The Female Body: A contested War-zone
In this article learn
Content Warning: rape, rape threats, sexual violence, sexual degradation, wartime rape, sexual assault
When comedian Agrima Joshua posted a throwback clip to a 2019 standup performance of hers, all she did was exercise her right to free speech in a democratic system. However, as the clip made rounds on social media, a slew of vile and despicable threats, ranging from death to rape was hurled at Joshua, eventually forcing her to delete the clip and issue an apology. Among the onslaught of abuses directed towards her, Youtuber Shubham Mishra, uploaded a video, in which he openly threatened to rape, Joshua, her mother, and her sister while also using derogatory language aimed at ‘teaching girls like her a lesson’ and ‘putting her in her place’.
The threat of physical violence, specifically that of rape, used as a mechanism to exert power and control over womxn is not new.
The pernicious climate of rape culture today allows society to enforce disciplinary norms upon womxn and curtail their behavior while at the same time forcing womxn to inflict upon themselves the rhetoric of taking up smaller spaces within multiple spheres.
1.Rape as a social mechanism of control
As Ann J Cahill puts it,
‘the threat of rape, then, is a constitutive and sustained moment in the production of the feminine body’ (Cahill, 2000).
The implication is that rape and sexual violence are integral to the social construct of what it means to be female. ‘Cross your legs and sit like womxn’ implies that if a womxn were to not abide by this rule her body faces the danger of sexual violation. There is most certainly a social sexing underlying rape, i.e in heteronormative societies rape is a tool that is often used to inflict submission, docility upon a person (more often than not upon womxn). It also reinforces the socially constructed ideas of male dominance and hegemonic masculinity that coerces womxn into behaving in an appropriate manner.
‘The truth thus inscribed on the female body is not that, biologically, all men are potential rapists. It is rather that, biologically, all womxn are potential rape victims’ (Cahill, 2000).
So two questions then, why does rape today continue to be a tool used to decimate female space and bodies? And what is it that gives rape culture fertile breeding grounds? Three ways to look at these explanations, through cultural constructs, power discourses and social conditioning.
2. The Cultural Part
Cultural Spillover Theory of Violence
What is it?
Say that a person who has served in the military for a period of time, comes back home after serving his term and has violent outbursts at home. Is there a way to explain this? Yes most definitely. When patterns of physical force are endorsed to achieve socially approved means such as punishment in school, military violence, crime control, etc. there is a high likelihood that this legitimation of force will be generalized to other spheres of life particularly in the relations between the sexes. (Straus, Baron , & Jaffee, 1988). Even though in these relations force is less approved of socially, the spillover effect overpowers it.
A result of the spillover → Rape
It suggests that rape is partly a spillover from cultural norms that permit violent behavior in other areas of life. Known as the cultural spillover theory of violence explored by Baron, Straus and Jafee, the theory explains the seeping in of rape culture into our societies.
In modern nations today the implicit support of killing in war, as well as higher exposure to homicide and abuse has been cited for the spillover of violence into other spheres.
Simply put it perpetuates the understanding that violent means can achieve desired ends. Rape threats become a mechanism to achieve social control over a particular other(mostly womxn since the threat of rape against womxn is disproportionately higher than that against men). Agrima Joshua and Rana Ayyub are few among numerous womxn who have been at the receiving end of such threats proving that womxn’s bodies continue to remain battlegrounds for society to lay siege upon in the quest for social control and discipline.
Rape and social disorganization
Can a breakup or a divorce potentially have some link to rape and rape threats? Sociologists do believe so.
Almost all societies are made up of a web of informally and formally constituted relationships among members. Members perform certain interconnected roles and carry out functions. These roles and functions lead to the creation of social units and institutions such as family, schools, states, social circles, and so on. All of these units aggregate to constitute social organization. Basically these social organizations are networks and groups for the purpose of achieving certain collective goals and ensuring that communities continue to thrive. Anti thetical to social organization is of course social disorganization.
What is social disorganization?
When accounts of systematic wartime rape carried out in Sudan, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, Bosnia, and Myanmar among other countries, were published in mainstream media it sent shockwaves and drew reactions of condemnation and horror across the world.
Wartime sexual atrocities however are not new and have been well documented throughout the years. (Seifort, The second front: The logic of sexual violence in Wars, 1996)
Sociologists Blau and Blau, Shaw and McKay among others believe that social disorganization (the dissolution of social organization)is a yet another cause of violent crime specifically that of rape against womxn. This is attributed to the reduced legal and social sanctions against rape in instances of disorganization. (Baron & Straus, 1987)
How does it manifest?
In the event of wars, the womxn of the defeated rival community are considered ‘booty’ of the war’, making them available to soldiers, and rape is used to terrorize and tame them, according to Miranda Alison. Alison also says that military rape reinforces norms of toxic masculinity and is a mode of male bonding among soldiers. (Alison, 2007 )
In ethnic, communal, and religious conflicts of modern society, womxn of minority communities become targeted victims of rape.
Their bodies are made political symbols of power and dominance and rape is a mechanism to ensure they never question their ethnic sovereignty. (Seifort, The Female Body as Political Body: Rape, War and the Nation, 2007)
Since womxn are the breeders of future citizens, wartime rape and forced impregnation of enemy womxn are often carried out. Referred to as imperial rape, it seeks to achieve genetic imperialism where the citizenry of future generations is put under question. Further, the systematic and mass rape of womxn methodically undermines societal fabric since raped womxn are seen as a source of shame even post the war. (Sultana)
Studies have shown that even micro-social disorganization like divorce has often been linked to an increase in violence against women as divorced men tend to view all women in a negative and derogatory light. (Straus, Baron , & Jaffee, 1988)
3. The Power Part
Power dynamics, regulatory discourse, and rape
Is wearing a bra, basically a self-inflicted method of disciplining bodies to conform to acceptable social norms?
Welcome to Foucault 101. (ish)
Crucial to the understanding of rape is also the power and regulatory discourse surrounding female bodies and how men perceive that. The Foucaldian framework of power talks about how power and social control is manifested in bodies but never addresses how power operates differently among the genders. The theory says that systems of power encourage conformity and discipline among everyone in society through self-regulation and restraint.
However academicians and feminist scholars point out that the concept of ‘docile female bodies’ means that womxn are required to resign themselves to a higher level of repression and discipline than men. Womxn’s bodies are consistently policed and held up to higher standards than men. [4] Patriarchal structures, compulsory heterosexuality, and other consolidated forms of control determine the freedom and space occupied by womxn. (Cahill, 2000)
This power and regulatory dynamic create a sense of control that seeks to explain rape and the threat of rape. Men often see womxn as sex objects and as inherently inferior to them. Those who hold these beliefs think that they are “entitled to control womxn’s sexuality’ and are in the position to decide what a womxn really wants according to Polaschek & Ward, 2002 (read: womxn are incapable of commanding their own sexuality)
Feminist theorists claim that rape is
“nothing more or less than a conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all womxn in a state of fear”[5].
According to a study performed by Mark Warr in 19841, most womxn across age groups fear rape significantly more than they fear death.
The fear of rape is very real. It is something that womxn live with every day. This is manifest in how they structure their social behavior(dressing, language, physical interactions) lest they violate dominant norms and their bodies are in danger of being ravaged. The curtailing of freedom to go out at night after a particular time or being mindful of the clothing one wears on the streets are all linked to the fear of sexual violence being perpetrated against womxn
4. The Social Conditioning Part
Commodification Theory
Often ideas of success and power in patriarchal societies bring with them the increased possibility of crime against womxn.
Rosenthal and Messner, say that the American Dream celebrated goals of achievement and power with very low emphasis on legitimate means to achieve them. This meant that illegal means of harming, and degrading others could be used to promote one’s interest. This exemplifies the commodification theory of rape where gender inequality and bias against womxn allow for such toxic masculine behavior to flourish. (Lowell, 2010)
This when applied to heteronormative societies, implies that men thus sustain their power and privilege and enforce their sexual rights through force and threats. womxn are simply reduced to sexual and reproductive possessions in the eyes of men. The degradation of womxn reduces them to commodities owned by men and their sexuality is nothing not just determined by men but also something that men get to freely exploit.
Basically in conclusion→ We need to do more to break down these anomalies in society
The Agrima Joshua incident serves as a harsh and uncomfortable reminder of how rape culture is normalized and grounded in our society. The fact that multiple threats of rape were thrown at her simply because her humor was deemed offensive is in no way a justified response to dealing with such issues. It also begs the question of how womxn’s bodies are still not their own and are merely reduced to objects of a system that is shaped and set up to subjugate and control them through the instruments of violence and fear.
To live a life in constant fear of being violated means living the life of an unequal member of society. For all those who identify as womxn, the fear of rape is very real. It continues to manifest itself day in and day out and is perhaps all it should take to push for greater, all-encompassing, intersectional equality of the sexes.
KEY THEORIES
Cultural Spillover Theory of Violence :
It suggests that rape is partly a spillover from cultural norms that permit violent behavior in other areas of life(like war, crime control) Simply put it perpetuates the understanding that violent means can achieve desired ends.
Social Disorganization Theory :
The breakdown of the web of informally and formally constituted relationships among members refers to social disorganization. In instances of disorganization there are reduced legal and social sanctions against rape which increases the likelihood of it.
Imperial Rape :
A notable phenomenon of social disorganization, it takes place in the event of wars. Womxn who are considered the booty of the war by enemy soldiers are raped and forcefully impregnated to achieve genetic imperialism.
Power Discourse :
It says that womxn are required to resign themselves to a higher level of repression and discipline than men(docile female bodies). Womxn’s bodies are consistently policed and held up to higher standards than men.
Commodification Theory :
Gender inequality and bias against womxn allow for the degradation of womxn and reduces them to commodities owned by men. It also perpetuates notions of toxic masculinity.
OUR OTHER ARTICLES
Our e-zine : 7PM
Miller established that if information is broken down into seven (plus/minus two) chunks, it is easier for the brain to remember it.
That is exactly what we do with our zine! Each edition features one topic and 7+/- interesting experiments around it.
Reported cases in the States/UTs where the number was greater than 1000 Women & Girls Victims of Rape under Different Age Groups, 2018
References
Alison, M. (2007 ). Wartime sexual violence: women’s human rights and questions of masculinity. Cambridge University Press.
Baron, L., & Straus, M. (1987). Four Theories of Rape: A Macrosociological Analysis. Social Problems, Volume 34.
Cahill, A. J. (2000). Foucault, Rape, and the Construction of the Feminine Body . Hypatia .
Lowell, G. (2010). A Review of Rape Statistics, Theories, and Policy. Bridgewater State University, Undergraduate Review.
Seifort, R. (1996). The second front: The logic of sexual violence in Wars. Women's Studies International Journal .
Seifort, R. (2007). The Female Body as Political Body: Rape, War and the Nation. Direttore responsabile.
Straus, M., Baron , L., & Jaffee, D. (1988). Legitimate violence, violent attitudes, and rape: a test of the cultural spillover theory. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences.
Sultana, P. (n.d.). Body and Terror: Women’s Bodies as Victims and Perpetrators of. Sanglap: Journal of Literary and Cultural Inquiry.
Lisa Jacob
Lisa is a cheesecake enthusiast who looses hair ties by the day, enjoys long runs and hopes to one day finish reading all the many journal articles she has downloaded on her desktop.
