Rape Culture: What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Rape?

Schøn, Caroline Allerslev

4. term

English, Master

2016

2016-05-31

51

Dette speciale undersøger, hvad vi egentlig taler om, når vi taler om voldtægt i amerikansk kultur, med udgangspunkt i begrebet voldtægtskultur som en social ramme, der normaliserer og undskylder seksuel vold. Projektet stiller to hovedspørgsmål: Hvilke faktorer former den offentlige debat om voldtægt, og har disse faktorer relevans for selve problemet? Har samfundet en tendens til at bebrejde ofre for seksuelle overgreb, og hvorfor? Metodisk kombinerer specialet diskursanalyse med særlig vægt på framing for at undersøge, hvordan mediedækning indrammer konkrete sager og påvirker læsernes opfattelser. Gennem caseanalyser af Steubenville-sagen og en sag fra Bard University undersøges, hvordan sproglige og narrative valg i medierne konstruerer forståelsesrammer. Teoretisk trækker analysen på bl.a. Goffman, Lakoff, Fillmore, Snow og Benford samt van Dijk for at belyse, hvordan rammer skabes, cirkulerer og påvirker holdninger og politik. Den anden del af undersøgelsen er en kommenterende analyse af udvalgte årsager og virkninger, herunder victim blaming, grænserne for samtykke og universiteters ansvar ved seksuel vold. Formålet er at synliggøre, hvordan kulturelle og institutionelle forståelsesrammer former både debatten og håndteringen af voldtægt. De fremlagte sider dækker problemformulering, metode og teori; eventuelle empiriske fund og konklusioner fremgår ikke af dette uddrag.

This thesis examines what we actually talk about when we talk about rape in American culture, using the concept of rape culture as a lens for understanding how sexual violence is normalized and excused. It poses two main questions: Which factors shape public discussion of rape, and are these factors relevant to the problem itself? Does society tend to blame victims of sexual assault, and why? Methodologically, the study combines discourse analysis with a focus on framing to explore how media coverage frames specific cases and influences audience perceptions. Through case analyses of the Steubenville rape case and a case from Bard University, it investigates how linguistic and narrative choices construct interpretive frames. The theoretical framework draws on work by Goffman, Lakoff, Fillmore, Snow and Benford, and van Dijk to explain how frames are created, circulate, and affect attitudes and policy. A second, commentary-oriented analysis addresses selected causes and effects, including victim blaming, the boundaries of consent, and universities’ responsibilities in cases of sexual violence. The aim is to clarify how cultural and institutional frames shape both debate and responses to rape. The pages provided present the research questions, methodology, and theoretical foundation; empirical findings and conclusions are not included in this excerpt.

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Schøn, Caroline Allerslev:

• Rape Culture: What Do We Talk About When We Talk About Rape? (2016)