Rape Jokes: Not Hilarious, But Rape Culture Humor Can Be

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Roses are red
Violets are blue
We’re having sex
Cuz I’m stronger than you!

Ha! Get it? Because I’m stronger? Isn’t that just a riot? No, it’s not. Rape jokes are anything but funny, and sometimes it’s shocking that anyone thinks they are.

With a whole month dedicated to Sexual Assault Awareness, it’s staggering to know that one in five women will experience rape in her lifetime. Moreover, over 60 million Americans voted for a man who, based on that infamous bus video, either openly confessed to sexual assault or made light of it. Welcome to the world we inhabit.

I love a good laugh and appreciate comedy, but it frustrates me when it gets commandeered by misogynistic jerks or talentless comedians who stoop to cater to the lowest common denominator.

Enter the clever female comedians—and a few men who everyone else should take notes from—who flip the script on rape jokes by satirizing rape culture.

You might wonder, what’s the difference? There’s a vast chasm between mocking a victim and ridiculing a perpetrator or the societal norms that enable them. Smart comedy aims to punch up, not down. Poking fun at those in power is far more effective than targeting those who are victimized. (I’d love to say “Duh!” here, but, alas, this is the reality we live in.)

The crux of the matter is that jokes about rape culture are fundamentally anti-rape, while traditional rape jokes—even if the intent isn’t pro-rape—often come across that way. Many who share these jokes might not recognize the harm they cause, but they miss why others find them troubling. Rape jokes perpetuate rape culture—they trivialize profound suffering and normalize attitudes that empower rapists, all while ostracizing and shaming victims.

On the flip side, jokes about rape culture function like all good satire: they expose the absurdity of the mindsets and cultural norms that let the Brock Turners of the world escape accountability. They reclaim power from abusers. Humor can transform the narrative from “What were you wearing?” to “Why are you raping?” and from “Don’t get raped” to “Don’t rape.”

Last summer, the site Reductress filled its entire platform with pieces satirizing rape culture, featuring headlines like “I Anonymously Reported My Rape for the Anonymous Attention” and “‘Most Women Lie About Rape,’ Says Man Lying About Rape.” Now that’s genuinely funny. If you appreciate satire, you’ll enjoy these clever “articles.”

However, the battle in the comedy landscape is a tough one. Dave Chapelle’s latest Netflix special is riddled with unsettling rape references. After reading about those jokes, I foolishly dove into the comments, only to find men rallying to Chapelle’s defense. “It’s 2017, everyone makes rape jokes,” one commenter insisted.

No, they don’t. And this attitude only perpetuates rape culture. Why is that so hard to grasp? If you think coercing someone into sexual activity is a laughing matter, you need to rethink your perspective, ASAP. There’s a reason we don’t joke about child molestation in a way that belittles the survivors. Some subjects are simply too grave to mock, and rape should absolutely be one of them.

Rape culture, with all its absurd justifications and trivializations? That’s fair game for humor, especially when done expertly. So comedians, keep dismantling rape culture, one clever joke at a time.

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In summary, while traditional jokes about rape are never funny, jokes that satirize the culture surrounding it can be a powerful tool for social commentary and change. It’s essential to differentiate between the two, as one perpetuates harm while the other seeks to dismantle it.