Mission impossible? Dismantling the rape culture in Australia

Violence against women is all too often still regarded as inevitable, a view which implies the impossibility of change and reinforces contemporary gender inequality. To dismantle this rape culture, we need to consider the strategies of fear, threat, denial and confusion that undermine women’s experiences. A rape culture is a complex system of values and practices built on the acceptability of sexual violence, and on how the individual and collective experiences of women are shaped in such a way as to trivialise the effects of trauma. And this refusal to acknowledge violence and to blame the victim is all too often supported by our medical and legal systems, which can leave women feeling isolated, disempowered and with few options for support.

Women consistently describe experiencing high levels of emotional distress when they engage with hospitals and mental health services; they can feel overwhelmed, sometimes suicidal. Such reports have prompted conversations about the degree of understanding of gender-based violence in medical settings, and poorly coordinated emergency models of response that incorporate safety and mental health support. Within mental health services, there are also concerns about how well recognised the impacts of gender violence are, and the efficacy and availability of trauma-focused interventions and treatments. There are ongoing debates around the misuse of diagnoses that pathologise women and concentrate solely on their vulnerabilities and “victimhood”. Some services perpetuate stereotypes of female masochism and reflexively use labels such as “personality disorder” as an explanation of how and why some women feel trapped.

The current political response to the “sexual abuse crisis” and the “woman problem” is an attempt to manage these issues with as little significant change as possible. Hence we are surrounded by multiple committees of inquiry, legal arguments and obfuscation, with glib references to principles. Meanwhile, little is said about eliminating misogyny and oppression.

It is hard to understand the motivations underlying male violence and sexual assault without understanding the historical framework and the nature of coercive control and the exercise of power. In women, this induces silence, blocks dissent and creates self-doubt, shame and loathing. There are many ways of thinking about paralysis in the face of trauma and abuse, but it is always gendered. Not only are women seen as weak and hysterical, they are also to blame for inviting their own abuse and should therefore feel shame and remain silent.

Theory is one thing, but we must examine the reality of male violence and men’s need to control femininity, as well as the ways in which this translates into acts of hatred, revenge and murder. What is remarkable about this is the fact that the regular murder of women and children, and widespread sexual assault and violence, do not result in ongoing mass protests and calls for change.

Much of the recent response to the crisis of sexual abuse has concentrated on attempts to tighten the operations of institutions to address issues such as workplace discrimination, complaints processes and legal systems. These efforts are needed and necessary, but it remains unclear if they contribute to any significant shifts in assumptions about misogyny.

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As its political reaction to disclosures of abuse, the current Australian government has worked to strengthen systemic responses, investigate approaches to safety and how complaints are made, and promote “empathy” as a therapeutic approach. And yet, ironically, there is a clear concurrent process of blocking any independent external review of incidents, and a retreat to “rule of law” arguments to limit accountability and invalidate victims.

The protest movement we have witnessed in 2021 has challenged the ubiquitous “contain and control” political tactics that contribute to the silencing of survivor testimony of patriarchy and rape culture. These protests have long formed part of the feminist agenda. However, calls for social justice and accountability have not been followed by effective action.

The priority now should be to provide services for women with limited access to specialised care and support. The need for expertise in working with abuse and trauma is acute, particularly at a time when there are increasing rates of disclosure and attempts to access support. This has been evidenced by the significant increases in calls to domestic violence support numbers during the pandemic lockdowns in Australia, when relationship stress and conflict have escalated.

Those of us working directly with victim-survivors and their children see far too much of the potentially devastating and long-term consequences of rape culture. Ironically, while we see the need for appropriate understanding and therapeutic interventions, we also see a clear need to contextualise women’s suffering and to investigate the systemic underpinnings of abuse. Abuse does not occur at random or in a vacuum. We need gender-specific models of care and treatment for the enormous range of mental disorders and psychological issues stemming from rape culture. We need to put women’s voices and narratives at the centre of treatment systems.

Sigmund Freud once said: “The great question that has never been answered, and which I have not yet been able to answer, despite my 30 years of research into the feminine soul, is ‘What does a woman want?’” To be heard, to be respected and to live in safety would be a good starting point.

This is an edited extract from Rape Culture by Professor Louise Newman, published October 1 as part of the new In the National Interest series from Monash University Publishing.

National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line: 1800 737 732.