National - by Jessica Roy on Thursday, February 26, 2009 14:21 - 23 Comments - 106 views
A recently manufactured game called Rapeplay, that functions much like the Sims, situates the main character as an angry, violent rapist whose main objective is to rape a mother and her two virgin daughters. I… wish I was kidding.
As the rapist you essentially stalk the women– on the subway, in parks– until they become physically turned on (because of course, deep down all women want it, right?) and yet still (NSFW!) cry and scream as you rape them. (NSFW!) One of the girls appears to be about 10 years old.
Perhaps this is not very different from some Hentai porn, which often depicts violent rape scenes. Because it is animated, the images are somehow meant to be taken in less offensive terms, and the animation factor is then used to hide behind the fact that what Hentai rape porn often promotes is the degradation and sexualization of a crime that is inherently violent. I’m not sure how long it will take for people to realize that rape is not a sexual crime; just because it involves sexual organs does not make the rapist or the victim in any way tied to sexual behavior. It is a violent crime, committed by an aggressor, that renders the victim physically and emotionally wounded in a way that disallows for sexuality to even materialize. But the difference between the Rapelay game and Hentai porn is that, while watching porn is a passive act that renders you a third party observing both the aggressor and the victim, Rapelay allows for you to actually become the rapist. Not only does it glorify and strip away the violent aspects of rape in an attempt to make it sexual and gratifying for the player, Rapelay also seems to communicate the idea that “rape is easy.” And not only is it easy and okay, but it is also in some ways natural: that women want it, even if they cry, even if they run, even if they say no, they still want you to hold them down and force them to submit to you.
While those into S&M may say that they do want that (indeed there is nothing wrong with pinning someone’s hands to the bed), there is absolutely nothing sexual about a violent crime like rape. And to confuse those two, to inject even a modicum of pleasure gaining into a video game, a 3-d lifelike cartoon that kids anywhere can access (as if age limits will really do anything) should be considered a serious blight on the work of all anti-rape activists and on the victims of such a horrendously violent crime.
Some gaming outlets have taken to banning the distribution of the game. But to me, the fact that someone 1) Came up with the idea, 2) Created the game and then 3) Marketed it to an audience assumedly willing to consume it, demonstrates that the attitudes on rape continue to be both uneducated and inappropriate.
Thanks to Selena at Pitter Patter for giving us the heads-up.
Parts of this piece originally published on Jess and Josh Talk About Stuff.
23 Comments
Henry Chan
Joe Coscarelli
On a related note:
Mother sets fire to her daughter’s gloating rapist
…he passed his victim’s mother in the street and allegedly taunted her about the attack. He is said to have called out “How’s your daughter?”, before heading into a crowded bar.
Shortly after, the woman walked into the bar, poured a bottle of petrol over Soriano and lit a match. She watched as the flames engulfed him, before walking out.
forceable rapes…as opposed to??
@Paul: Can you clarify? Did I write something redundant like that?
Henry Chan
I think he’s talking about the picture.
Joe Coscarelli
As opposed to statutory or date rape?
@Henry: Gotcha. Thanks.
@Joe: Right. This game deals with what might be deemed forceable rape if only in contrast to statutory, which is or is not forceable depending on the people involved. Though I guess since the one girl looks so young it could be considered statutory as well. Also pedophilia. God this game creeps me out.
John Lempka
This was on Balk’s Tumblr.
Jacob Hentoff
Can we really be so shocked considering the violence etc. already featured in shit like Grand Theft Auto etc.? I feel like something like this was an inevitability. Doesn’t make it less horrible, just…less surprising?
@Jacob: True. Someone also brought that up on my blog. I’ve never played Grand Theft Auto so I was unaware of the rape stuff that goes on until yesterday. This does seem like a natural progression from that, albeit a completely fucked up one.
Jeremy Neiman
While the game content is awful, and it’s hard to imagine who would buy such a game – is there really any problem with it? There is no evidence that violent video games cause violence behavior. In fact, Japan, land of many games and customs which are as sick as rapelay, has a much lower crime rate, and more than 20 times less rape per person than the U.S.. It is much better to have a person fulfill their desire to rape in a game, rather than on a real person.
I just think that time would be better spent stopping ACTUAL RAPE, not a game.
@Jessica: no-the sticker on the girls mouth says “forcible rapes.” It caught my attention because rape, by definition implies some sort of force.
Sophia Tarabicos
I can’t believe someone would produce a “game” like this. Unspeakably horrible.
Terry Arnold
This game is not that big of a deal. It’s been out for almost 3 years, now. It’s no worse then the murders that take place in Grand Theft Auto and that game is still available to anyone who wants to play it. We certainly would not say the rape is worse than murder, would we?
Rodolfo Wesley
This is a horrible game, I actually played, I know how it is
“Dollhouse” Makes Rape Sexy, In the Good Way | NYU Local
[...] relevance–and the need to downplay that relevance–became even more evident. And with people now paying to experience the simulated joy of rape, it is obvious that what happens in the dollhouse may be [...]
Todd Wright
People, we need to differentiate between SIMULATED rape and ACTUAL rape. My friends and I have played this game millions of times and we enjoy it very much. Does that mean we are going to go out and rape someone? OF COURSE NOT!!! No more than our playing Grand Theft Auto means that we are going to go out and kill someone. IT’S JUST A VIDEO GAME!!! This whole controversy is a non-issue. There is absolutely no evidence that video games simulating certain behaviors leads anyone to actually carry those behaviors out.
Jeremy Neiman
@Todd
“There is absolutely no evidence that video games simulating certain behaviors leads anyone to actually carry those behaviors out.”
If you think that, you should have seen me after playing Katamari…I glued everything into giant balls.
@ Terry
Rape is worse that murder (we could get into a huge argument about this, but let’s not, and just agree to disagree.) Also the point of the GTA is not to stalk out a victim, find ways to compromise their defense, and eventually stab them repeatedly with a knife. That’s why the game is called Grand Theft Auto, not Murder Face.
@ Todd
I don’t think you get the point. This isn’t about “video games simulating certain behaviors leads anyone to actually carry those behaviors out.” This is about how a group of sexist men with real issues (and boy, does Japan have those) came together and brainstormed and said, “Dude, you know what would be fun? If men could rape women! Wouldn’t it be great if we could create some sort of Safe, Legal outlet where people can try that?! Best of all, it would be Easy- just push a couple buttons!” Yea, you completely missed that point.
Also, you and your friends are the guy who tries to get with girl and the night ends with “I swear to God, it just slipped in!”
Josh Becker
I’m a little late to the game, but it took me a while to sort this thought out.
What bothers me about this, aside from the actual premise of the game, is that it positions rape as, well, a game. As a game with a definite start and end, with a set model of consequences, actions, reasons, and responsibilities. Will this game make players go out and try to rape someone in real life? That’s only arguable. But what it does do is perpetuate the belief that rape “makes sense,” that after it happens there exists a set of actions that “should” occur, that the victim and the perpetrator have specific, already-carved-out roles to fill.
What this does is force upon rape victims a paradigm which may not fit into what they wish to do; for instance, the notion that a rape victim “must” report the crime comes, I think, from this canonization and typification of the crime. It also detracts from efforts to prevent rape, because the belief begins to spring up that there is just “one type” of rapist who will do things “by the book,” or in this case, by the game.
All I’m saying is that games like this are dangerous in that they promote the idea of a singular set of actions, motivations, and consequences surrounding rape, when really, it is a complex crime that is differently tragic for each and every victim.
Eric Peters
Freedom of speech and expression is absolute.
Colt Sterling
“Rape is worse that murder. ”
That is quite a statement and the legal codes of virtually every country on Earth would say the opposite. I for one, would rather be raped than murdered.
Great posts. Do you mind if I use some of it in my school newspaper?
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Whoa.