Collateral Collateral Damage
Riffing off Ezra Klein's column on prison rape Dana Goldstein of TAPPED makes an excellent case for perhaps finally taking prison rape seriously (italics mine)
It's very important to tackle the issue of the sexual assault of men behind bars. But what often gets lost in even the most well-intentioned discussions of prison rape is that -- just like rape in the free world -- prison rape is a crime that disproportionately victimizes women. As I've written before, although women make up just 10 percent of the prisoner population, they account for half of all reported cases of prison sexual assault. While male prisoners are often assaulted by other inmates, female prisoners are more likely to be assaulted by guards.
Klein joins others in observing that prison rape is a "cherished source of humor." We keep hearing that but what's the *source* of that kind of humor -- what is it, exactly, that makes the topic safe even for the soporific, unguent Tonight Show's monologues?
I'd like to posit that responsibility lies in the dominant paradigm of women as the no-sex class and men as the sex class. Inside the paradigm it's impossible to rape a man because inside the paradigm men are incapable of declining sex. Therefore, since prison is perceived as a concentration of individuals who can't say no even when they want to then all you have to do is throw in a bar of soap** and cognitive dissonance practically writes the jokes for you.
The downside of all this hilarity is a systematic failure to examine, confront, or deal with what really goes on behind bars. In men's prisons and, as a consequences, in women's prisons either. That's obviously not to say "oh, well, if *women* prisoners are getting raped too then maybe it's important after all." (In fact if you're into overturning the dominant paradigm that would actually be counterproductive on multiple levels.) Instead it's just an indication of how thoroughly our dominant ideologies blind us.
[** See how easy that is? --fl]
While male prisoners are often assaulted by other inmates, female prisoners are more likely to be assaulted by guards.
Quote from Dana Goldstein
Very true. Also women prisoners who form relationships with other women prisoners are closely scrutinized by prison guards. If the prisoners are seen touching one another -- be it a hug or even a touch on the arm -- the two women may be forced into separate solitary confinement. I do not think that this is the usual procedure in men's prisons.
Interesting discussion at Always Aroused Girl about the concept of justice and revenge in the contemplated rape of a rapist. Some of the readers' responses will explain why prison rape is not taken very seriously, and is often considered just recompense.
[The problem with all rape-of-a-rapist "ironic justice" scenarios, of course, is that it condones *and rewards* all but the first rapist. Even if approval of rape as a conformity-and-social-control mechanism wasn't problematic enough the mere inconsistency ought to be enough to sink the conceit. Thanks, Kochanie. --fl]
I think what Kochanie said is getting close to why people don't care about prison rape and even think it is funny-many people think that if you are in prison you must be a very bad person and deserve what happens to you.
I think what you said, "it's impossible to rape a man because inside the paradigm men are incapable of declining sex" is not quite right. I think that applies where the man is the penetrator but not the penetratee (if that makes sense). I do think that it is possible for a man to be forced or coerced into fucking someone when he doesn't want to, but I don't think that our dominant culture sees it that way. On the other hand, there is so much homophobia that I think that many people have a hard time understanding why any guy would choose to be fucked in the ass. I think that most people see it as rape when a man is the one who is penetrated, but they feel comfortable laughing at him because they think he probably deserves it.
[I know what you mean, but I still think basic mistrust of and/or panic about men's self-control explains the gap between attitudes towards gay women vs. gay men. Because *of course* if you don't want to you don't want to, but if we accepted that about ourselves it would go against our indoctrination against accepting that about women. And so instead of dealing with it like a grown-up we're taught to run screaming from the room... for fear something will "make us gay." Whereupon we'd have to engage in gay behavior. Yes, it's all very silly but you can watch it play out in situation after situation. Thanks, Mag. --fl]