HOW backward or depraved does a society have to be that rape jokes are still a thing? That rape even happens is already shameful enough; but that people feel comfortable enough to make light of rape, and expect that their jokes will be well-received, is a blight on us all because it normalises rape culture and gives confidence to offenders that society sides with them, not with the victims.
Certainly, not everyone thinks that way — there are a lot of decent people in society for whom rape will always be an abhorrent act. But, the question remains: Why are rape jokes still prevalent?
There are the people who tell them, the ones who laugh along, the ones who don't laugh but don't say anything against them, and the ones who vilify those that do speak out against them.
In April this year, when a schoolgirl spoke out against her physical education teacher for making a rape joke in class, society was split on the matter.
There were those who were shocked and outraged by the teacher's act, and then there were those who condemned the girl for complaining and allegedly bringing the teacher's character into disrepute.
The girl was harassed and had threats made against her life and safety, and she was accused of being an attention-seeker. And all she had done was speak out against it — she was not even the one who cracked the joke.
There is something wrong with society when whistleblowers are treated worse than the actual offenders — call it a form of moral corruption.
We should heavily guard ourselves against this. Which is why it helps when prominent and respected people, like national diver Datuk Pandelela Rinong, hit out against rape jokes, sexual harassment and the people who condone them.
It helps that she is encouraging people to not stay quiet on the matter. And it helps even more that other prominent people, like the health minister, support her.
It is important that people and victims are able to speak out against acts that are wrong, without being accused of making a big deal of it. We should not be a society that makes it easy for wrongdoers to get away with their crimes.
Lewd jokes and jokes about sexual violence are not cool, and people should not be expected to tolerate it. That rape jokes exist means something is flawed about what we accept as being wrong.
It doesn't matter who the victim is — a prisoner of war, an illegal immigrant, a transgender person, a sex worker, a spouse, a person who isn't modestly dressed, a person who walks unaccompanied at night — there is no excuse for justifying rape.
As if it is the rapist that requires rescuing. Rape is never okay. And therefore, rape jokes are never okay.
The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, which the women, family and community development minister has promised will be tabled in Parliament this year, is too many years overdue.
Everyone has the right to the expectation of safety — to feel safe and protected from the attentions of bullies and predators, whether it is at school, the workplace, at home, or out in public. And people who speak out against rape jokes and sexual harassment should be supported.
If people don't understand why rape jokes are not okay, they won't understand why rape is not okay.
