VIDEO ESSAY: Silencing Survivors: How Rape Culture Is Being Weaponized in the War on Women’s Rights

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In a world where survivors of sexual violence should be met with compassion and justice, many instead find themselves re-victimized by the very systems designed to protect them.

Rape culture—a term that describes a society in which rape and sexual violence are normalized or excused—has long plagued our justice systems, media, and societal structures.

But more than just a societal problem, rape culture is actively weaponized to silence survivors, reinforcing a broader war on women’s rights.

In recent years, this disturbing trend has only intensified.

Across the United States and beyond, women who speak out against their abusers are silenced, not just by shame and stigma, but by laws, legal procedures, and media narratives that protect perpetrators over victims.

The following real cases illustrate how rape culture is being used as a weapon against women—and why we must act to dismantle it.

Recent Cases of Rape Survivors Being Silenced

Case 1: The Rape of a 10-Year-Old and the Attack on Her Abortion Rights

In a deeply troubling case that drew national attention, Gerson Fuentes, 28, was sentenced to life in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to raping a nine-year-old girl in Ohio.

The horrific crime made headlines not only because of its brutality but also due to the legal and political firestorm that followed.

After becoming pregnant as a result of the rape, the then-10-year-old was forced to travel to Indiana for an abortion due to Ohio's restrictive abortion laws, which prevented her from receiving the procedure in her home state.

The case gained widespread media attention when the obstetrician-gynecologist who performed the abortion discussed it with a journalist, sparking fierce debates over reproductive rights and abortion access in the post-Roe v. Wade era.

Rather than rallying around the survivor, much of the public discourse centered on the legality of her abortion, politicizing the traumatic event and overshadowing the child’s pain and suffering.

The rapist's crime became secondary to the political debate over abortion, effectively silencing the survivor and turning her ordeal into a symbol of the broader war on women's reproductive rights.

This case exemplifies how rape culture is weaponized: rather than focusing on justice and the well-being of the survivor, society shifts its gaze to political agendas, using the survivor's trauma as a talking point while disregarding her voice and agency.

Case 2: The Silencing of Chanel Miller

Chanel Miller, the woman behind the pseudonym Emily Doe in the Brock Turner case, fought for years to reclaim her identity after being silenced by the media and the court system.

In 2016, Miller’s assailant, a Stanford University student, was given a shockingly lenient sentence—six months in jail—after being convicted of sexual assault.

The judge’s decision prioritized Turner’s future over Miller’s trauma, perpetuating the notion that men’s reputations are more valuable than women’s dignity and safety.

Miller’s journey to reclaim her story—culminating in the release of her memoir, Know My Name—is a powerful testament to the pervasive silencing of survivors.

While Miller has since become an outspoken advocate for change, her experience remains a painful reminder of how our justice system and media protect perpetrators at the expense of survivors.

Case 3: The Silencing of Sexual Assault Survivors at Michigan State University

The case of Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University (MSU) doctor, is a stark example of institutional complicity in the silencing of survivors.

For years, Nassar sexually abused hundreds of young female athletes under the guise of medical treatment. Despite numerous complaints to MSU and USA Gymnastics, Nassar was allowed to continue his abuse unchecked for decades.

Many survivors, including high-profile athletes like Simone Biles and Aly Raisman, spoke out about how they were dismissed, ignored, or coerced into silence by the very institutions that were supposed to protect them.

MSU and USA Gymnastics repeatedly failed to take action, instead prioritizing their reputations over the safety of athletes.

This case highlights how powerful institutions often suppress survivors' voices to protect their interests, perpetuating rape culture by enabling abusers and discouraging other survivors from coming forward.

The Nassar case shows how survivors are not only subjected to abuse but are also silenced through systemic failures, with legal systems and organizations often acting as barriers to justice rather than as protectors of those in need.

The Role of the Justice System in Perpetuating Rape Culture

The justice system is often complicit in the silencing of survivors. From lenient sentences to failures in evidence handling, courts continue to protect perpetrators, reinforcing the normalization of sexual violence.

For survivors, this often means being re-victimized when their cases are mishandled, dismissed, or met with indifference.

In many states, rape kits sit untested for years, leading to backlogs that deny survivors the justice they deserve. When cases do make it to court, survivors often face invasive questioning that puts their sexual history or behavior on trial rather than focusing on the crime committed against them.

The end result?

A system that prioritizes the comfort of the accused over the well-being of the survivor.

In the case of Chanel Miller, the judge’s decision to grant Brock Turner a mere six-month sentence underscored the justice system's deep-seated bias towards protecting male perpetrators.

Turner’s actions were downplayed as “20 minutes of action,” while Miller’s trauma was largely ignored in the court’s final ruling.

Media’s Role in Vilifying Victims

The media’s portrayal of rape cases often exacerbates the silencing of survivors. News coverage can trivialize sexual violence, framing it as a he-said, she-said narrative where doubt is cast on the survivor’s account.

Worse, the media often focuses on the potential damage to the perpetrator’s life, career, or reputation, as seen in the Turner case, rather than the devastating effects on the survivor.

Another recent example is the coverage surrounding Andrew Tate, the controversial social media influencer who has been indicted for sexual assault and human trafficking.

Media outlets often focus on Tate’s online persona, debating his influence on young men and his lifestyle while paying significantly less attention to the serious allegations against him and the survivors' stories.

The narrative around Tate frequently centers on his wealth, fame, and controversial statements, sidelining the trauma and experiences of those affected by his alleged actions.

This shift in focus reflects how media narratives can be manipulated to downplay or distract from the gravity of sexual violence, ultimately silencing survivors and discouraging others from coming forward.

The Cultural Impact of Silencing Survivors

The weaponization of rape culture has far-reaching cultural implications. When survivors are silenced—whether through the courts, the media, or social stigma—the message is clear: their experiences do not matter.

This silencing discourages other survivors from coming forward, contributing to the already low rates of reporting sexual violence.

Studies and Justice Department analysis show that a vast majority of sexual assaults go unreported. Fear of being disbelieved, blamed, or publicly shamed keeps survivors in the shadows while perpetrators walk free.

As long as rape culture continues to be weaponized against women, these cycles of violence will perpetuate.

Steps Towards Justice – How to Break the Cycle

To break the cycle of silencing survivors, we must address rape culture head-on in all its forms. This includes:

• Reforming the Legal System: Push for laws that prioritize survivors’ voices and needs, including ensuring that rape kits are processed promptly and that survivors are treated with dignity throughout the judicial process.

• Holding the Media Accountable: Media outlets must be held accountable for how they report on sexual violence, ensuring that coverage centers on the survivor’s story rather than sensationalizing the perpetrator’s defense.

• Creating Safe Spaces for Survivors: Communities must create safe spaces for survivors to speak out without fear of retaliation, disbelief, or stigma.

Ending the weaponization of rape culture is critical in the fight for women’s rights. By standing with survivors, sharing their stories, and fighting for justice, we can help dismantle the systems perpetuating this harm.