Ladies, how do you feel about seeing sexual violence toward women (i.e. rape) portrayed onscreen?

Question

I recently saw the movie "The Hills Have Eyes," which depicts violent rape and sexual assault rather vividly. It made me very uncomfortable as a woman, and for a little while afterward I didn't even want my boyfriend to touch me because I felt devalued by what I saw onscreen. It also bothered me that so many men can watch violence toward women onscreen and see it as nothing but entertainment. The movie was horrifying, but I was too angry at it to be scared by it. My anger raised a number of questions. Is sexual violence toward women a valid subject matter for any movie, and is there a right and wrong way to portray it? Does violence toward women in the media contribute to the devaluing of women in our society? Is it right for the entertainment industry to capitalize on a violent crime that is both very real and very devastating to those who experience it? Is there anything that can be done about it, and if so, what? I'd like to know how other women feel about this.

Guys can feel free to answer this question too. All perspectives are welcome.

Answer 1

This is a very valid question. And I personally am sick and tired of seeing sexual violence against women onscreen. Even though they say it's freedom of expression, is it? Where is our freedom of expressing how much this upsets us? When women are the highest paid only in the sex industry and movies are made over and again about women getting raped...it can get pretty depressing and of course we would wonder what men think when they see it. Do they get aroused at a woman getting raped? Men who watched The Accused with Jodi Foster (about a woman who gets raped by men in a bar) found themselves getting aroused even though they thought they couldn't stand rape. They found they couldn't help themselves. Don't get me wrong though - Not all men get aroused by rape.

Hollywood capitalizing on rape? Do they give inadequate roles to women? NOOOOO...well, yes of course they do. Do you think that the people that look for the supposed "sexy/hot/fine girl" of a film are not perverted? They look at her face, her figure, her b r e a s t s, her azz, her feet..and rate her on a "s c r e w a b l e" meter...I'm sure they are looking at her acting abilities. No, it's not right for the film industry to capitalize on it but it's the states.....freedom of speech...specially for hollywood. Our rights though, go straight out the window. Nice, huh?

Yes, there is something you can do.
Any time you watch a movie at the theatre and there is a rape scene of a woman in it, go to entrance and ask for your money back. Because you REFUSE to watch yet another movie about a woman being raped. If every man and woman did this, can you imagine? And you could find out if your town or city has a Take Back The Night March and rally and march against violence against women. It's very enpowering.
remember that even though it's only one pebble you have thrown in the water, it causes ripples.
I hope this helps....and be strong cause there are women like you (and me) out there that will rock the boat.

Answer 2

Honestly, to me, it is just a movie. I know my boyfriend would never do something like that. I know he or my friends aren't little kids who would think that rape in a movie or violence is cool in any means. I know they respect women, and when they are watching a movie, it is simply just a movie.

Real stuff like that happens everyday, in real lives of other people, if you are disturbed by that sort of thing, I would advise you not to watch those types of movies. If you are unprepared to take it in as just a movie, then this isn't the type of movie that you should be watching. I am not judging I am simply advising.

I will say, this however, when I first watched the hills have eyes, I was in terrible shock that why on earth would anyone make a movie like this, they would have to be sick and twisted...(and weird enough I didnt form this thought until I watched the dad part, not the rape scene) then while everything was happening I had to tell myself it is just a movie, and they probably had outakes of the monsters laughing and the girl laughing..etc... I'm not saying that I enjoy watching violence to women, what I am saying is simply that I know that it is purely a film. And you can't really do anything about it, you can protest but it really isn't going to change, because you think just by taking out the violence on films and tv will simply stop the violence in real life? No. In a perfect world maybe... but this is reality, reality is not perfect. The only thing I can say to people who disagree with violence toward women in a film, or violence in general-- lets not be sexist now--is not to watch those types of films in the first place.

Try to think out of the box

Answer 3

I have not watched the movie for that very reason. I feel that violence towards women in that context is very unnecessary and it only promotes degradation. On the other hand movies like The Accused and Eye for An Eye, where the violation is a central part of the story, is a different matter. While still very disturbing, they promote the story in a way that is necessary to understanding the character. In a perfect world, there would be no violence at all, but until then, we should see things that make us more sympathetic and understanding of woman who were victims of acts like that.

Answer 4

In my personal opinion, there is definitely a right and wrong way to portray sexual violence toward women in movies, but I feel it is an issue that should be addressed more in film, if done properly. Too many films seem to glorify rape and violence toward women, with the exception of a few where those women "get even". To me, movies that depict such things should help to bring to light this issue that is often ignored or even glorified. If a film depicting rape or sexual assault helps to prevent someone from getting themselves into a similar situation, then I say that it is an important and valid subject matter.

Answer 5

hmmm. wow that's a good question. Honestly I don't know. It is disturbing to see that stuff happen, but it also sheds light on the dark parts of humanity. This kind of stuff happens a lot in real life, so it's easy for filmakers to portray it in a movie or tv. Take law and order SVU for example(one of my favorite shows by the way), they deal with rape victims and other sexual assult victims in every episode, and they aren't affraid to bring certain things or specifics up. I've heard that this show has actually helped many victims come forward, or has help them cope.

Anyway, violence toward women in movies is,hate to say this, easy to show. They follow the stereotype of the weak, emotionally driven woman, who would be easy to prey on. If it gets worse in movies and tv, then I'll have a problem with it But right now I think it's good to depict that and show the world that certain things in tv and the movies are real.

Hope this helped(and made sense).

Answer 6

The vicious, murder raping scenes may be a little much. However, movies like North Country are basically educational because it depicts the way women are treated yet today. Sexual harrassment is one thing but rape is another. Society needs to know that these scenarios are real and learn from it.

Answer 7

I'm not really a women's hardcore right activist or anything, but it sometimes makes me mad when deragatory jokes or scenes are based on women. I think the media has a great deal, but if you try and complain, you'll just get the whole "freedom of speech" thing slapped in your face, so there's not much you can do about it. I especially hate it in music or on the Internet you see people disrespecting women and their bodies. Rap songs are all about bringing the girl to bed and slapping her and stuff, on the Internet there is porn where the girl just submits herself to the man and he does anything he wants. As for rape, I don't think watching movies like that motivates men to take advantage of women, but I do think they can now get away with calling women bad names and stuff more easily. I haven't had any personal experience with rape situations that hit home, so I don't know for sure. I don't think there is anything you can do, you just need to find yourself a good man who won't abuse you, which is kind of hard these days. I recently watched a movie "Hard Candy" it was really good, I recommend it.

Answer 8

I think there is a right and wrong way to portray it. Such in a way to teach about it and how to avoid getting in that situation. The way that they displayed rape in the movie was terribly wrong and uncalled for.
I think the way women are portrayed on films like these does devalue women in society. There is something that can be done about it. Don't watch the fuking movie!

Answer 9

A coincidence, I watched this movie just two days ago, and it made me sick, even thou I like horror movies. I was never raped, but once my boyfriend didn't want to stop when I said he was hurting me, and for a long time after that I couldn't bring myself to sleep with him. I felt .... well I never want to feel something like that again! Also, when I see rape on screen, I have this lump in my stomach, and I fast forward that part of the movie if I can, or switch channel. The worse thing is that nothing can be done, because the world has turned to such rotten place, and you can't stop it as long as its making money.

Answer 10

Rape scenes in movies are horrific, nowhere near as horrific and psychically damaging to the woman in real life, but horrific nonetheless.

I do believe such scenes in some movies are justified. One answerer validly cites the Jodie Foster movie, in which the rape of her character is central to the story. Some rape scenes are only there for titilation, appealing to the lowest, prurient interests of the moviegoing audience. Myself, Im offended when the woman being raped begins to respond, because "He's so good, she just cant help herself". This to me sends a dangerous message. But most rapes scenes in movies are followed by some sort of retribution, whether legal or otherwise, so the rapist ends up "getting whats coming to him".
Many people (men and women both) have rape fantasies. But thats all they are: FANTASIES. Finding a partner willing to indulge in "rough sex" or "mock rape" scenarios is difficult, so a useful catharctic tool is the movies. The argument could be made that showing rapes and the inevitable consequences prevents real rapes from happening. Rape is not about sex, its about power, the power the rapist exerts over his victim.

Im sorry you feel devalued but Im not sure its healthy to relate that personally to a movie character on screen. Do you also feel dead when some character dies? Please.Thats taking it a little too personally. I understand your empathy, but you might need to grow a bit of a thicker skin, to survive in this world, unaffected by rapidly moving still photographs, shown in sequence, to suggest movement.