While the coverage is problematic, it is even more so in a culture that devalues women and regularly downplays the crime of rape, particularly sexual assaults committed by talented athletes. Our society laments the loss of the football careers these young men may have had, yet fails to seriously consider the affect this crime could have on the victim.
By now, Super Bowl ad watchers have grown accustomed to GoDaddy producing one of the most shamelessly exploitative commercials every year. The internet company faithfully uses blatant sexual come-ons involving well-known women to brew up controversy before the game and draw viewers onto its website afterward.
The ad shows a picture of a rifle with the words “Consider your man card reissued.” That’s not a feminist claiming men are more violent than women — that’s the maker of an assault weapon telling men they aren’t really masculine until they’ve got a deadly gun in their hands.
For women who experience date or marital rape, they are no less assaulted or victimized than those who have been raped by a stranger. Yet, time and time again, their cries fall on deaf ears because of their relationship to the rapist.
“From what I understand from doctors [pregnancy as a result of rape] is really rare. If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” – Rep. Todd Akin, who is currently running as the Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri.
Tell the Senate to vote No on the SAVE America Act.