Running Head: THE PORTRAYAL OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HARRASSMENT IN FILMS 1

The Portrayal of Sexual Assault and Harassment in Films

Mikia Crawford

Millersville University
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Abstract

The issue of sexual assault and harassment of women has been an issue since time began,

however; it was never addressed as it should have been until recently. Films today are beginning

to shine a more realistic light on the issue of sexual harassment and assault of women in the

workplace, and everyday life. Although uncomfortable and brutal to watch on a big screen, it

depicts the very real and raw truth that happens to women on a day to day basis. This paper

focuses on more films that provide real-life examples of the assault women are subjected to in

the workplace, at home, and in their everyday life. The awareness that films bring concerning the

suffer in silence narrative, rape, and victim portrayal are the central aspects of this paper.

Keywords: assault, harassment, rape culture

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The Portrayal of Sexual Assault and Harassment in Films

The three most common forms of sexual harassment at work, according

to AtlanticTraining.com are sexual coercion, unwanted sexual attention and gender harassment.

Many women have been victims of sexual assault and harassment in the workplace as well as in

their everyday life. Various studies provide us with the very real and heartbreaking statistics that

surround the number of times a woman is raped, how often they report it, and how many of them

actually press charges against their abusers. On average only 16% of rapes are ever reported to

the police, and 43/% of women don’t report their rape or harassment. And of that 43%, 27% fear

nothing will be done and that they will be retaliated against, and 12% fall into the narrative

where they believe it isn’t important enough (Deggans, 2018). Rape and assault of women have

been a narrative since time began and it wasn’t until recently that films have begun to show us

the very real pain, fear, and PTSD that comes along with being assaulted. Many will say that the

way sexual assault/harassment is depicted in films is too “brutal” to be displayed in movie

theatres or on tv at all. For example, in the 1988 film The Accused starring Jodie Foster, Foster

plays a woman who was brutally gang raped in a bar by 4 men on a ping-pong table where

multiple men just watched and cheered on her assailants, rather than helping her.

The film received backlash regarding how upsetting and “hard to swallow” the rape scene

was to watch, yet everyone still watched it. The scene itself only lasts 3 minutes but when

viewers were asked to comment on the film, they stated how the rape scene was so real and

brutal, that it felt like it lasted forever. They also stated how the film made them uncomfortable,

but it really gave them an insight to how ugly and real rape is.
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Films have a way of providing us with the insight on things we may not have experienced

ourselves but are still things that are happening in the world whether we want to believe them or

not. Men leverage their power and influence over women in order to elicit sex with women, as

well as take advantage of women through coercion. Many don’t believe coercion is rape because

a woman may eventually say yes, but the 100 times she said no first, still apply even if you

received one yes in the end. Films address the topic of sexual violence and harassment through

providing mainstream awareness. Think about it, when you watch a film that has to do with

rape/assault the man is usually a charming, handsome, wealthy, person and obviously not a

monster you would see in a horror movie. The men that one wouldn’t think of as a predator are

who films use to break the myth that charming men aren’t/don’t have to be abusers. Just as

victims don’t have to be of lower class, or dress provocatively (which doesn’t make it okay)

although that is the narrative many of us are used to. Victims come in all shapes, sizes, color, and

background.

Harassment in the workplace is also very common and with the #MeToo movement

bringing a lot of awareness to the power dynamics that happen in the workplace between men

and women, it makes sense that films would want to take on the problem surrounding the issue

of harassment in the workplace. Bombshell, the 2019 film directed by Jay Roach, showcases the

issue of sexual harassment in the workplace and the issue power dynamics in the workplace play

in women not reporting their harassment out of fear of losing their jobs or being blackmailed. In

the film, there is a scene between Roger Ailes and Kaya Pospisil who is played by Margot

Robbie, where Roger makes Kayla pull her dress up to the point where he sees her underwear,

and throughout the entire scene you can see it in Kayla’s face that she is extremely

uncomfortable however: she continues to move her dress up further and further like Roger asks
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because she doesn’t want to lose her job if she refuses. Very few films explore the impact of

rape, harassment, and trauma as well as the psychological consequences that victims face.

However, because of the current awareness and momentum movements such as #MeToo are

gaining, films are beginning to become more involved in helping increase the awareness these

movements are trying to gain for the very real issue that surround harassment and assault victims

are subjected to. Films are also helping in portraying the victim blaming that victims are

subjected to time and time again.

The Suffer in silence narrative

Movements such as the #Metoo have gained massive momentum throughout the years.

However, when allegations were brought up against prominent famous men, there was a huge

outburst from all over. Many of the outburst were coupled with victim blaming and the question

of “why didn’t they report it when it first happened”, “she’s lying, she just wants money” and all

other atrocious comments from people in the world. Questions and comments such as the ones

mentioned above are the main reasons victims don’t report their abuse when it happens. The fear

of not being believed, targeted, and sometimes victims don’t process exactly what happened to

them until years later. Male victims are the main ones who do not report their abuse because

they’re afraid they will be viewed as weak or less masculine because they could easily “fight off

their abuser” and many times that is not the case. Male victims are often times unaware that they

have been raped because society has made is acceptable for older women/men to take advantage

of a young man and labeling it as him becoming a man.

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“A 2005 study conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, on San Diego Kaiser

Permanente HMO members, reported that 16% of males were sexually abused by the age of 18”

(1in6.com)

Men’s sexual encounters in film are usually with older women when they’re no older

than 18. This portrayal of men in film having sex with older women has painted the narrative that

its acceptable, thus, leading to the suffer in silence narrative with male victims who process their

assault. And no it’s not okay, yet they’re afraid to report it because they feel they won’t be

looked at as a victim, and instead looked at, as weak. This same narrative isn’t much different for

women, but it is more prominent in women, which we see that in films/tv series as well. In Law

& Order: Special Victims Unit, we are given multiple portrayals of women who are come

forward after years of their assault and finally report it, as well as the hundreds of women who

don’t want to report it and recant their stories because of the fear of not being believed.

In the 2011 film Sucker Punch, directed by Zack Snyder, we also get a glimpse of the

suffer in silence narrative on two occasions. The first is when the main character Baby Doll

played by Emily Browning, is seen fighting off her step father after her mother’s funeral when he

attempts to rape her, and we can only presume the mother didn’t know what was happening

before she passed away because many times young girls don’t tell their mothers or anyone else

what is happening to them, when it is someone so close to home. However, after her stepfathers’

failed attempt, he gets Baby Doll sent to a mental institution where the main orderly Blue Jones,

attempts to rape Baby Doll after giving her a lobotomy so she is left completely defenseless. We

also see Blue assaulting the other female patients physically and sexually. Another depiction of a

man using his position as his power to assault women underneath him. Films also show the
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suffer in silence narrative as a means to an end to avoid victim blaming that almost always

occurs after a victim speaks out about their assault.

The effects of Victim blaming

Films are also doing a better job at showcasing the effects of victim blaming. Victim

blaming is a part of rape culture that many films/media do not know how to handle. However,

movies still do a good job at explaining and showcasing the reality of context around victim

blaming and sexual assault off screen. The film Precious follows the life of a teenager named

Claireece, nicknamed Precious who was abused by her father resulting in two children and

constantly abused and shamed by her mother as if it was her fault. Precious not only was

subjected to sexual abuse by her father since birth, but her mother subjected her to physical and

emotional abuse because of the unwanted attention Precious had received from her father. In the

movie, in the one of the ending scenes we see an argument between Precious and her mother

where it results in Precious’s mother throwing a huge tv at her in attempts to harm her and her

baby while she was trying to leave. Throughout the film Precious’s mother, subjects her to all

kinds of victim blaming name calling, minimizing the severity of Precious’ assault, and

disbelieving her story. In her mother’s mind, Precious willingly had sex with her father and

became pregnant.

Women abuse victims are held accountable by other women more than anything (Dexter,

2006). Women victim blame other women based on their empathy for male perpetrators as well

as because of rape culture. Films sometimes play into the victim blaming narrative as well, to

again give us the real portrayal of the way victims are treated. Throughout The Accused, Jodie

Foster’s character is subjected to all kinds of victim blaming from her friend, lawyer, and others
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around her. She’s called a slut, white trash, a whore, and all other kinds of names because she

was raped and in everyone else’s opinion she asked for it because she was bit flirty and was

drinking, had on provocative clothes, and at one point kissed one of her rapists willingly.

However, none of that makes it acceptable and yet she was still subjected to the harsh treatment

of victim blaming. Throughout the film were shown the aftereffects of the rape and how many

victims try to cope. Films also show the same scene from different points of view, that way

viewers can see the breakdown of the scene in a very real way.

Victim blaming comes in all forms and most times its subtle but at other times is blatant

“in your face”. Anytime a person faults or questions a victim about what they could have don’t

differently to prevent a crime, they’re participating in victim blaming. (Dexter, 2006). I’m pretty

sure viewers can think of a film besides the three mentioned where there was a victim of an

assault and they were blamed for said assault/rape. Films almost always include the narrative of

victim blaming because it is a part of the rape narrative and happens often. Many times, people

don’t think asking questions or calling victims disrespectful names is a part of victim blaming

and that is why films that are centered around rape include it in the movie because in order to

spread awareness about what rape and harassment truly entail.

Conclusion

Film portrayal of sexual assault and harassment hasn’t always been accurate: however,

with the new awareness happening regarding women and assault, films have done a better job in

trying to portray the way sexual assault and rape culture are detrimental to rape victims and also,

films help spread the narrative that rape is never okay and that victims are never alone and

deserve to seek justice for themselves. The reality surrounding the portrayal of sexual assault and
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rape culture in films is very real and because of it, is helping to spread awareness and combat

sexual assault and harassment against women altogether one step at a time. Film portrayal of

sexual assault and harassment are providing a depiction of the suffer in silence narrative, victim

blaming, and rape, that allow viewers to realize the detrimental results that happen when male

and female victims experience assault.

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Dexter, Hedy Red, et al. “Attributing Responsibility to Female Victims After Exposure to

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