
Sexual assaults on college campuses have been increasing at alarming rates for several decades. This increase can be attributed to society's sexualization of women through the use of media and pornography, causing males to view women as objects as opposed to viewing them as what they actually are, human beings. By analyzing the rationale behind the objectification of women, it is possible to initiate change and win the fight against the rape and the sexual culture of today's society. If the foundations of Biblical manhood are utilized and taught to the males of today, it will be possible to raise "men" as opposed to "boys."

The objectification of women by men is been a growing trend on college campuses. This surge can be attributed to the normalization of pornography and sexual power that permeates today's culture. In "Pornography as a Cause of Rape," Diana Russell, a professor of sociology at Mills College, explains that the objectification of women is often justified in pornographic media as it is hidden in "its sexual guise and its pervasiveness." Adding to this, the pornographic industry gives the impression that viewing women as sexual objects and commodities is both pleasurable and acceptable. Augmenting the above statement, various television programs and films (such as the James Bond Series) sexualize women, portraying them as submissive and inferior to men, suggesting that women are to be taken advantage (Bell, "Sexualization of Girls Teaches Boys to be Sexually Violent"). In order to be seen as masculine, males are pressured to show control and power over women. As a man continues to watch pornography, he becomes captivated by what is seen, resulting in a male who wants to emulate the various scenes that are portrayed. This leads to the man becoming desensitized, creating the need for more powerful and intense sexual encounters. This need for more power and intensity often forces men to act on impulsive behavior and exercise control over women. In many cases, such control is taken in the form of sexual assault. 

A prevalent example of males using power and sexuality to be accepted by other men can be seen in fraternities on college campuses. In a study conducted by Florida State University sociologists Robert Hummer and Patricia Martin, fraternities often look for male students who fit the stereotypical picture of a masculine man. This picture includes individuals who are physically fit, consume alcohol, and often engage in masculine activities, such as sports. A person who often partakes in feminine activities, such as the fine arts, is often overlooked by fraternities and prevented from joining. It was found that fraternities wanted to build a community that revolved around physical toughness and subordination, while de-emphasizing a compassionate and caring environment. The observations reported in Hummer and Martin's study contribute to the idea that men must express their power amongst other men in order to be accepted. Sociologists Rashawn Ray and Jason Rosow of Indiana University also found that fraternity members are often scrutinized and ridiculed if they fail to partake in behavior that sexually objectifies women. Expanding upon this, of the fraternities that were studied, Hummer and Martin found that many would often view women as commodities. The women associated with the fraternity must be "sexy and attractive." Female students who were aligned with the fraternity were often forced to serve and be made available to the male members. Because of this, the women continued to be objectified and seen as inferior to men, further emphasizing the concept that they were not viewed as human beings. Ray and Rosow also reported that the presence of a Greek house in culmination of an easy access of college women enabled the fraternity brothers to control their sexual environment and being held less accountable for their sexual encounters. The lack of accountability for the fraternity brothers helps promote the sexual and rape culture that continues to grow on college campuses.  

Skewed gender ratios on college campuses also add fuel to the fire that women are commodities as opposed to actual living beings. According to the Art of Manliness Podcast titled Podcast #173: Date-nomics  --  How Skewed Sex Ratios on College Campuses Are Affecting Courtship and Marriage, the current ratio of male to female students on college campuses are hindering the advancement of relationships and romance. Since the mid-twentieth century, the numbers of women who enroll in colleges and universities have increased. This trend has often been attributed to faster brain development and maturity in females. If the growing number of college females were paralleled to an economic supply and demand chart, one would see that a rise in the supply of females correlates to a higher demand for male partners. The over-population of women on college campuses equates to a sense of entitlement for the male students, thus creating competition amongst the female students. A direct result of this is a culture that centers itself around sex, giving men absolute control and the ability to create the "rules of dating," where anything can go. When the statistics brought upon by the Art of Manliness Podcast are combined with the idea of male power and sexuality, it is easy to see that rape and sexual freedom is promoted on college campuses. When reviewing the aforementioned observations and studies, it would be logical to assume that the rape and sexual based culture that exists on college campuses will continue to dominate college life. However, the Biblical story of Esther provides us with a central idea that will put a halt to rape culture. In the story, King Xerxes calls upon his seven eunuchs to bring his wife, Queen Vashti "to him ... wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she is lovely to look at" (The Holy Bible: New International Version, Esther. 1.10-12). However, a remarkable image began to unfold. "The attendants delivered the king's command, [and] Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the King became furious and burned with anger" (The Holy Bible: New International Version, Esther. 1.10-12). Vashti served as an example to women, where they should be empowered to stand up against the objectification of them by men. Adding further, society itself should also focus on changing the male attitude towards women so that women are honored and cherished. By doing so, today's culture will become less centered around sex and will see women as individuals instead of objects and commodities. 

To say that all college fraternities condone promiscuous acts would be an overstatement. Such is the case for Psi Upsilon at the University of Chicago, where a fraternity brother sexually assaulted a female. The president of the fraternity, Drew Armstrong, took a strong stand against the sexualized culture of Psi Upsilon and the resulting sexual assault. In his editorial, he describes the steps that were immediately taken to rectify the problems the fraternity faced. The actions that were discussed would ensure that a zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual assault would continue to be observed. The fraternity called upon the University of Chicago's Resources for Sexual Violence and Prevention to review the current fraternity's policies and also implement new policies to improve the transparency of the organization. Armstrong closes his editorial by stating that Greek life can "lead the charge to improve the current climate of sexual violence on campus" (Armstrong 5). The change that would be initialize by the fraternity would promote a culture that condemns misogyny and rape, while promoting reverence towards women. 

Christopher Kilmartin's "Changing Male Attitudes Reduces Sexual Violence" begins with a depiction of a Virginia country club using an ice-sculpture of a female body to dispense vodka from an area between the figure's legs. When word of the event got out, the men in attendance were perplexed as to why women would be outraged over a sculpture that wasn't real. Unbeknownst to the men, the image stood as a symbol of men using women for pleasure. It is this lack of concern on the males' part that contributes to the sexual violence of women. The only feasible way to end the misguided concept that a woman's sole purpose is to serve man would be to change the way men see women. Because male figures already have perceived social status and power, men from all areas of society should use their power to prevent the mistreatment of women instead of allowing it to continue. The current behavior of men should not be viewed as unchangeable. The age-old idea that "boys will be boys" (Kilmartin, "Changing Male Attitudes Reduces Sexual Violence") is often used as an excuse for the lackluster performance of men. In many ways, men should see the adage as disrespectful since it implies that men cannot exercise control over themselves. The natural leadership role that men possess should be used as a basis to initiate change within society in order to protect both women and men. Adding to this, the frequency of males being perpetrators of sexually violent crimes also places them in a position to reverse the effects of the rape culture and practice values which "respect women and despises all forms of sexual assault" (Loy, Men Must Fight Date Rape). The lack of good men who show human decency towards women is a factor that will allow rape to spiral out of control. By teaching men the foundations of Biblical manhood, it is possible to integrate good men into our society and ultimately on college campuses. 

Contrary to what is stated in Jill Filpovic's "Offensive Feminism: The Conservative Gender Norms That Perpetuate Rape Culture, and How Feminists Can Fight Back ... .," the traditional values taught by conservative Christians provide a platform for which to fight both the rape and sexualized cultures that surround colleges. Conservative societies of the past placed a great emphasis on chivalry and respect towards women. The beliefs practiced by Christians protected women, while also ensuring that they would be allowed to grow physically, spiritually, and emotionally. Several passages within The Bible call upon men to resist the urge to act upon lustful desire, while also stating that it would be wrong to take advantage of "another sister" (The Holy Bible: New International Version, 1 Thes. 4.6). Continuing this idea of courtesy towards women, Paul (a disciple of Jesus Christ) writes that husbands should be "above reproach ... self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not give into drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome ... " (The Holy Bible: New International Version, 1 Tim. 3.2-3). In the passage, Paul is specifically addressing husbands how to treat their wives and take care of the family's household. However, the ethics taught by Paul apply to all men. A man who is instilled with the above guiding principles will care for, protect, and respect not only his wife but also women as a whole. Filpovic counters this argument by explicitly attack Christians when she says, "religious conservatives are obvious foot soldiers in the War on Sex ... It is a war over the most basic of values: the human rights to bodily autonomy and self-determination, the role of women in society, and the construction of the family" (Filpovic 13-14). Filpovic's argument implies that the traditional beliefs practiced by Christians promote submissiveness of women to men. This is often widely accepted by anti-religious groups as it is taken away from the context of which it was originally written. Opponents to the Christian faith cite that "the wife has no authority over her body, but yields it to her husband," yet they fail to include the rest of 1 Corinthians 7:4, which explicitly states that "in the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife." Scripture demonstrates that both male and female must be submissive to each other, and ultimately to God. Supplementing this, The Bible expresses that "you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust ... " (The Holy Bible: New International Version, 1 Thes. 4.3-4). The argument brought upon by Filpovic and others with similar beliefs has no basis to say that the ideals taught by the Christian faith contribute to the rape culture. In fact, The Bible clearly reveals the opposite, where self-control should be exercised and sexual violence avoided at all cost. 

Even though Jill Filpovic is condemning conservative Christians for their "contribution" to the rape epidemic, she outlines a similar means as to how sexual assault can be greatly reduced. Filpovic mentions that "teaching men not to rape ... is both a social and an institutional process that requires accurately representing the reality of sexual assault, developing positive masculinities, and teaching boys that forcing a woman to have sex with you is rape" (Filpovic 25-26). In agreement to The Bible, Filpovic calls upon positive masculinity as a means of stopping rape. Men should rely upon the ideals and standards outlined through biblical passages as a means of promoting masculinity. Adding further, individuals who exemplify biblical masculinity will serve as positive role models to young boys, giving young males an example of what they can strive to be (Bell, "Sexualization of Girls Teaches Boys to be Sexually Violent"). By doing so, males would no longer want to fall to outside pressure and the social norms, both of which encourage men to exercise their power and control over women. Instead, men who look towards biblical manhood will promote a culture that protects women as compared to one which abuses them. 

This was witnessed in Ray and Rosow's study, where religious fraternity members often resisted the temptation to sexually objectify women. When asked about sexual intercourse, a Christian member of an undisclosed fraternity described that he is "waiting to share that [intercourse] with my wife" (Ray and Rosow 17). Similarly, another Christian fraternity brother expressed that he must "really like the girl and feel comfortable ...  You don't just do that kind of stuff [intercourse] with anybody (Ray and Rosow 17). While both members opted to stand on the moral high ground, the values they upheld were frowned upon. Instead of having a society shun those who protect the innocence of another human being, men should build a culture that embraces individuals who respect and revere women.

The sexualized and rape cultures that exist in today's society are problems that cannot be ignored any longer. Men should be held accountable for their actions as a whole. Because of this, they must unite together in order to change the perceived idea that women are to be used for male pleasure. By instilling the conservative values taught by The Bible to young boys, the sexualization and objectification of women will begin to dwindle on college campuses. Men will no longer want to show their masculinity in way that exercises complete power and control over women. As a result, it will be possible to eradicate the sexual violence and assault that comes with the current cultural norm. 

