Dear Mr. Akin, I Want You to Imagine...

Dear Todd Akin,

I am writing to you tonight about rape. It is 2 AM and I am unable to sleep here in the Democratic Republic of Congo. I am in Bukavu at the City of Joy to serve and support and work with hundreds, thousands of women who have been raped and violated and tortured from this ceaseless war for minerals fought on their bodies.

I am in Congo but I could be writing this from anywhere in the United States, South Africa, Britain, Egypt, India, Philippines, most college campuses in America. I could be writing from any city or town or village where over half a billion women on the planet are raped in their lifetime.

Mr. Akin, your words have kept me awake.

As a rape survivor, I am reeling from your recent statement where you said you misspoke when you said that women do not get pregnant from legitimate rape, and that you were speaking "off the cuff."

Clarification. You didn't make some glib throw away remark. You made a very specific ignorant statement clearly indicating you have no awareness of what it means to be raped. And not a casual statement, but one made with the intention of legislating the experience of women who have been raped. Perhaps more terrifying: it was a window into the psyche of the GOP.

You used the expression "legitimate" rape as if to imply there were such a thing as "illegitimate" rape. Let me try to explain to you what that does to the minds, hearts and souls of the millions of women on this planet who experience rape. It is a form of re-rape. The underlying assumption of your statement is that women and their experiences are not to be trusted. That their understanding of rape must be qualified by some higher, wiser authority. It delegitimizes and undermines and belittles the horror, invasion, desecration they experienced. It makes them feel as alone and powerless as they did at the moment of rape.

When you, Paul Ryan and 225 of your fellow co-sponsors play with words around rape suggesting only "forcible" rape be treated seriously as if all rapes weren't forcible, it brings back a flood of memories of the way the rapists played with us in the act of being raped -- intimidating us, threatening us,muting us. Your playing with words like "forcible" and "legitimate" is playing with our souls which have been shattered by unwanted penises shoving into us, ripping our flesh, our vaginas, our consciousness, our confidence, our pride, our futures.

Now you want to say that you misspoke when you said that a legitimate rape couldn't get us pregnant. Did you honestly believe that rape sperm is different than love sperm, that some mysterious religious process occurs and rape sperm self-destructs due to its evilcontent? Or, were you implying that women and their bodies are somehow responsible for rejecting legitimate rape sperm, once again putting the onus on us? It would seem you were saying that getting pregnant after a rape would indicate it was not a "legitimate" rape.

Here's what I want you to do. I want you to close your eyes and imagine that you are on your bed or up against a wall or locked in a small suffocating space. Imagine being tied up there and imagine some aggressive, indifferent, insane stranger friend or relative ripping off your clothes and entering your body -- the most personal, sacred, private part of your body -- and violently, hatefully forcing themself into you so that you are ripped apart. Then imagine that stranger's sperm shooting into you and filling you and you can't get it out. It is growing something in you. Imagine you have no idea what that life will even consist of, spiritually made in hate, not knowing the mental or health background of the rapist.

Then imagine a person comes along, a person who has never had that experience of rape, and that person tells you, you have no choice but to keep that product of rape growing in you against your will and when it is born it has the face of your rapist, the face of the person who has essentially destroyed your being and you will have to look at the face every day of your life and you will be judged harshly if you cannot love that face.

I don't know if you can imagine any of this (leadership actually requires this kind of compassion), but if you are willing to go to the depth of this darkness, you will quickly understand that there is NO ONE WHO CAN MAKE THAT CHOICE to have or not have the baby, but the person carrying that baby herself.

I have spent much time with mothers who have given birth to children who are the product of rape. I have watched how tortured they are wrestling with their hate and anger, trying not to project that onto their child.

I am asking you and the GOP to get out of my body, out of my vagina, my womb, to get out of all of our bodies. These are not your decisions to make. These are not your words to define.

Why don't you spend your time ending rape rather than redefining it? Spend your energy going after those perpetrators who so easily destroy women rather than parsing out manipulative language that minimizes their destruction.

And by the way you've just given millions of women a very good reason to make sure you never get elected again, and an insanely good reason to rise.

#ReasonToRise

Eve Ensler
Bukavu, Congo

 

Follow Eve Ensler on Twitter: www.twitter.com/eveensler

Comments

[Risa Morley-Medina]

11:49 AM on 09/18/2012

Rape is not about sex, it is about violence. What about an 89 year old woman who gets raped? was she wearing a revealing outfit? Men should butt out of womens' bodies and choices. It is not their business, especially politicians. He should have kept his ignorant mouth shut. It is our responsibility to shut this guy down COMPLETELY FOREVER and all male politicians who are with him.

[Janine Hedges]

09:42 AM on 09/11/2012

I believe that the Republican Party are trying to demean the position of women back to the dark ages where it is ok to rape your wife- because she is your property. The are trying to establish the roles back to where women were servants to men. They define rape as a menial crime- giving me the leeway to take the power over women.
Interestingly, they believe that if god intended the egg to become fertilized during rape the the rape is not legitimate... leaving an open ruling on abortion. You obviously couldn't have been raped if you got pregnant - it is not what god would have commanded.
I always sit back in astonishment of the ignorant comments made by Conservative republicans. They must sit around and hatch these ideas thinking the the American people will buy it.
The sad thing is - they do buy it. They have been buying this crap for a long time. What we need to do is fight for the continuing education of the people so they have a mind to think for themselves to be able to decipher from storytelling to reality. If this continues - we will be living 1984 - or for some are they already?

[bubbles46]

06:28 AM on 09/06/2012

Sorry to say, but just look at what happened to women during slavery times. Most of them were raped and forced to deal with the consequences.-raising the offspring of the men who violated them and then watching them get raped too.Violence against women does not have one face. It crosses into all cultures. Unfortunately, in today's society women have allowed men to become desensitized by contributing to the lie that women are only hear to be visually pleasing to men. Sometimes, the only time men like this can understand what it means to be violated is when they experience it personally. We have come a long way since Anita Hill, but women are going to have to start taking a non nonsense approach on abuse and sexual exploitation. That means making sure that the images that we see of ourselves are in good taste. It may not be a panacea, but it's a start. We all know that it can still occur even if a women isnt wearing anything revealing, but we need to take more control of how we are seen on newstands (in girlie magazines), in films and on television. I found it interesting how you never see a man on a magazine out in the open exposing himself, but you can find a half naked woman's pic anywhere. This may not be why a woman gets raped, but it might explain the insensitivity about it when it occurs.

[Sameen Ahmadnia]

10:58 PM on 09/05/2012

"You used the expression "legitimate" rape as if to imply there were such a thing as "illegitimate" rape."

[msd7733]

12:50 PM on 09/05/2012

In a rape that results in a pregnancy you have "two victims ". Do you commit one more crime to right that wrong, Or, allow both to survive ? Is one less worthy of life ?

[Mayowa W]

09:15 AM on 09/12/2012

That question is not up to us to answer. It is up to the woman facing the choice. How do you know that because someone is alive they are living? Forcing a survivor to have a child that is a product of rape may be exactly what kills them. I know it seems hard to understand but the entire premise of rape is taking away a person's agency. Their ability to choose. And now you say they should not be able to make their own choices again for themselves lest they "commit one more crime". Choosing yourself and your sanity and your happiness and your body first is not a crime.

[enhancedvibes]

09:11 AM on 09/26/2012

Abortion is not a crime. It is legal. There is your answer.

[iakemi]

12:45 PM on 09/05/2012

Ms. Ensler,
Dear Mr. Akin will be translated into portuguese in this blog: www.ialeatoria.wordpress.com

[wildbynature17]

10:08 AM on 08/31/2012

Beautifully done, Ms. Ensler.

[ehill2bo]

06:15 AM on 08/31/2012

Ms. Ensler,

Well I've done it. I've come up with A Call to Action and posted it on my blog (only the second entry since the first one, which was inspired by your letter). http://findingmyvoicebyerin.wordpress.com/2012/08/31/a-call-to-action/

I hope that women everywhere will heed the call and in their own way stand up for themselves, their mothers, their daughters and women everywhere.

Thank you again for your strong words and for empowering me to find mine.
Sincerely,
Erin Hill

[WhatIThinkIs]

10:49 AM on 08/30/2012

Good article, bravo Ms. Ensler.

[PetallessRose]

08:59 PM on 08/29/2012

Dear Eve Ensler:
You are my hero. I will work alongside you one day.

[Bob Metcalfe]

06:17 PM on 08/29/2012

What does 'misspoke' mean anyway? Did he suddenly trip over his tongue and the wrong words came out? How can you misspeak more than a couple of words? That was some lengthy malapropism.

[Rich McInnis]

10:09 PM on 08/27/2012

Only a Man would say such things about Rape......

[PetallessRose]

08:58 PM on 08/29/2012

Not true...look at their wives and their followers. >.

[cmdanneker]

11:57 PM on 08/29/2012

Which is the saddest thing of all. I can at least understand a man who lacks empathy because they cannot, physically, ever be in a woman's position. For other women to lack that empathy, though...well, I would say that it surprises me, but women are often more hateful and unsympathetic to each other than men are towards them.

[NegligentUncle]

07:41 PM on 08/27/2012

This type of nonsense if caused by the cognitive dissonance of corporate greed and religious dogma running headlong into void of their respective inadequacies.

[mrshep]

02:57 AM on 08/28/2012

Those are my sentiments exactly...you are Favorite & Fanned

[Hannah Baker]

04:31 PM on 08/27/2012

What are the policies on sending this to Todd Akin? Would you allow women who read this to print it and mail it to his office so he receives so many copies they cannot be ignored? Because he needs to read this, but I'm so afraid he never will.

[shaunnak]

02:25 PM on 08/27/2012

I agreed with you up until you took what was a completely ignorant statement, made by one ignorant person, and used it as your forum to bash the entire GOP....at that point you lost both my interest and my respect. I am a woman, and a republican, and I think Akin's statement was totally uneducated and flat out embarrassing...I also think you should be ashamed of yourself for attempting to redirect the focus in an attempt to pin blame on the entire republican party. In my opinion you've done a disservice to the women you claim to advocate for...next time try not using them as your pedestal to preach your political agenda.

[hoobit]

07:04 PM on 08/27/2012

If you, as a republican and a woman, truly believe "Akin's statement was totally uneducated and flat out embarrassing," and you acknowledge that the platform of the *entire* GOP is such that such statements can be/ and are made, then, you, my dear lady, are part of the problem

It is YOUR job --as a woman and a republican-- to ensure the platform planks of your party truly reflect what the members of your party believe. If you are unable to do that, then possibly you should just walk -- no, RUN-- away from the party that feels absolutely no compunction to stay out of the uteri of our nation - a party that wants to be involved in Every intimate detail of a female's life and of the relationship that female has with her physician.

Ms Ensler has Nothing to be "ashamed" about. The republican party, on the other hand, does. And, by extension, methinks thou dost, too. Greatly ashamed.

[WNCGirl]

01:08 PM on 09/05/2012

Well stated in response to shaunnak, I agree 110%...as long as she sits on her hands and does Nothing, she is just a guilty!

[Deborah Bridson]

07:41 PM on 08/27/2012

Um hello? Did you not see the video of Ryan saying rape is just another method of conception?Check yourself woman. And then check again and see how you could possibly be a woman and vote for the Romney/Ryan ticket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cat5SyMBSpk

[Julia Krauss]

02:22 PM on 08/28/2012

There is no use in arguing with a woman who does not realize that when they are talking about the rights of women. They (the GOP) are also talking about her rights. These women ignore the truth before their eyes because they in reality think "it is the other women they are talking about" this has to be true because if it were not, they would not need us to remind them about Ryan and the other GOP members of the house writing a bill redefining rape. Or the congressional committee meeting on Abortion that had no women present that was held by a Leader of the GOP. We can go on and on and it will do no good.

[mtrinklein]

11:33 PM on 09/18/2012

Umm, hello? Lol. Your comment is misleading at best. What he said exactly is, "the method of conception doesn't change the definition of life."? He then states exactly, "exceptions for rape, incest, and the life of the mother.". The phrase "rape is just another form of conception" are your words - not his. Plus this added filter projects a cold and flippant attitude unto the Romney/Ryan position which they clearly state it is not. So... We can certainly have a discussion about what he actually said. Do you believe that a child conceived during rape is a lesser form of life than a child conceived of consensual sex?