Girls, if you plan to party this weekend, do not wear skimpy outfits, drink too much alcohol or walk home alone. And definitely do not forget your nail polish.
Four male students at North Carolina State University developed a nail polish that changes color when exposed to date rape drugs in drinks. With just a swirl of a finger, women can confirm their safety—and also confirm their individual responsibility. Rape-prevention accessories are well-intentioned, but they also create opportunities for victim-blaming. The more pressure society places on women to protect themselves, the easier it is for women to be blamed for their assault. Victim-blaming is an unfortunate component of America’s rape culture.
Our expectations for girls’ behavior are directly related to sexualized and objectified bodies. We teach young women and girls that their bodies are desirable, yet shameful. A drunken victim in a revealing dress is not worthy of our sympathy because she was “asking for it.” When our society praises products such as the anti-date rape nail polish, we are normalizing the idea of an unsafe world in which girls must be the sole active force against assault. In such a world, it is the victim’s fault if she does not comply with societal standards.
Our culture’s chosen method of sexual assault awareness is to build a market of anti-rape accessories. A simple search on Amazon or Etsy will yield results of bedazzled pepper sprays and stylish “security” whistles. Just last year, a popular Indiegogo campaign for an anti-rape clothing line spread across the web with extensive support. While these products make some women feel safe and empowered, we must be critical of the underlying reasons for their existence. We create these products because we accept that our society is dangerous for women. Instead of trying to change it, we teach girls to live in fear. Why not put all our effort into teaching people not to rape? Why do we make victims feel guilty but not their abusers? Rape culture shapes our nonchalant attitude towards assault on women.
We anticipate predators with pills in their pockets waiting at the bar to buy us a drink. We may not even be able to trust our male friends because according to the United States Department of Justice, 73 percent of sexual assaults on women are committed by a person they know. Anti-date rape nail polish may prevent someone from sipping a spiked drink, but it will not solve the deeply-ingrained misogynistic ideals of our society which are the true cause of these incidents. We must always believe and support victims of sexual assault.
The fight against rape culture will regress when we ask victims why they did not buy the amazing new anti-rape nail polish. We need to focus our attention on the perpetrators rather than the perpetrated. As political reporter and feminist Andrea Grimes wrote on her Twitter account, “Rape prevention nail polish sounds like a great idea but I’m not sure how you’re going to get men to wear it.”