Rape culture – a culture where violence against women and victim blaming is the norm – is alive and well in our society. Women are taught from a young age that rape is the worst thing that could possibly happen in our lives. As a patriarchal institution, the Church supports rape culture. Although texts, traditions, and teachings can be a resource for women who have been victimized, they can also serve as a roadblock and encourage further victimization.
There has been a long history of women and girls being taught by the Church that their lives are of little value once their hymens are broken. Citing the rape of Roman matron Lucretia, Church father Jerome stated that rape is the one exception for suicide. In fact, according to Jerome, “Although God is able to do all things, he cannot raise up a virgin after a fall.”* Although he argued that at the time of the resurrection of the body every affliction and mutilation would be healed, Jerome claimed that not even the power of God could repair a broken hymen. Likewise, Tertullian commended Lucretia for her suicide and claimed she was an example for Christian women.
Harmful ideas about women, rape, and victimization have been promoted by biblical rape texts and their interpretations. These “rape texts” of the Bible have been utilized to typify how “real” rape victims behave and suggest that women who claim rape are suspect. From the story of Ms. Potiphar (Genesis 39), that offers the image of a woman crying rape as one not to be trusted, to the story of Susanna (Daniel 13) that presents the notion that a rape victim should be silent, biblical texts set forth images of women and sexual violence that support rape culture. Continue reading “Rape Culture and the Church By Gina Messina-Dysert”
