When you hear about a sexual assault or rape, it’s predominantly about a male predator. However, that doesn’t mean women don’t also commit sexual crimes.
Men and women should be held to the same standard when it comes to consent, and both sexes have to ask for consent before they perform a sexual act. Women can pressure young boys into sex. Female bosses can pressure their employees to have sex with them.
Men are taught at a very young age that aggressiveness equals masculinity, and you aren’t manly if you aren’t strong and tough. These ideals are taught to boys through the toys they’re given and the TV shows made for them.
Most rapes are committed by men because they are usually the more aggressive gender. “Boys will be boys” is not an excuse for men to act however they please with no consequences.
Men are also taught to be very sexual beings in a way women are taught not to be. This can become a problem when boys are raped and then told they’re supposed to like sex, no matter how it comes. Men are less likely to report a rape because they are afraid to look less masculine.
American Idol host Katy Perry recently kissed a contestant on the show. She didn’t ask him if she could, and he was clearly uncomfortable while the whole panel laughed at him for never having kissed anyone before. Men are expected to like any and all advances from women. The contestant said it was his first kiss and he was saving it for someone special. Perry was obviously not his “someone special.”
Rape is not restricted to one sex or sexuality. Female teachers of young children are sometimes guilty of having relations with their students. Men will be upset at the young boy for coming forward, often saying he should’ve felt “lucky” to have sex with an older woman.
Any sex that is unwanted is rape and should be treated like rape. Little boys need to be protected just as much as little girls. All genders need to be taught to ask for consent. All genders need protection from rapists. All genders should be treated the same after they’ve been through a sexual assault or a rape.
When boys aren’t treated like their problems are real, they are less willing to come forward. Every victim should feel safe to say they’ve been hurt. In our current society, almost all victims aren’t treated well.
Women who come forward are often asked what they were wearing or if they were drinking. Men who come forward are often asked why they didn’t like or why they weren’t glad to have sex. Both scenarios are unacceptable and we, as a society, need to help victims feel safe.
Ashlon Lusk is a 19-year-old mass communication freshman from Houston, Texas.
