Our Rapists

Tue, 04/08/2014 - 10:40 -- kmb324
My rapist does not know
That he was a rapist.
You told him
That he wasn’t.
You said he was
Tempted.
You said he was
Provoked.
You said that my rape
Was my fault.
I shouldn’t have worn that short skirt.
I shouldn’t have worn that push-up bra.
I shouldn’t have drank so much.
I shouldn’t have put on those
High stiletto heels that I
Loved so much.
You say that
I flirted.
You say that
I was all over him.
You say that
I asked for it.
I asked for my rape.
You asked how could it be possible
That a man could want sex from a woman
Who said no?
You said that if I said no
If I told him to stop
If I said that I did not want him
He would never do it.
But he did.
He grabbed me
And he dragged me to a dark corner.
He ripped off my clothes.
He said he knew that
I wanted this.
He could tell all along.
I wasn’t aware that my rapist
Was so intuitive.
He forced himself on me
And stole everything.
He took my virtue,
My value,
My pride.
He took my sense of security,
Of safety.
I looked behind me everywhere,
Afraid that he would be there.
There again to tell me
That I wanted it.
He took my job.
Obviously, they couldn’t have such
A huge controversy in their office.
He took the love of my life
Away from me.
My ex-boyfriend called me a slut;
He called me a whore.
He spit in my face and said
He couldn’t love me anymore.
I was tainted.
What he didn’t see was
Me.
I was still the same,
But I knew I wasn’t.
I didn’t even know if
I was capable of loving anymore.
I trembled at the thought of
A man touching me.
My rapist stole my friends.
They gave me dirty looks.
They called me trash.
I was disposable.
Little did they know,
It could’ve been them.
My own family,
My flesh and blood,
Could not look me
In the eye.
Were they afraid
That my rape would rub off
On them?
 
But maybe my story doesn’t
Affect you.
Maybe it won’t change you.
 
So, let’s talk about you.
You’re in college.
You’re having the time of your life.
Even your grades are
In a good place.
Life is great.
And, oh, that really cute boy
Who sits a couple rows down
In your Statistics class?
He talked to you today.
Oh. My. Gosh.
He is sooo cute.
He asked you on a date,
And, of course, you said
Yes.
How could you deny such a
Perfectly gorgeous man?
Friday rolls around and its
Date night.
You went shopping today.
You got some new clothes,
And, boy, are you looking good.
You’re confident,
Courageous,
Bold.
You have a nice dinner,
And afterwards, a few drinks.
He’s such a gentleman.
He holds the door,
He holds your hand getting out of the cab,
He pulls out your chair.
So, when he asks if you want
To go back to his place,
You don’t think twice.
He made you feel safe.
Walking into his apartment, you feel a bit
Hazy.
It must be the drinks.
He kisses you,
But when you open your eyes,
Your field of vision is narrower.
The world is starting to go black.
What the heck?
Was it that shrimp you had at dinner?
Oh.
It hits you
Like a bag of cinderblocks in the face.
Oh God.
You were smart.
When he offered to buy your drink,
You said no.
You knew to never take a drink from a man,
From anyone.
So, you got your own.
But, then you went to the restroom.
I mean, you really had to go.
You didn’t think about leaving your drink
With this man.
Here you were.
In his apartment.
Alone.
You tried to fight him,
But you couldn’t.
The Rohypnol
Was in you.
It was taking over your brain,
Your body,
Just like him.
Before you knew it,
You were a victim.
Nobody treated you like a victim.
Nobody knew.
Nobody saw that cute boy
Like you saw him.
 
Now, guys, maybe that doesn’t hit home with you.
You’re a man.
Nobody could ever rape you.
Rape is not gender specific.
1 in 21 men have been forced
To have sex with women.
Yes, you heard me right.
Men have been forced
To have sex.
But, that still probably doesn’t hit you.
 
So, let’s talk about your daughters.
You got married to a
Beautiful woman.
Love at first sight.
The kind of love that you look at her everyday
And say,
“Man, I’m winning.”
Year 2030-something rolls around
And you found the second love of your life.
Your perfect baby girl.
She’s yours.
You could hold her in one arm.
The years go by,
And she grows up.
One day, she’s learning
How to walk.
The next, she’s learning
How to do her hair.
A few years down the road,
She wants to do her make-up,
Just like Mommy.
Then, she’s in high school.
She is a young woman.
When she leaves one night
To go study with Brittany,
You think nothing of it.
Except, she’s not studying with Brittany.
Nope.
Yeah, Dad, she fooled you.
You see, there was this party.
All of her friends
Were going to be there.
She had to go.
How could she miss out?
There’s alcohol,
But you raised a good girl.
She doesn’t drink.
At 15, she’s only there to have fun with her friends.
She dances,
And dances,
And dances.
There’s this one guy
Who’s kind of been with her
All night.
She could tell he liked her.
She didn’t turn him away.
After all,
It was all in the name of fun.
He’s a little older,
A senior.
He’s on the football team,
And everyone knows him.
But, he was talking to her.
He liked her.
When he asks if she wants to go get something to eat,
She says yes.
I mean, it’s only a burger, right?
He’s driving,
They’re talking.
Then, she realizes
That they aren’t heading in the direction of any burger place.
She doesn’t question him.
He’s older, so he must
Know best.
But, then he stops the car.
Turns off the headlights.
Locks the doors.
He unbuckles his seatbelt
And moves to her seat.
He’s already over her before she realizes
What’s happening.
She screams.
She fights,
But it’s to no end.
He’s stronger,
Bigger.
She can’t stop him.
He drops her off back at
The party.
Her friends are gone,
So she calls you.
She needs a ride,
But she’s not at Brittany’s.
You’re furious.
You reprimand her all the way home,
Talking about what could have happened.
She’s silent.
You don’t know
What did happen.
 
Our rapists do not know
That they are rapists.
You,
And you,
And you
Told them it was not their fault.
It was our fault.
We dressed too sexily,
We flirted too much,
We drank too many drinks.
We tempted them,
Our rapists.
They couldn’t resist.
We’re homewreckers.
We tore families
Apart.
We need to be taught
How to not get raped.
This culture,
Our culture
Says our suffering was
Our own fault.
It was us,
Not them.
So, let me ask you:
Whose side are you on?

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