I don’t really like reality shows that much, and this one, “What Would You Do?” doesn’t truly appeal to me, but damn if it doesn’t show real dynamics in real time about rape. I should offer a trigger warning, but it’s two actors (a woman playing drunk and a man trying to get her alone to assault her), and the bystanders that do step up to take care of her. That’s hopeful. But there are some men, and yes—they are actually cops—who basically are like, Go Bro. Have at.
And right here is part of the issue with this rape culture business. The cops, who are sworn to protect, seem to be amused with the idea of her weakness to be taken advantage of, instead of being appalled at his predation. Which makes me wonder how much cops are twisted up into power dynamics of weak and strong.
Several of the men stand up for her but in a very paternal way, and the women work in groups to protect her.
Really telling, all of it, that people DO know this sort of predation is wrong, but they either don’t know how/when to act or they enjoy the fact that it’s wrong and frankly don’t want to get involved. “She shouldn’t have been so drunk” is probably on the cops’ mind. “If she wasn’t a drunk loser, she wouldn’t be weak.” Not, “Wow, we could arrest this asshole right now, because he is a predator.”
And that makes me pretty worried about our culture.
Hat tip to PolicyMic for sharing this video.
So let me get this straight- a grown woman drinks like she wants to F a stranger and we’re entitled, required to interfere?
If we disapprove of how she dresses is it also our business?
How about her reproductive decisions; are these any of our business?
Raise your hand if you never had a drunken F buddy.
I find these shows fascinating. Whether examining attitudes about drinking and consent to the infamous one showing the appalling attitudes around domestic violence perpetrated against men, they are indeed a window on our society.
I think everyone agrees that if a person forces a sexual act with another person who doesn’t want it, that it’s non-consensual and predatory, morally wrong and a crime, and the person should be locked up. But with all due respect, I think the key factor with the public intervening is the perceived free-will and agency of the person who has been drinking. It’s not a black and white situation. It’s a difficult judgement call. There is a spectrum of inebriation. At one end of the spectrum, if the person is almost completely catatonic, speaking unintelligibly, and it’s clear they… Read more »
Do you know if these officers were reprimanded at all?