Soft language softens meaning

Rape cannot be called anything else

I noticed a funny thing the other day while watching the evening news. People don’t get raped in Winnipeg anymore. They get beaten, killed, shot, stabbed, hit by cars and even set on fire. But they don’t get raped. Isn’t that nice?

In reality, rape hasn’t gone anywhere. Instead, somewhere along the line, we changed the language. It just isn’t called “rape” anymore. These days, it’s “serious sexual assault.”

Personally, I like how the word “rape” relates to the act it signifies. It’s got that hard “P” sound, and it’s just one syllable – a short, ugly word for a horrible act. 

“The victim was then raped.” When you hear that on the news or read it in the paper, you have an emotional response. The word has impact, it affects you – it hits you in the gut.

Now, compare that with “serious sexual assault.” Three words, eight syllables and the letter “S” appears five times. It sounds a little like poetry. The words almost roll off your tongue.

The result on the listener is completely different. In fact, it hardly affects the listener at all; force and impact are masked by softened language.

Personally, I like how the word ‘rape’ relates to the act it signifies. It’s got that hard ‘P’ sound, and it’s just one syllable – a short, ugly word for a horrible act

Besides that, why would anyone preface the phrase “sexual assault” with “serious” in the first place? 

Has there ever been a whimsical, light-hearted sexual assault? The possibility of such a thing does not spring readily to mind. I’m thinking of contacting my local news team and asking them for an example. Perhaps they know things I do not.

As well, many people – myself included – don’t consider rape a sex act, but an act of pure violence. So really, only one of the three words is accurate. Local news should aim for higher than 33 per cent accuracy.

They really do try to make it work, though. Next time you hear a Winnipeg news anchor say something like “the victim was then seriously sexually assaulted,” listen carefully. Listen to how hard she’s trying to make the meaning behind that phrase strike home. Well sorry, but it ain’t “rape,” and it ain’t gonna work.

If broadcasters are going to include rape cases in news reports, they should do so honestly and earnestly, without skirting the issue by using soft language. 

Yes, rape happens, and yes, this is a harsh reality.  But the news is supposed to show us harsh realities, and force us to engage with them.

Rob Holt is a third-year student at the University of Winnipeg.

Published in Volume 65, Number 4 of The Uniter (September 23, 2010)

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