Rape Culture Archives

Maryland Cop Who Raped Woman During Traffic Stop Exposed Victim To HIV

Authorities are asking anybody with information on the misconduct of former officer Martique Vanderpool to come forward.

News

NJ Judge Who Was Lenient To Teen Accused Of Rape Resigns

Judge James Troiano said that the 16-year-old boy deserved leniency because he came from a "good family" and got good grades.

Culture

#TimesUp for the American Evangelical Church, Too

So much of the Christian church, a place that is supposed to be a community that offers service, solace and the hope of salvation, has become a holding cell for secrets and pain.

Celebrity · Culture

Gabrielle Union: How Gender And Racial Disparities In Human Trafficking Affect Women And Girls Of Color

Any vulnerable child can be a victim of sex trafficking, but we can no longer gloss over the fact that the majority of those who are victimized are girls of color. By illuminating the problem and potential solutions, we are taking a first step towards ending the abuse and exploitation of our most marginalized girls.

Culture · News

The Consent Convo: Re-imagining Consent - Survivors’ Stories

Every Thursday in the month of November, Esther Armah, The Spin and Emotional Justice -- in collaboration with ESSENCE -- bring you #theCONSENTconvo, an exploration of the complexities of consent in society through different lens, experiences and stories in an effort to normalize discussions about the term and dismantle rape culture. Join the conversation using the hashtag, #theCONSENTconvo

News · Videos

The OverExplainer - How Donald Trump's 'Locker-Room' Talk Feeds Rape Culture

What a time to be alive.

In the span of a few weeks, we've seen GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump engage in multiple examples of misogyny by insulting the women who accused him of sexual assault, excusing his 'grab them by the p*ssy' comment as locker room talk and imply that a woman was not attractive enough to assault.

Oh, there was also the moment he called Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton a "nasty woman," and the multiple tapes that have surfaced that show Trump making lewd and vulgar comments about women and girls (yep, even the one where he said he would be dating a 10-year-old child in 10 years).

The truth is, Trump's rhetoric isn't "locker room" talk. It isn't boy talk. Trump's entire idea about women serves a growing epidemic of rape and sexual assault and lends itself to rape culture.

Yes, we're talking about a presidential candidate.

Check out the video above to see ESSENCE Senior News and Culture editor Christina Coleman over explain the dangers of Trump's anti-women, misogynistic rhetoric.

See you at the polls!