site; I can elaborate if you want me too--I am actually in the middle of writing a poem on the subject as we speak) which I hope can diminish with time.

[Ashira Macy]

Very true, the standard beauty is decided by a few people, but it is still something that is poisoning the minds of young women and men. The body hair thing is an interesting point, on that has been brought up in a few conversations I have had and it does raise the question of whether we are giving in to a sort of pedophilia standard, but I am honestly not sure of my stance on that.

I am so sorry about your friend, that is an awful thing to have to experience, and then the fact that his mother did nothing is another travesty, I would have seen that rapist locked up for life. No one should be mocked for being raped, in fact there shouldn't be any jokes about it, that is what enables the rape culture we live in and makes it possible for victims to be re victimized.

I am a feminist as well, and all the feminists I know are perfectly wonderful people. The way I see it is that the media has given them a bad rap that makes them seem like evil man-hating demons out to turn the patriarchy we live in into a matriarchy. That is not what it is about, it is about being treated as equals through and through. I hold the door open for anyone as well, and I certainly don't yell at people when they do it for me. That is called being polite, it is not an act of sexism, it is an act of kindness. I would be very interested in reading that poem when you are finished with it, I would love to hear what you have to say.

Thank you so much for your review, I am so glad to have come across your profile and work, I think we will get along well, we seem to have similar values. =)

[Nusquam Esse]

glad you have enjoyed it thus far. Unfortunately, my position on feminists is actually the result of dozens of bad encounters with them; and not because of the media. sigh... I really wish I could support them; because I do support the cause, but not the way all the ones I have met have approached it.

[Ashira Macy]

That is very unfortunate. I hate when a good cause is misrepresented by foolish, misled individuals full of hate and blame. That only causes more conflict, it doesn't help to end it.

[Lyan]

Definitely an informative piece.it is good to know that there have been declines.Unfortunately in my opinion I don't think women will be looked the same way as men for jobs,etc.there will always stand some prejudice or discrimination.

[Ashira Macy]

Yeah it is going to be a hard battle, but I have to stay positive about it or I will just get pissed off. We have come this far, so hopefully some day we will make it.

[Lyan]

Cheers to hope!

[Arrinae]

It is highly informative and thought provoking, especially to someone who may not have known about any of this. Most of this information is pounded into the mind of every military person every six months to ensure we do't forget it, so I didn't really learn much that I didn't already know. Nevertheless, it is well written and I hope you got a very good grade for it.

[Ashira Macy]

I didn't know you were in the military, but I should have from your picture. I am glad it is taught there, it is a very important subject.

[Arrinae]

Very indeed. sexual violence does tend to happen regardless of the military's Zero Tolerance rule. But we all try to fight it when we can.

[Ashira Macy]

Which is all they can ask. We live in a rape culture, so that is part of the issue. It runs deeper than just informing people, but at least knowing about it helps.

[Arrinae]

Another part of it, in my opinion, is peoples thoughts on drinking while at clubs or bars. Any sexual action taken while one or both parrties are underthe influence and unable to think clearly enough to make well informed decision are legally considered sexual assult and rape. Consent can't be given when not in the right state of mind.

[Ashira Macy]

Exactly right! Unfortunately our society is big on blaming the victims though.We need to change that if we ever want to improve.

[Arrinae]

Indeed we do.

[Matching Socks]

Very well written and researched piece.

[Ashira Macy]

Thanks Ance!

[A. Amos]

This was amazing my friend, the whole read witnessed your personality...how seriously you take your writing. Well researched wrote, I truly believe this essay should be promoted in schools, news and every single American family should read. Well done my friend!

[Ashira Macy]

Thanks so much Amos, I am so happy you liked it! This is a subject I feel strongly about and want more people to understand on a deeper level.

[John Preston]

Well, I hope you had a good grade for this.

[Ashira Macy]

Haha, thanks John I got full credit for this. I appreciate you taking the time to read this one as it is a bit lengthy.

[John Preston]

I'm glad you did.
Yes I read it all
Don't understand a lot
But hey it was a good read.+