The horror of the Cornell rape case is how ordinary it is
Many men rape; many men giggle encouragingly, or shrug indifferently, when their friends rape. Many men rape, and few seem to think that it’s a very big deal
TL;DR
- Sexual violence is often repetitive, committed by men against women close to them for opportunity and status.
- Institutions, including law enforcement and universities, frequently respond to reports of sexual assault with patronizing indifference, leading to impunity for perpetrators.
- A civil suit at Cornell, alleging a gang rape by seven male students, has brought renewed attention to the issue of sexual violence and institutional response.
- The alleged victim at Cornell claims she was drugged and assaulted, but only two of the accused were expelled, with others receiving minimal punishment.
- The local district attorney initially declined to pursue charges, citing discrepancies in the victim's statements, but has since reopened the case.
- The article draws parallels between the patterns of sexual assault, institutional indifference, and the nature of authoritarianism, suggesting a shared theme of domination and selective application of law.