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Running Head: ACTION AGAINST RAPE 1

Action Against Rape: Genre Analysis of an Article and YouTube Video


Clara Ivette Martinez Martinez
English 1312
University of Texas at El Paso
















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Action Against Rape: Genre Analysis of an Article and YouTube Video
Introduction
Sex should be used for good reasons, but unfortunately people resort to such extremes
that it becomes sexual assault or sexual violence most commonly heard as rape. According to the
organization RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) (2009) sexual violence can come
in many forms. RAINN (2009) mentions such forms include Stranger/Acquaintance/Partner
Rape, Incest, Sexual Exploitation and it includes children and adults of both gender. The
definition of sexual assault is unwanted sexual contact which includes sexual touching and
fondling as well intercourse including vaginal, anal, or oral penetration and it may be by a body
part or object (RAINN, 2009). Sexual assault for a victim leaves them physically, mentally and
emotionally scarred for life. It is necessary to raise action against rape to stop the silence on this
issue.
For this paper it was important to choose at least two different genres either oral, a
typography or an iconography. An article Obama targets sexual assault problem will be used
for the typography and a YouTube video Stop Rape Now used for the iconography will suffice
for the two genres. Both genres, give ideas as to what their focuses are. Undoubtedly, while both
want rape to come to an end, they differentiate in that one is saying that the silence and violence
must stop now, while the other wants to focus on specific areas that have high sexual assault
rates.
Audience and Purpose
The intended audience for both genres are very similar it includes anyone but mostly
adults of both genders that will encounter the video or article or also anyone interested in
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knowing more in regards to sexual assault. The audience is more likely to know what rape is and
what it consists of, it could also be that one of the viewers could be the offender or the victim
itself.
The audience is informed right off the back that the purpose of both the video and article
is to raise awareness of sexual assault so that a cultural change can happen. Both try to inform
and persuade that sexual assault is traumatic that it extends to all areas of the world, and one
must understand that we cant keep silent. The main difference between this two genres is that
the article is more towards college students specially women not only does it want to avoid the
silence for this matter but it wants improvement on security on college campuses but also higher
arrests, prosecution rates, and conviction rates while the video overall is saying Stop rape, Stop
violence, Stop silence (University for Peace, 2013). It might be possible that one at one point of
their lives might of heard the saying that states that the truth hurts, but silent kills, that is
indeed the deep meaning both genres are trying to convey in regards to action against sexual
assault.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos and Logos
The video uses pathos which deals with emotions. A big way that the video uses the
pathos appeal is just by listening to the song they use in the background which is Amazing
Grace, a very powerful Christian hymn. The song uses the words to describe the move of a
wretch from a lost to a found state by an act of God. Truly this is how a victim must feel,
and one must also aid them to be found and not lost. They also use ethos for example in one
instance of the video a female from South Africa whose name was not mentioned, says Stop
telling your daughters to not wear short skirts, and start telling your sons not to rape (University
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for Peace, 2013). Morally it is wrong for a male to rape a female just because their skirt was
provocative to them, but yet this happens.
The news article gives certain statistics such as nearly 22 million American women and
1.6 million men have been raped in their lifetimes, and 1 in 5 women have been sexually
assaulted at college but that only 12 percent of student victims report the assault (Jackson,
2014). Yes usually when one sees numbers it is easier to believe but what it lacks it that one as a
reader cant pinpoint from where they got this information. Which leaves one hanging because
we cant confirm if what they mention is true. The video is just on point with what they are
trying to convey, the news article dealing a little with politics is just not set in stone unless it
becomes a law and it just more informative easy to forget.
Structure
The organization of the article Obama targets sexual assault problem, is very basic.
Very easy to read not even a page in length, meaning no navigation to the next page needed. The
limitation is that it is relatively vague when it comes to know what the college campuses are
really doing or about if there is higher arrests, prosecution rates, and conviction rates. Like the
article the YouTube video Stop Rape Now is relatively easy also to understand. The only
limitation really is that all the sentences they give or what they dictate isnt really backed up by
where they got it from, not reliable at all. In the video one can hear, see it, and read making the
accessibility easier as opposed to a news article where you can just read it. All the elements
included in the video really bring together and contribute well to the purpose. Nevertheless it
really all depends on the reader and their preferences.

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Style/Language
The language for the article was a bit formal to a point where anyone can understand
what they are saying, the YouTube also was very informal. I really didnt see any specialized
language it was really all generalized. The font on the article was all the same, while as opposed
to the video they capitalize, bold, and use different fonts as well as neutral colors making it more
pure easier to believe. What is noticed a lot in the video is that they used different people from
all over the world including females and males also their nonverbal expressions are given which
gives it meaning.
Conclusion/Synthesis
Based on these genres it can be proven that are not really reliable. Both genres give out
information but the YouTube video and the message they tried to convey was more powerful.
Reason behind this is their appeal to ethos was so powerful everything about the video was
purposefully put in the right spot. For these reasons, the content in the iconography will impact
more its audience than the typography.







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References
Jackson, D. (2014) Obama targets sexual assault problem, USA TODAY Retrieved from
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/01/22/obama-sexual-assault-the-white-
house-council-on-women-and-girls/4763597/
McCuen, H., and Domushkina, M. (Producer and Assistant) (2013) Stop rape now. The
University of Peace [Web] Retrieved from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5HbAq7qlwuk
RAINN. (2009) Types of sexual violence Retrieved from http://www.rainn.org/get-
information/types-of-sexual-assault

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