sniper-at-the-gates-of-heaven:

part of the reason ppl don’t come forward with rape charges is that you don’t even have the word for it sometimes (and even less so back in the day). it can take literally decades to put a name to it and to recognize it for what it is. all these tips we’re taught like hang out in groups protect your drink dress “appropriately” don’t get black out drunk, they mean well but end up putting the onus on victims so when you’re raped you internalize it as a failure to protect yourself a failure to “respect yourself” a failure to be smart. means at some level you think you “let” it happen. that’s where all this “confusion” and “why didn’t you report it” and “how could you not have known at the time you were raped” shit pretends to ignore. pretends to ignore because ppl know damn well rape is part of the landscape and we’re expected to navigate it from a tender age.