Rape is a severe problem in the United States. Over the past ten years, rape has been the only crime that has continuously increased and has been the fastest-growing violent crime in the country. The chances of one being raped in the U.S. are nearly 7 times greater than in Europe (Macionis 40). It has also been found that forty-two percent of women have had sexual assault attempted against them in their lifetimes, and fifty-four percent of women have been battered by their male partners at least once. Furthermore, seventy-eight percent of women are harassed at the workplace or at school at least once in their lifetime. On average, every three minutes a woman is beaten, and every five minutes a woman is raped (Funk 7). To examine why these numbers are so astronomical, and to put an end to rape, we must look at why our society produces so many rapes.
             Rape is defined as forced contact or penetration of the anus, vagina, or mouth by any object or body part. Rape is usually categorized in three main ways: Stranger Rape, in which the victim does not know the rapist, Acquaintance Rape when the victim does know the rapist, and lastly Marital Rape. Rape is a serious problem in our country and must be stopped. But first, the severity of the problem must be realized in order to put an end to it. Why does our culture produce so many rapes? Our culture is considered by many to be a "Rape Culture," meaning that our society actually encourages rape. We grow up in an environment in which rape is not only the norm but is also necessary. In our culture, many men feel that they are superior to women. It isn't completely their fault either. In our culture man has always been at the center of the universe. Phrases and words such as: "mankind," "congressman," and "God the Father," gives off the impression that man is supreme. The word "she" is always a secondary thought. If someone expressed God as "God the Mother," he would be ridiculed and questioned why...