Is this too much? Exploitation vs Liberation in Rape-Revenge Narratives

Welcome back to the home of the Unoriginal Thinker. As seen by the blog title, this post will be covering more graphic and sensitive material; the treatment and portrayal of rape narrative. In contemporary society, it is impossible to escape from the realities of crimes such as rape. It is a part of our daily news, our legal system, and even our popular media. As it is seen to be a constant, bleak aspect of our society, it is unsurprising that rape is needed to be portrayed in literature and film. It is a topic that cannot be shied away from and like all other aspects of society should not have its existence denied in our media. This blog is not to argue whether or not rape is an act of sexual violence that should be discussed or even re-enacted in film or literature. Instead, this blog would like to touch on the ongoing ethical and moral concerns surrounding modern rape narratives in media. I would also like to emphasize that this blog will specifically discuss rape narratives involving women, as most of the literature and film mentioned in this blog post, are related to violent acts made against women.

Inaccuracies

A great concern within the rape-revenge narrative stems from its outdated and often 'ideal' victims. A category of literature and film that is meant to give rape victims a chance to reclaim power over their abusers still relies heavily on presenting the perfect victim. This concept of perfection stems from the victim's ability to be both identifiable to her audience but also to remain entirely blameless in her narrative. In other words, she must be seen to have been completely taken advantage of; "she must be sober, chaste and most of the time, also white and heterosex" (Pâquet 386). There are some exceptional examples that defy this victim model such as Jodie Foster in The Accused. However, the exception does not alter the tradition that has been formed within the rape-revenge genre. It is a category of literature and film that repeatedly relies on providing female victims that are meant to be seen as completely sympathetic as they supposedly did everything right. It is still rather uncomfortable to use such terms as blameless as this again gives in to a very outdated and dangerous rape myth; "she was asking for it". Therefore, a genre that is meant to reassert a woman's ability to avenge herself after having her body violated, is being told she is only worthy of such justice if she fits the profile.

The victim archetype is not the only inaccuracy seen within rape-revenge narratives. Another cause of concern is the type of perpetrator that is depicted in these films and books. According to RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network), 19.5% of sexual violence acts are committed by strangers. This is not a statistic that is reflected in fiction, as the rapist is usually seen to be a stranger to the victim. While it is not the responsibility of authors or directors to reflect these statistics in their works, it does speak towards the exploitative nature of both industries. There is something more disturbing and even attention-grabbing about the identity of the perpetrator being unknown. Therefore, authors and directors are attempting to recreate a plot based on the narrative that is most likely to get the attention of their potential audience. In the work of Linda Cuklanz, she discusses the traditional progression of rape plots in fiction; the woman is left too traumatized and distraught after being attacked by an unknown man. This misleading narrative which centres on the dangerous and mysterious perpetrator demonstrates the concerns of this form of narration. There is an opportunity available to use the rape narrative to highlight the realities of the crime. This is usually ignored, in favour of the more popular stranger rape narrative.

Transformed Bodies

It has already been discussed the importance of an "innocent" body in this narrative. However, the greatest source of contention surrounding this particular plot type still needs to be examined; the rape scene. The rape scene is often gruesome, violent, and unescapable for readers and viewers alike. The purpose of showcasing such a horrific act is to shock the audience; it's an emotional experience that forces individuals to confront the realities of rape. Watching the rape scene moves the audience from spectators to the position of participants as they are forced to idly sit back and watch the scene unfold. I would compare it to the car crash analogy; it's the feeling of wanting to look away but being incapable of peeling your eyes away from what has just occurred in front of you. Audiences and readers should feel uncomfortable being witness to such an act of violence.

However, the audience and readers do not usually experience the event from the perspective of the victim. The form of the female body is seen through the "male gaze" which not only removes the audience from relating too closely with the victim but allows them to objectify her. This sense of distance along with the hyper fixation on the body of the victim creates confusion within the narrative. Her body has clearly been defiled but the transition from an innocent body to a transformed body is often eroticized. It is felt that this is an issue more pressing in modern rape-revenge narratives that seem to abandon the idea of gruesome and brutal rape scenes that would shock the audience The sex may not have been consensual but this is often ignored due to the appearance of the female. Once more, the victim's identity and sense of agency are disregarded as her body and rape become a source of sexual pleasure. This may not have been the intention of the directors or authors who create rape scenes but it is clear that the perspective that they select further exploits the female form and makes a spectacle out of her assault.

Liberation- giving back the power:

Despite, the ethical dilemmas, it is still a popular narrative. The reasoning behind this is clear; this specific plot allows for raped women to avenge themselves. This narrative facilitates a version of reality in which women are able to reclaim their power and assert themselves once more. Although the plot is fictional it becomes symbolic for its spectators; the protagonist is not an individual but she is to represent the collective of women who have found themselves in a similar situation. The heroine is not just fighting for herself but she is fighting for other wronged women. Therefore, the murdering or the grievous assault she inflicts on her rapist is an attack on all similar men. It's a form of brutality that has the support of its audience; after witnessing the gruesome rape of an innocent woman, "the violence of revenge is cathartic" and is seen as the only true form of justice.

This form of justice also touches on a flawed judicial system that is felt to not always be fulfilling its duties. A crucial element of these plots is that women are needing to seek revenge as they had been failed by the systems around them. These systems are depicted to not just be slow-moving but in some cases, to be gender biased. However, it is these realistic failings that further enable women to take control of their own bodies and to serve justice. The revenge cannot take place until the protagonist comes to the realization that "the justice system primarily protects the interests of men" and that she must protect herself (Pâquet 387). As the audience themselves can identify the problems within current judicial systems, this further supports her campaign to seek vengeance. It's also important to note that this flawed system allows her to become a stand-out figure; she does not need to be reliant on a judicial system to right the wrongs against her. Instead, as a woman, her ability to avenge herself without the aid of the police or legal system, confirms her autonomy. This is touched upon in the work of John Scaggs who recognizes the "certain gender issues associated with placing women within the hierarchical and traditionally masculine world of the police" (102).

As can be seen from this blog, this is a complex situation within literary and film studies. It is hard to confirm whether or not these movies and books are empowering to women, or is simply the capitalization of a real crime. There is clearly a concern that the approach taken by authors and directors does not always hold the sensitivity that is required. However, it cannot be denied that rape-revenge narratives o offer an outlet for the spectator and allows for a justified form of revenge.

My next blog post is going to look at Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys.

Stay Unoriginal

Secondary Reading:

Cuklanz, Lisa M. Rape on Prime Time. Television, Masculinity and Sexual Violence. Philadelphia. University of Philadelphia Press, 2000.

Pâquet, Lili. "The Corporeal Female Body In Literary Rape-Revenge: Shame, Violence, and Scriptotherapy." Australian Feminist Studies, vol. 33, 2018, pp.384-99.

Scaggs, John. Crime Fiction: The New Critical Idiom. Routledge, 2005.