Growing up, young girls have been taught destructive society ideals which tells them what they can/can't do. Some include: don't open your legs, keep them crossed and closed, like a lady; let boys tease you, which may even end up with them hurting you, but that's okay because that means they "like" you; always be polite, even if you are disrespected; it's okay to spread internalized-misogyny, especially if the other girls don't dress like you do... and last but not least: Let boys be boys.
"Let boys be boys" is not an excuse that parents should teach their children for their actions from a young age because they are teaching sexist ideals to them. Instead, parents should teach their children that there must be respect between the two sexes, by not enforcing the "let boys be boys" excuse whenever they do something wrong. This is because from that age, they are slowly enforcing societal norms that everyone soon follows.
"Let boys be boys" later turns into the acceptance of objectification of women. Since from a young age, boys are allowed to do whatever they wish, just because they are exactly that, it leads to the acceptance of violence and even the need for control of women, which they later see as less than equal.
There is objectification of women in ads, in music, in the language everyone uses on a daily basis as well as in our daily life when women are harassed on the streets. This is brought on by the need of masculinity in society which forces boys to become possessive, power-seeking and controlling. Women are not treated as equals by these men which later leads to the act of rape.
Rape by definition on dictionary.com means:
unlawful sexual intercourse or any other sexual penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth of another person, with or without force, by a sex organ, other body part, or foreign object, without the consent of the victim.
So why, in 2016, is it not seen as important? Because we live in a rape culture.
It's not to say that the act of rape is not important, because it is. But it's just not taken as serious as it should be in that justice isn't made whenever a man or a woman is raped.
There have been many cases this year where rape victims are forced to live through their traumatizing experience all over again because they know their rapists will be walking around free with no justice made.
For example, the Stanford rape case was a case filled with injustice. It included rapist Brock Turner, a Stanford swimmer, who was practically let off the hook when the judge in charge of the case sentenced him to only six-months in jail even though he raped a fellow, unconscious student. After the six months are up, she'll live with the constant reminder that he is free which will lead to her living with fear.
Another example is the gang rape case in Brazil. A 16-year-old girl was gang raped by "at least 30 people," according to CNN. Her rape was recorded on a 38-second video and it went viral on Twitter. So far, the Brazilian police have been able to find seven suspects, even though more than 30 people were involved in the rape. That's another victim that has to live with fear, especially since she doesn't know who her other rapists are.
The rape culture we live in must end.
No one, in this universe, is entitled to another person's body, therefore if someone says "no," it must be respected. And if the other individual in the sexual relations is unconscious, drunk or not in their right mind, no one should take the act any further.
Women should not be seen as items and they should not be used for the pleasure of others.
From a young age, boys and girls should be treated the same and they must be taught the same ideals that makes them both equal.
"Boys will be boys" is not an excuse for misogyny nor it should be used when boys are in the stage of learning how they must act.
Rape culture starts from a young age therefore everyone must make an effort in making it impossible for it to continuously perpetuate itself into our society.
