The Red Word

by Sarah Henstra

It’s her own fault, for getting wasted,’ Dyann said. ‘It’s exactly like in the Hippolytus,’ said Steph. ‘Any overt display of female agency automatically calls down violence. Phaedra, as the female, needs to be chastened and humiliated or else she poses a threat to the male.’

This is precisely because of women like Susannah,’ Steph said. ‘We’re willing to step up for women who may be unwilling but who have less self-awareness, less agency.’

‘Rape’ was a red word, a ravenous word. It was double-edged, the word ‘rape’. It would automatically make me an accuser and Mike an accused.