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Abstract: 

Providing a cautionary response to the long-in-coming “believe her” movement, authors Alex Lenzen, Ph.D. and Liz Stahler, LICSW point out that eliminating rape, sexual assault, and other forms of violence against women demands far more from our society than merely demonizing individual perpetrators and putting them in prison. Heinous acts of sexual violence, they note, stem not just from male entitlement but, even more, from a dominant culture that has, historically, objectified women’s bodies. As opposed to solving the problem by dehumanizing those who perpetrate sexual violence, our society must view accountability through a broader lens--prioritizing survivors’ well-being above all while seeking justice through alternative means, such as restorative and transformative justice techniques that take on an intersectional point of view.

Keywords: Patriarchal Systems Underlying Gender-Based Violence; Dehumanizing Perpetrators; Intersection of Anti-Racism and Feminism; Alternative Forms of Accountability

Affiliations:  1: Dartmouth College Counseling Center; 2: Dartmouth College Counseling Center.