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Why Feminist Theory Matters for Feminist Practice: The Case of Rape Response

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 May 2014

Rose Corrigan
Rose Corrigan*
Affiliation:
Drexel University
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Extract

Rape crisis centers, which provide supportive services to survivors of sexual assault, are commonly lauded as one of the most successful and lasting transformations achieved by second-wave feminism (Bevacqua 2000; Martin 2005; Schmitt and Martin 2007). But the advocates who work in these centers overwhelmingly reject the use of the word “feminist” to describe themselves or the work of their agencies (Campbell, Baker, and Mazurak 1998; Corrigan 2013; Maier 2008). Here, I describe this puzzling disconnect between feminist consciousness and feminist practice and offer a theory of why the incorporation of feminist analysis could enrich the provision of services on the ground.

Type
Critical Perspectives on Gender and Politics
Information
Politics & Gender , Volume 10 , Issue 2 , June 2014 , pp. 280 - 284
Copyright
Copyright © The Women and Politics Research Section of the American Political Science Association 2014 

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References

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