My Rapist Was Also My Friend

My Rapist Was My Friend

Sitting watching Tyler Perry's latest masterpiece "For Colored Girls", I was prompted to evaluate a familiar scenario in the lives of many rape victims. One of the characters in the story (Yasmine) who was sultry, beautiful, assertive, and very protective of who she gave her heart to; fell victim to rape. A man who pursued her, wooed her, and wined and dined her stole her most precious gift. As the movie played the camera honed in on the clock sitting on a coffee table. The clock became symbolic of time, and time symbolized the loss of innocence, and the loss of innocence hurts so much because the taker is someone you thought you knew. As this character sits on the examination table of a hospital she reflects on her brutal attack. Because she knew her attacker the detective asks her repeatedly if she's sure she hasn't misconstrued his actions or almost inferring that she has brought this on herself. It is in this moment that we get to our question at hand. Yasmine begans a lengthy soliloquoy where she begans is it because we know these men that makes them less of a threat? I raise the same concern on this subject as the character in "For Colored Girls", why is it that the men we know hurt us the most?? The men who take the time to be courteous to us, open doors for us, and engage in relationships are the same ones who conspire to decieve us and rape us of the things we love. Raping us does not always entail a physical rape. We can be raped mentally, emotionally, and socially, and sometimes the scars from those instances are just as damaging. We are raped every day in mainstream media with music, and commercials that attempt to objectify us and turn us in to mere meat and things to be collected. But what makes the pain of the rape so demeaning, and hurtful is the connection we thought we shared with the rapist. It hurts more to be victimized by someone you love, than it does by a stranger. When a stranger rapes you and leave you are left with the painful memory of his act but with strength you find the courage to move on. However the rapist you know hurts you more, because when the painful act ends you are still left with mixed feelings of trying to cope with understanding how a person you loved hurt you in a way that you will never forget. So ladies and gents I ask; who should yo be more cautious of the stranger, or the friend?