Different Ways To Think About It (Campus Rape)
Different Ways To Think About It.
This is a woman.
Think of her as something like a man.
Meaning that you are not allowed
to touch her
in any number of assorted places,
without her say-so.
You might define those
“assorted places” as
“sordid places”,
but, truly, it’s best to think of them
as anywhere on her body.
Think of your frat buddies–
think even of yourself–
of all those times you passed out
on a couch
and did not consider it consent
to have things shoved up you.
Women are like that too
and it’s called, sexual assault.
Think about meeting someone,
a friend or acquaintance, maybe
on campus, someplace
supposed to be
safe–
maybe, okay, at a bar–
But the person seems
nicish–
nicish enough
that you do not treat them, straight off,
as a felon–
Now think
of their weight on top of you,
their pressure at your
throat,
their grip upon
your windpipe.
Think of not being able to scream, speak.
Think then of being made
to swallow it all.
**********************************
Here’s a poem not written for any prompt, though I was vaguely thinking of the Real Toads prompt of Kerry O’Connor–avant edge–since I thought the drawings, made the poem more unusual.
Note that I understand that the issues of campus rape and date rape are more complex than presented here. (But, to my mind, if the woman has not consented, it’s still rape.)
Also, if anyone is interested, I posted another draft of yesterday’s poem–I think it is a weaker draft, but anyone keen on process, or who felt the other poem too negative about the 80’s (unintentional)–
Explore posts in the same categories: Cartoon, poetry
Tags: avant edge, campus rape poem, date rape poem, Illustrated poem about campus rape sort of, manicddaily, One Way To Think About It, Ways to restrain yourself
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ManicDDaily 
June 29, 2014 at 6:20 pm
Oh my gosh, this is powerful!! You have spoken what needs to be said with a sucker punch!
June 29, 2014 at 6:23 pm
Thanks, Susie. k.
June 29, 2014 at 7:43 pm
So powerful.
June 30, 2014 at 8:48 am
Wow! This is terrific! The drawings add much to it, as well. Thanks for addressing the topic. And so powerfully.
June 30, 2014 at 8:52 am
A double dose of your imagination here, Karin, with your sketches serving as a kind of caption to the verses–instead of the usual other way around. A powerful statement about an increasingly chronic issue not only on campus, but throughout our society.
Steve K.
June 30, 2014 at 1:57 pm
Thank you, Steve. k.
June 30, 2014 at 9:15 am
… it happened to me. A corn field ~ a corn roast ~ in the middle of Ohio nowhere! I never told anyone. I’m certain he didn’t consider it assault. I did. A beer bottle in one of his hands, his second weapon of choice.
June 30, 2014 at 9:19 am
Agh, Helen. So very sorry to hear that. I think it has happened to lots of women. So so sorry. k.
June 30, 2014 at 10:14 am
Oh so many years ago .. the 70s. Posting the comment was cathartic …. smiles.
June 30, 2014 at 11:45 am
I am glad if commenting was carthartic–so sad that you had the experience. I think that many women have been so trained to blame themselves for everything, they sometimes have a hard time recognizing abuse. Thanks. k.
On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 11:14 AM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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June 30, 2014 at 9:24 am
Quite a chilling poem, and very clean and concise in its statements–it’s very difficult for some men to imagine that the women who seem to hold power over them through sexuality(often inadvertently) do not have to be put in a place where they are controlled, harvested and spat out as sluts to prove that men are the masters and deserve the sexual obedience of any woman they fancy.Your poem shows the way things sadly are in too many places, the role reversal works splendidly, and the drawings add their bit to the harshness of the reality.
June 30, 2014 at 1:54 pm
Thanks. k.
June 30, 2014 at 3:00 pm
I have goosebumps~ My daughter soon will be living that lifestyle and it haunts me already-the worry, the wonder-is she okay, safe?!
You nailed the issues of control. The boundaries are trespassed so often. Where did respect go? This is so sad-we need to mend fences and watch n ‘help each other~ Bravo, for treading this path!
I agree with you~
June 30, 2014 at 3:01 pm
Thank you, Ella. I am sure your daughter will be okay! I think there’s a lot more awareness–hope so anyway. Thanks again for your sympathetic reading. k.
On Mon, Jun 30, 2014 at 4:00 PM, ManicDDaily wrote:
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June 30, 2014 at 3:07 pm
incisive, intelligent, and necessary ~
July 2, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Thank you for speaking out. I am so sick of hearing about college athletes being coddled and defended, and victims of assault being further abused and assaulted by college officials and local media for filing complaints. Which senator was who said there was a culture of women who like to get themselves raped for attention and sympathy and to become campus celebrities. It’s that kind of thinking that supports a culture that too often nods and winks and says boys will be boys when some poor young woman is violated and devastated in a crime that will haunt her all her life.