Sex Fair = Rape: Blaming the Victim

Ashley Samelson's viewpoint on the sex fair draws scary, dangerous, and altogether unfounded conclusions about the link between attitudes toward sex and the perpetration of rape.

"Encouraging women to be free and casual with their sex (so long as it's 'safe') sends the message to men that women are available as sexual objects, merely instruments for obtaining meaningless pleasure."

By employing the classic 'blame-the-victim' argument, Samelson is doing more to enable rapists than the sex fair could ever do: she asserts that by claiming their sexuality, women are inviting the sexual approaches of men. In fact, that is exactly the OPPOSITE of the intentions of the sex fair, or of activism for women's rights. By claiming power over their own sexuality, women can also make the assertion that it is theirs to give, however they may choose. Further, the sex fair is intended to appeal to a broad range of college students, drawing them in and then (hopefully!) educating them in a positive way about sex and health. It might not be successful on every count, but the attitudes and images promoted serve both to grab attention and to raise awareness about sexuality--not simply to glorify sex.

THE BOTTOM LINE: THE SEX FAIR DOES NOT PROMOTE RAPE.

Further, I'd like to point out that though Samelson posits herself as concerned about rape and having worked "in the field of rape and domestic violence," she makes no mention of other events put on by groups associated with the sex fair--including especially the Vagina Monologues, a play that has inspired an entire movement organized to combat violence against women. Clearly, though the sex fair is an important part of encouraging dialogue about attitudes toward sex here at Tufts, it is not the only forum for such conversation; the annual Take Back the Night campaign also focuses on decreasing sexual violence against women, as do the Rape Aggression Defense classes offered by the Ex College.