Essay On Sexual Aggression In American Culture

How does the American Culture perceive male sexual aggression and violence against women?

Gabriella Gwen

Male sexual aggression and violence against women have always been a controversial topic between the opposite sex. Violence against women is defined by the United Nations as any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women including coercion and threats(“Violence against women”). Sexual aggression is usually accomplished from the male gender to the female gender. The under-representation of women is mainly prevalent in the American Culture, as men consciously or unconsciously view themselves as being more superior than women, therefore perceiving and representing women as sex objects(Heise), encouraging sexual aggression and violence against women. Violence towards women sexually have also been normalized through overexposure of sexual violence in the media, both in music and the social media, and is further

Pop music plays a big role in adolescent culture - both in males and females(O’Toole). Due to the ubiquity of music, music may act as a trigger for male sexual aggression towards women. Pop Songs like “Blurred Lines” made by Robin Thicke is an example in which sexual aggression and violence against women that can be found inside the music industry (Lynskey). “Blurred Lines” is about a man that is interested in a woman he met in a nightclub. Through the lyrics “Must wanna get nasty/Go ahead, get at me”(Thicke), it can be said that Thicke is certain that the woman is interested in him. However, it is not certain that the woman described in Thicke’s song actually desire him. Thicke also mentally degraded the woman described in “Blurred Lines” by calling her an 'animal