Comments on: It is our right

By: Haily

Haily — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:52:34 +0000

When I think of the Take back the Night Rally’s, I’m not thinking of it as an engine to make others aware of the possibility of rape by a stranger. I think of it as a way to make others aware of the sexual harassment women face just because they are out at night. Harassment not limited to rape, but to catcalls, cars honking, guys pulling over and making lewd comments and offering us rides. Things like that. Sure, rape is a very real possibility for women, but it can happen anywhere. For me, I would just like to walk home without being harassed by creeps in cars.

I recently wrote about an experience I had one night while walking home.

If you would like to read it, just click here!

By: Maia

Maia — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 00:34:51 +0000

It may, to some extent, reinforce the stranger rape myth, but I think that conversely it addresses just how a rape culture uses rape to control women’s choices and actions. Being able to control women’s movement through fear is part and parcel of the patriarchy, reinforced through it’s stranger-rape myths. I’ve always viewed take-back-the-night marches as a big metaphorical middle finger raised at those men and institutions that use fear mongering to keep women in the home and out of the public sphere.

But don’t you see this as problematic: saying ‘fuck you’ to the purpose and effect of those myths while reinforcing those myths?

At least at this Reclaim the Night, we weren’t explicitly addressing the way the rape culture limited us, we were addressing the act of rape.

By: IrrationalPoint

IrrationalPoint — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 20:32:04 +0000

Or rather, make Reclaim the Night about making abuse *within homes*public?
–IP

By: mythago

mythago — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 20:17:41 +0000

What Q Grrl said. It’s a retort to the notion that women aren’t to be without male protection–no going out after dark, because You Might Get Raped.

By: debbie

debbie — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:46:47 +0000

Yeah, I get that it’s about protesting rape culture and the social control of women by fear mongering. I’ve been to some wonderful Take Back the Night marches, but for the most part I’ve found them very disempowering. Many of the marches I’ve been to have involved the police marshalling which seems to defeat the purpose of the march in the first place.

By: IrrationalPoint

IrrationalPoint — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 19:44:16 +0000

While it is true that Reclaim the Night has traditionally been about reclaiming *streets* at night, couldn’t one make it about reclaiming our homes at night?

–IP

By: Q Grrl

Q Grrl — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 18:55:36 +0000

It may, to some extent, reinforce the stranger rape myth, but I think that conversely it addresses just how a rape culture uses rape to control women’s choices and actions. Being able to control women’s movement through fear is part and parcel of the patriarchy, reinforced through it’s stranger-rape myths. I’ve always viewed take-back-the-night marches as a big metaphorical middle finger raised at those men and institutions that use fear mongering to keep women in the home and out of the public sphere.

Implying that “we” have to take back our bedrooms denies the totality of a rape culture: rape isn’t just an act levied against individual bodies, it is a paradigm that serves to socially reinforce women’s subjugation and undermine women’s agency. Taking back the bedroom works for those women who partner with men — but for those of us who don’t, we still wrestle with the lingering doubts about our own safety and vulnerability in a society that suggests that we are fair game no matter what, no matter when.

Taking back the night is much more than fighting rape. It is a reclamation of half the population’s right to move freely and bodly in the world. Hundreds of years ago, women who moved freely in the night were labeled witches; now-a-days women who do so are labeled “loose” and “asking for it”.

It’s not just rape we have to fight, but the stripping of autonomy through the rape of our sisters that our culture encourages and allows.

By: debbie

debbie — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 18:37:49 +0000

I hate whole concept of Take Back the Night because, as you said, it reinforces the myth that most rapes are stranger rapes and/or happen in public places. It’s also always felt weird to me because I generally don’t feel unsafe in public places at night, even when I’m by myself. I know that I’m unusual - most of my women friends do feel less safe, but I do have this disconnect with the idea of needing to “take back” the night.

By: Janna

Janna — Fri, 24 Nov 2006 12:21:00 +0000

This is so true. I worked as a rape crisis counselor for two years, and only spoke to one survivor who was assaulted by a stranger.

I think people are more comfortable speaking out against stranger rape because they don’t have to deal with the notion that those they know and trust are more likely to hurt them. It’s painful to come to terms with that concept. However, this means it’s even more crucial to address this when organizing for change.