ULTURE :
B Y J E S S E A N A Y A
WE MUST END RAPE sex with my friend when she was overtly intoxicated drunk. Some would say maybe she wanted to have sex with him, she was at a party and went willingly into his bedroom – at least he didn't force her, but as a guy, you're not a man when you exploit someone weaker than you and when their mind and body are impaired. A real man won't do that. I went into the bedroom and confronted the guy. The confrontation led to people hearing and soon enough his buddies responded to the shouts and had me surrounded. My confrontation with him turned into a shouting match of he in my face and I in his with a pack of guys ready to react on me. It turned into a scene. I made a scene that night and my blood was boiling. It was now fight or flight and I was not going to walk away. She and I never spoke about that night in the years after college. I was embarrassed that I created a scene and I think she was embarrassed that I had to pull her out of the bedroom of some guy. I wondered if nearly getting in a fight over something that happens at college parties on a weekly basis, drunk girls having sex with guys was something to even fight for? I've had to stream these stories to my surface in order to write this piece and thinking about it now, yes, it is worth fighting for. Because as men we either protect or we prey. I analyze this from the perspective, what would Jesus want me to do? Look the other way because it always happens or speak up because He who is in me is greater than fear? Do I back down when other men accept predator behavior or do I confront them? Am I the pack of
guys that get a thrill because their buddy is about to take advantage of some drunk girl? Do I stay silent when I know something is wrong? I have my answer. I am not the pack of guys. I am going to stand up for women. Fight for them against other men if I have to. My own sister was sexually assaulted and I wish someone would've stood up for her. Jesus has not called me to be silent and I ask for any man who reads this article to no longer be silent about the behavior our male peers deem acceptable when it comes towards the sexual treatment of women. Prey on the weak. Rape them. Act like nothing ever happened. It's not okay. I ask you to be men of integrity. To do the right thing whether or not anyone is watching. To have the courage to have integrity when other men don't. To protect when other men prey. To respect women. To respond to the call every time you're called upon to show the Jesus that is in you. Why do men rape women? Because they choose to prey. When a man rapes a woman and other men look the other way, they are just as guilty as the man who committed the crime. We are just as guilty when we accept the predator behavior of other men who sexually assault women. I do not accept it. We must be willing to stand up for women in the sight of men. Speaking up for a woman is not displaying weakness, but strength. And as such we are to protect, not prey. I cry out to men to no longer be silent. We must end rape. We must not be silent.