Article Sidebar

PDF
Date Published: 31/08/2024
Abstract Views: 105
Views PDF: 37
DOI: https://doi.org/10.63023/2525-2445/jfs.ulis.5356
Issue
Vol. 40 No. 4
Section
Research
How to Cite
Pham, B. A., & Hoang, T. H. (2024). RAPE CULTURE AND RAPE MYTHS ON FACEBOOK FANPAGE OF BILLBOARD: THE CASE OF KESHA AND DR. LUKE. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 40(4), 22-37. https://doi.org/10.63023/2525-2445/jfs.ulis.5356

RAPE CULTURE AND RAPE MYTHS ON FACEBOOK FANPAGE OF BILLBOARD: THE CASE OF KESHA AND DR. LUKE

Bao Anh Pham1, Thi Hanh Hoang1,
1 Faculty of English Language Teacher Education, VNU University of Languages and International Studies, No.2 Pham Van Dong, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam

Main Article Content

Abstract

This study explores the dynamics of rape culture and myths surrounding sexual assault through discussions on Billboard's Facebook fanpage, focusing on the case involving Kesha and Dr. Luke. Analysis of 1000 comments across four posts revealed that over half of the comments expressed support and empathy towards Kesha, while approximately a third blamed her. Supportive comments debunked rape myths, shared personal narratives, highlighted the complexities of sexual assault, and criticized Dr. Luke. These comments advocate victims and challenge harmful attitudes, suggesting the need to broaden societal and legal definitions of rape, foster constructive dialogues, and identify and challenge systemic issues that prevent victims from speaking out. In contrast, victim-blaming comments perpetuate rape myths by accusing Kesha of false accusations and non-conformity to gender norms. This study indicates that Facebook can emerge as a platform where individuals actively combat victim blaming and slut shaming, denounce hegemonic masculinity, and advocate for victims, illustrating its potential to foster constructive dialogues and challenge entrenched beliefs about sexual assault. 


 

Article Details

Keywords

rape culture, rape myths, victim blaming, gender norms, social media

References

About Billboard Magazine (n.d.). https://www.billboard.com/p/footer/biz
Alters, S., & Schiff, W. (2009). Essential concepts for healthy living. Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Anderson, I., & Doherty, K. (1997). Psychology, sexuality and power: Constructing sex and violence. Feminism & Psychology, 7, 547-552.
Burnett, A. (2016). Rape culture. The Wiley Blackwell encyclopedia of gender and sexuality studies, 1-5.
Burt, M. R. (1980). Cultural myths and supports for rape. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 38, 217-230.
Cambridge University Press. (n.d.). Post-truth. In Cambridge Dictionary. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/post-truth
Charmaz, K. (2006). Constructing grounded theory: A practical guide through qualitative analysis. Sage.
Coscarelli, J. (2023). Dr. Luke and Kesha settle defamation lawsuit. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/22/arts/music/kesha-dr-luke-settle-lawsuit.html
Deutsch, F. M. (2007). Undergoing gender. Gender and Society, 21, 106-127.
Garcia-Moreno, C., Guedes A. & Knerr, W. (2012). Understanding and addressing violence against women. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/77434/WHO_RHR_12.37_eng.pdf;jsessionid=0DC4AA05AA7F45D6F3ACEAD1B4D67D99?sequence=1
Gardner, E. (2014, October 14). Date rape, “sober pills,” and “suffocating control”: Read Kesha’s lawsuit against Dr. Luke. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/6281722/kesha-sexual-assault-lawsuit-text-dr-luke.
Glick, P., & Fiske, S. T. (1996). The ambivalent sexism inventory: Differentiating hostile and benevolent sexism. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 70, 491-512.
Gochman, D.S. (2013). Handbook of health behavior research II: Provider determinants. Springer Science & Business Media.
Grubb, A. & Turner, E. (2012). Attribution of blame in rape cases: A review of the impact of rape myth acceptance, gender role conformity and substance use on victim blaming. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 17, 443-452.
Hayes, R. M., Lorenz, K. & Bell K. A. (2013). Victim blaming others: Rape myth acceptance and the just world belief. Feminist Criminology, 8, 202-220.
Horeck, T. (2014). #AskThicke: “Blurred lines,” rape culture, and the feminist hashtag takeover. Feminist Media Studies, 14, 1105-1106.
Hunnicutt, G. (2009). Varieties of patriarchy and violence against women. Violence Against Women, 15, 553-573.
Jenkins, M. J. & Dambrot, F. H. (2006). The attribution of date rape: Observer’s attitudes and sexual experiences and the dating situation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 17, 875-895.
Kahlor, L., & Eastin, M. S. (2011). Television’s role in the culture of violence toward women: A study of television viewing and the cultivation of rape myth acceptance in the United States. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 55, 215–231.
Kosloski, A. E., Diamond-Welch, B. K. & Mann, O. (2018). The presence of rape myths in the virtual world: A qualitative textual analysis of the Steubenville sexual assault case. Violence and Gender, 5, 166-173.
Levine, E. C. (2018). Sexual scripts and criminal statutes: Gender restrictions, spousal allowances, and victim accountability after rape law reform. Violence Against Women, 24, 322-349.
Lonsway, K. A., & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1995). Attitudinal antecedents of rape myth acceptance: A theoretical and empirical reexamination. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68, 704–711.
Lonsway, K.A. & Fitzgerald, L.F. (1994). Rape myths: In review. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18, 133-164.
Lynch, J. (2023, February 7). Kesha suing Dr. Luke for alleged sexual assault & emotional abuse. Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/articles/6281709/kesha-suing-dr-luke.
Marshall University (n.d.). Rape culture. https://www.marshall.edu/wcenter/sexual-assault/rape-culture/
McCann, P. D., Plummer, D., & Minichiello, V. (2010). Being the butt of the joke: Homophobic humour, male identity, and its connection to emotional and physical violence for men. Health Sociology Review, 19, 505-521.
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Sexual assault. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexual%20assault
Muehlenhard, C. L., & Rogers, C. S. (1998). Token resistance to sex: New perspectives on an old stereotype. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 22, 443–463.
O’Hara, S. (2012). Monsters, playboys, virgins, and whores: Rape myths in the news media’s coverage of sexual violence. Language and Literature, 21, 247–259.
Parry, V. (2014). It’s about us - gender and sexism. https://www.unicef.ie/itsaboutus/cards/unicef-itsaboutus-gender-sexism.pdf
Paulson, P. (2018). Rape culture in Disney animated princess movies. All Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1803&context=etds
Payne, D. L., Lonsway, K. A. & Fitzgerald, L. F. (1999). Rape myth acceptance: Exploration of its structure and its measurement using the Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale. Journal of Research in Personality, 33, 27-68.
Pennington, R. & Birthisel, J. (2015). When new media make news: Framing technology and sexual assault in the Steubenville rape case. New Media & Society, 1-17.
Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (n.d.). Speaking out from within. https://pcar.org/resource/speaking-out-within-speaking-publicly-about-sexual-assault
Sexual Assault (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster online. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sexual%20assault
Stubbs-Richardson, M., Rader N. E. & Cosby A. G. (2018). Tweeting rape culture: Examining portrayals of victim blaming in discussions of sexual assault cases on Twitter. Feminism & Psychology, 28, 90-108.
Vincent, A. (2018, January 29). Kesha's comeback: a timeline of her bitter legal feud with Sony and producer Dr Luke. The Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/music/news/comeback-kesha-timeline-bitter-legal-feud-sony-dr-luke/
West, C. & Zimmerman, D. H. (1987). Doing gender. Gender and Society, 1, 125-151.
Yancey-Martin, P., Reynolds, J. R. & Keith, S. (2002). Gender bias and feminist consciousness among judges and attorneys: A standpoint theory analysis. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society, 27(3), 665–701.