Trigger warning for rape
Important correction: Ack. I was fooled by a bad source! I woke up today to a nice email from the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association, which was rather displeased to discover their groundbreaking anti-drunk-driving program was being reported as having a rape joke in it. Apparently the talking urinal cakes do not make a prison rape joke. All they’re doing is telling men to call a cab or a friend (and wash their hands!) instead of driving drunk. I am not sure why someone would literally make up the existence of a rape joke, but whoever they are, they’re clearly an asshole. My deepest apologies to my readers and anyone else who was misinformed.
Seriously, though, it sounds like an awesome program and I’m sorry for slandering it.
Also, apparently Minnesota and Michigan are different states. This is why Ozy should not be allowed to write things late at night.
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Prison rape is still not funny. Unfortunately, this comes as a surprise to some people.
Michigan has initiated a program of talking urinal cakes in bars that tell people not to drink and drive. Cute, funny, and a little creepy, right (who wants their bathroom to be talking to them)? But just wait until you find out what they’re saying some asshole made up that they were saying…
“Here’s a real friendly reminder. Don’t drive drunk. If you do and you get arrested, the next urinal you pee in will be in jail, with a hairy guy named Bubba standing behind asking you to pick up the soap…”
Oyyyyyyyy.
Prison rape is really not funny. Classist prison rape jokes are super not funny. (“Bubba” is a name typically associated with “rednecks” or “white trash,” one of the few groups of white men who are believed to be violent, stupid predators the same way that black and Hispanic men routinely are.) Prison rape jokes that make light of the way prison rape disproportionately affects nonviolent offenders like drunk drivers are super not funny. Prison rape jokes that aren’t even really jokes are super super not funny.
Seriously, that is basically a description of exactly what happens to far too many men in prison. What is the joke here? “Prison rape exists”? Oh God. It’s so hilarious. I almost split my sides laughing.
I mean, holy shit, the government paid for these? Law enforcement officers– the very people who are supposed to make sure rape isn’t happening, particularly to the prisoners under their control– approved of these and thought they were funny? The fuck is happening here? The government did not pay for these, which makes me feel a lot better about my government! Seriously.
Prison rape jokes like these contribute to an environment in which prison rape is normalized. It’s not a cruel and unusual punishment that violates the Constitution, or torture that violates international law, or even an offense against all sense of ethics. It’s just a natural consequence of going to jail, something that’s expected by prisoners, corrections officials, and the general public. Prison rape becomes something that we accept out of some perverse sense of justice. You deserve to be raped, we think, because you committed a crime. It’s part of the punishment for the crime, the same way that having your license suspended is.
Call me a humorless feminist, but I don’t think that’s very funny.
About ozyfrantz
From: RAPE IN PRISON – 2001 – by Scott L. Anderson, former prison guard Minnesota.
It is estimated that there are over 300,000 instances of prison rape a year.
196,000 are estimated to happen to men in prison
123,000 are estimated to happen to men in county jail.
40,000 are estimated to be committed against boys in either adult prisons or while in juvenile facilities or lock ups.
5000 women are estimated to be raped in prison.
It is estimated that inmates are approached with unwanted sexual advances over 80,000 times per day in the United States alone.
Suicide rates in prison are estimated to be 15.4 per 100,000 inmates in all the states averaged out, with the exception of California, which has an astronomical 179 per 100,000. Penologists believe that the number one cause of suicide in prison is rape, with AIDS and depression from being in prison being the two runner up reasons.
AIDS/HIV is six times the national average in prison. When inmates rape, they don’t wear condoms.
From: Just Detention International – Truths About Sexual Abuse U.S. Detention Facilities – Feb 2009.
It may be an idea to send the Minnesota Department of Public Safety the link?
Why would I contact the Minnesota Department of Public Safety over a thing that is happening in Michigan?
Are they seriously threatening people with rape? What kind of idiotic sociopath thought that was a good idea?
Also, is it Michigan or Minnesota? Your article seems to be confused.
I work for the association that worked with law enforcement that provided these cakes. The message quoted in this article is incorrect. Please click on this link for the real message.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/talking_urinal_cakes_have_a_me.html
Interesting Response.
Some media outlets don’t agree, such as ABC7, and their report of July 3, 2012 – 5.57pm.
To quote “…not all of the messages are squeaky clean. In fact, you could say the potty has a bit of a potty mouth.”
I’ve had a look at quite a few net resources, and it seems that different designs have different recorded messages. I also note that there has been no correction posted on the feedback at the websites featuring the footage, or the reports as to recorded message.
If the ABC report is false, and the video content less than authentic, it does of course make the issue far bigger …. as it shows that National news media think that Prison Rape is a joke, and some Journalists may have to explain not just why they find Prison Rape funny (blame it on Journalist Rape Culture), but why they file false news reports with falsified content!
That link again (shorty from the embedded video) http://bcove.me/lux246mn
Here’s the footage from CNN – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy7XWRql6w
… and there is the ABC report too – http://bcove.me/lux246mn – it’s much the same and reports the same messages coming from the Urinal Cakes.
It even looks like the same venue!
Y’all, if it prevents some drunk bastard from driving his vehicle into a mini-van carrying a family of 6, or driving himself into a rock cut–making windows of his wife and children–who gives a damn? Residential buildings are now being fitted with sprinkler systems, now, some people may laugh about a bungalow being fitted with a sprinkler system, but if it prevents a major loss of life or property, who can it possibly hurt?
Fine, I guess I’ll provide some 101 today.
Trigger warning for rape (or does the warning in the post extend to comments? Not sure how this works)
SeclusionOfficer: Would you support having a state employee, as part of a court-ordered procedure, restrain a convicted drunk driver and rape them repeatedly for some court-ordered period of time? If not, how is it acceptable for representatives of our law-enforcement system to smile and wink at the idea that rape will happen behind bars?
That is, the people who are producing these messages *have a responsibility* to prevent rape in their prisons. The fact that they are joking gleefully about the fact that rape will occur *very strongly indicates* that they don’t take this responsibility seriously, and that is not OK.
Anybody else raise an eyebrow over the fact that this promotion is aimed only at men?
Actually – there are similar motion detectors being placed in cubicles in the ladies restrooms – but I bet none of those mention being raped in prison.
The “promotion”, as you put it, is being aimed at both the boys and girls, but the guys have to pee on it – the ladies devices get stuck to either the door or the wall!
I’m glad that you made the correction regarding the accuracy of this article, but might it just be a better policy to remove it entirely, since it is not based on anything substantial? The fact that what is stated in this article never happened sort of makes the existence of the article isn’t really necessary. Just a thought.
If I don’t correct it, people might go about believing it’s true.
Are the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association indicating that national media (ABC and CNN) have been making Prison Rape a joke for viewing figures – with false news reports?
The links are http://bcove.me/lux246mn and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUy7XWRql6w
As I have said, “If the ABC (.. and CNN..,.) report is false, and the video content less than authentic, it does of course make the issue far bigger …. as it shows that National news media think that Prison Rape is a joke, and some Journalists may have to explain not just why they find Prison Rape funny (blame it on Journalist Rape Culture), but why they file false news reports with falsified content!
However – there are a number of independent sources circulating that indicate people did hear that message in question as they peed! … so call me Cynical – but there does seem to be some truth in it – else some Journos should not be let out alone unsupervised and some very serious questions need to be asked !
I can see a great deal of back peddling – and it’s such a pity that it’s not been an Olympic Sport – cos I can see at least three or four meddle winners – and I can’t see any Bronze being given, just wooden spoons!
Why a urinal cake? Do recumbant urinators not drink and drive?
Probably because alcohol affects your kidney function in a way that makes you pee more. The idea is, if you’ve had a few drinks, you’re more likely to use a urinal.