Why “beyond the rapist”?

Abstract

This first chapter outlines reasons why considering campus sexual violence “beyond the rapist” matters. Many feminists assert that, to stop sexual violence, people must pay attention to the systems that surround it. Noticing those systems can be difficult, however, because popular discussions suggest that one individual rapes another. This conceptualization of sexual violence can obscure the processes and organizational dynamics that support assaults. By focusing on the growing movement around Title IX and rape at U.S. colleges and universities, the chapter introduces a key argument of the book: Feminist new materialist theories can help organizations and activists focus “beyond the rapist” and prompt systemic change. The chapter offers definitions of the book’s key terms—organization, communication, and sexual violence—as well as an overview of feminist new materialism and Title IX.