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T 12 THE M'DANIEL FREE PRESS NOVEMBER 15 2007 Commentary Wounded: Rape, Assault, and Recovery Album review: Jay-Z is the For more information and stories • Aphrodite Wounded: American http://www.pandys.orglaphroditewounded • Feminist Majority Information: http://www. feminist.org/91 l/assaultlinks.html • Rape, Abuse and Incest National Networ~ (RAINN): Gangster http://v.ww.rainn.org • scarteteem Crisis Hotline: By Kathryn Young, Features Co-Editor http://www.scarle!een.com/crisisiindex.htm! • Welcome to Barbados: If you have any further questions or ideas for the column, please e-mail key001@mcdaniel.edu. http://www.welcometobarbados.org Despite our knowledge of the un- was in part their own doing. 3. A girl had sex but was (00 2. Agirl said yes at first, bur then fortunate commonality of rape, [ Because many attacks fall drunk, high, or young to under- changed her mind and said no. . 3. nil! believe many of us are in deni- within a gray area, the defini- stand what she was doing. A girl didn't say no because al. After all, isn't it true mar those tion for rape and assault is nor 4. A guy forced a gid to have she was afraid mat she would be raped lacked responsibility? straightforward creating a lack of sex with him but cold her that he physically hUH or killed if she did. NO! A stranger with a weap- recognition of all kinds of sexual loved her, that she was beautiful, 4. A girl stopped saying no be- on forcing himself upon a woman attacks. No matter how quickly or that she was so sexy he couldn't cause ic wasn't making the guy in an alley isn't the most typical the incident may take place, the control himself. swp. New album from the 5. scenario of rape. Girls we know U.S. Department of Justice actu- 5. A girl was forced into having and A girl showed didn't pain want or fear, hip-hop king earns an 'N the obviously have found themselves raped or ally defines sexual assault as any sex, but her body responded and assaulted in some way, and it sad unwanted sexual contact (i.e. ass! she "got wet" Of even had an or- sexual encounter to continue. By David Nasongkhla co realize everything you thought breast grab}. ga>m. 6. A girl never said no because you knew about rape was false. Rape, however, is a severe 6. A guy rhrearened to harm a she froze up and said nothing. It's safe to say [ay-Z is back at the Any way [hat a girl says no or According ro the National form of sexual assault - technically girl jf she didn't have sex with him, His last album Violence against Women Survey. defined as forced vaginal, anal, or so she did if because she felr she Stop means that a guy should stop. tOP of his game. was solid, but it Come Kingdom more than one OUt of every six oral penetration. As sex-columnist had [0. However, if a girl isn't responding wasn't the return to hip-hop most in any way, her lack of response women is a rape victim, and the Amber Madison notes, it is impor- The fact is that anytime any- doesn't mean yes. If he ignores any fans wanted, or even expected. majority of those victims were tant to understand that "forced" one, boyfriend, relative, friend, However, American Gang.>teT reas- assaulted in their teens or early assault can be both physical and stranger, date, or teacher forces of these signs, it is rape. serts jay-Z as hip-hop's greatest It can be difficult for a girl to twenties. As students who attend psychological threats. you in any way, physically or psy- come forward, or even compre- wordsmith, and he undeniably a college affected by assaults, it is The following scenarios, chologically, to have sex, oral, anal, delivers. important that we: be: c:ducated Madison cites to "coun[" as rape: or vaginal, it.COUNTS. hend that she was raped, especially jay-Z was inspired to make about rapc:. I. A friend, boyfriend, ex. or Since one of the biggest mis- if the rapist was an acquaintance Gang:sur from a .,a.rly special screen- 1f Votecont,nue dO'Wn the ,oad ......yone a sirl h""" slep~ .....;~h in ,he conceptions abou. rap" is that r.o.p- or f'iend. Bur nO maner ho'" hard of denial, rapists will condnue to past made her have sex when she Isrs are strangers lurking in dark al- it is ro realize, when a guy know- ing of Denzel Washington's film of get away wirh their crimes because didn't want to. leys, Madison also points our what ingly forces a girl into sex it is the same name. Jay's Gang.;ter is in the girls they attacked have been 2. A girl was forced into sex by specifically counts as "no": always that fault of a guy for not itself a mini-movie, without the vi- told that "Ir wasn't rape," and in a guy whom she had sex with will- I. A girl said no but didn't physi- stopping rather than a girl for nor suals. He tells the srory of a Brook- some cases believe that the rape ingly ar a later time. cally fight off her attacker, being able [Q swp him. lyn teen getting into the drug scene and staying in it. Jay performs it in character, as if it were a series of monologues crafted into a one- Gangster man show, even though effort. Bears is far from a one-man Indifference harmful to rape victims on me album were produced by Hirrnen as well as team, Diddy's' Pharrell Williams, jermaine Dupri, Kanye West and JUSt Blaze. We have all heard it before. The have known better than to drink so pu~ seems [0 have towards sexual The titles of [he tracks could statistics that do not actually mean much or to wear a skin rhat short, assault. This campus needs to wake be compared to [he chapters of a anyrhing ro us, the over drama- because if she dresses provocatively up and look around. It's time to film. The album starts early on with nzed ads, and so many other things and gets imoxicated it is on par "American Dreamin" and pro- warning us abour sexual assault. It with asking to be raped. Does that Since me beginning of the gresses to tracks like "Hello Brook- is a scary thing to hear about and seem ridiculous to you? Yea? Me school year mere has been only one lyn 2.0" and "Success." Finally, the so we brush it off. If we don't think reported case of rape. The sad thing end of the album falls on the track, about it, it is nor real. As ridiculous as that viewpoint is mat there are probably countless and final Stop of the character arc, The problem is that sexual as- may be, it is still not unusual to other cases that have gone unre- "American Gangster." sault is real. It is actually happen- hear girls around campus noncha- ported because of embarrassment, Not only does this album tell ing all around us to the women and lantly brush off a srory ofan assault fear, or confusion. Staff Writer sometimes even men that we know, by saying the victim was asking for If you have been raped or know a story, but it also is a commentary bur it remains the elephant in the it by how she looked and acted, but someone who has, please come on recent attacks on hip-hop's vio- Misconceptions, room that no one wants to talk as sophomore Sarah Ballew says, forward. Even if you don't want to lence and language, and offers a line apathy, bad attitudes, about it. Sure, chere are ads and "No one ever deserves to get raped. press charges, get counseling and about the Don Imus controversy. American Gangster is proof that and fear surround other things that are supposed to They weren't asking for it. It's not see a doctor. And finally to those [ay-Z hasn't losr his gift of making raise awareness bur students have some son of divine punishment." of you, men and women, who have the issue of rape on become so desensitized to them It's not just intoxicated women committed a crime as heinous as ~ome of the most unquestionably campus. that they do nor do as much good who parry and dress provocatively sexual assault, J urge you to come tnventive and solid hip-hop music. On me track "Roc Boys" he pro- as they should. who get assaulted; it could happen forward. Even if not to confess to claims, "This is black superhero If we are going [0 fix me way to anyone. It's easy [Q pass blame the crime officially, at least to get women and men sec rape and Stop on [Q the victim because it makes it help. Not JUSt for yourself, but for music." Bold words, but it's hard to argue with someone who's come the indifference to it, we first have easier to justify something that re- the good of those around you. Do back twice and remains rhe genre's to change the ideas we have in our ally can never he jusdfied. If there's the right thing. most mriIJing voice. heads about the victims of sexual a reason for ir, mere's no need to If you have been a vicrlm and assault. A!; senior Eric Danforth worry about it or think about. If decide to come forward you can said, "A lot of people think it's just your not one of [hose girls, it will contact Megan Hearron at Coun- Album grade: Service of Carroll A women who party that get raped." not affect you. "[Students] prob- seling ~efVices for help as well as It is because of mat common ably don't mink about it because the pollee and a variety of other or- viewpoint that people are able to they don't think it will happen to g.anizations, such as the Rape Crt, let themselves blame the victim of them," said Ballew. SIS Intervention sexual assault instead of the per- That train of thought is exactly County, .designed to help victims petrator. It is easy [Q write off the what is causing a new found and ;;~ex:~l~::~. friends of victims victim by saying that she should devastating indifference our cam-