The literature focuses on sexual assault in the American culture. Based on the study “America is a country where one in six women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime and only 3 percent of convicted rapists will ever spend a day in jail” (Boyle 95). Despite such statistics, comedians, both men and women tell rape jokes on the stage. This particular article focuses on female comics telling jokes and using rape as the punch line.
The author affirms that rape is indeed a menace in the America nation. In the entire article, Boyle focuses on ways female comics take control of the discussion on rape. The comedians portray the real life of an American woman who has to live with the fear of being raped and that she is responsible for protecting herself from being raped, which includes limiting movements such as not being in certain places alone in the night.
Sexually assaulted persons suffer severe trauma that can take ages to heal. For this reason, some people may find it uncomfortable to joke about rape because victims are hurting. Comics on the other hand believe that speaking about the trauma is imperative in order to understand the victim’s pain and suffering. The comics Lampanelli, Howell and Brooks have made jokes about their personal experiences with sex predators as a way of coping with the situation that they were unable to handle. Joking about it made Brooks feel confident and stronger that such experiences could not hold her back. Further, the article also indicated that many female comics talk about rape because it happens more often and this, in particular empowers them. However, there is need to strike a balance because while talking about it is understandable, applying harmful stereotypes or dismissing rape victims could oppress other women.
Analysis
Sexual assault and its effects on victims is the main theme of the article. The female comics show ways of coping for victims. Boyle asserts that the act exerts a permanent emotional wound on the affected party that may never or could take years to heal. Usually, the victim feels empty, ashamed, unlovable, and afraid that people might know that she was raped. They try to suppress their emotions by resorting to drug abuse or even sex as a mode of self-harm (p.99). However, Brooks‘s approach demonstrate ways victims could handle the negative effects of a sexual assault (Boyle 101). As compared to male comics, female comics tell jokes about rape knowing that they are also vulnerable. Even though the joke may look bad, it symbolizes control, power and therapy that relieve their audience off the weight of a rape culture (Boyle 102). Hales supports this view by indicating that although it may be difficult to talk about it, one cannot ignore that it happened. The Boyle further affirms that the society always blames the victim after such occurrences. However, it is not advisable to do so because it plagues the person with countless regrets, self-accusations and questions that make the situation even more difficult (p. 99). Therefore, sexual assault is a common problem but unless addressed openly, victims will continue to suffer in silence. Boyle simply documented the methods used by comics to make it easier for people to speak about their situation, no matter how difficult it may appear.
Work Cited
Boyle, Kirk. The Rhetoric of Humor : a Bedford Spotlight Reader. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2017. Print.
