I've been wanting a post like this for a while...

[raichu100]

...and no one has written it, so I'm taking the initiative.

In a recent post by the_rukh there was a heated ensuing discussion about whether it's appropriate to give advice to women to help them prevent being raped. One of the things that came up repeatedly in the discussion was that whether or not the advice was appropriate (and that is NOT the focus of

Comments

[meus_ovatio]

The problem with rape is that it is often conceived of within bourgeois paradigms, wherein the pro-active way to prevent it is couched within middle-class or upper middle class terms of buying things or paying for training, or utilizing any number of costly measures.

The fact remains that the most vulnerable and destitute in society remain the most victimized, including minors and women not of consensual age. College students are also vulnerable, as many of them live within strict financial allowances.

Perhaps the most ridiculous advice is to tell someone to go a seminar on kicking men in the nuts, or some kind of "martial arts". Of course, "martial arts" are about useless if you don't have a lifetime of reflexivity, muscle memory and training.

Until sexual attitudes are tempered with sexual ethics, rape will remain a problem, as sex is related to two other things: power and punishment. If and until men are taught not to be scumbag date-raping morons... well then, nothing will change.

[southwest]

But the question remains, what the society can do? Perhaps we can learn from other countries, which have more successfully dealt with the problem. According to the unbiased statistical date, the lowest rape incidents per capita is recorded in Saudi Arabia. Perhaps, they are doing something right.

[meus_ovatio]

But the question remains, what the society can do?
Stop selling frat-boy, white-hat sexual escapades as anything but exploitative junk. Reform the movie industry, that might help. Quit portraying rape victims as stupid idiots who didn't buy a gun, that might help. The prevalence of rape is masked by several social attitudes which make rape out to be rare, when in fact it is not rare. And if people think it is rare, they generally tend to think of victims as idiots who didn't walk on the right side of the street or some such nonsense. Generally speaking, the attitude towards rape is such that people think people who get raped are just doing it wrong. Which is silly.

Female sexual habits remain a core component of trial proceedings, which is entirely irrelevant and inappropriate. Fix that too.

[weswilson]

Wow... you mean a country where non-virgins are more likely to be social outcasts and that promotes the death penalty for committing the crime has the fewest reported rapes per capita in the world? WOW! One would think that a female who is raped by someone close to her would instantly run out to have that person killed at the expense of all future family life.... seems totally rational.

...

They are only doing something right if you want to keep rapes from actually being reported.

[raichu100]

Pretty much this. Also, in Saudi Arabia often times rape isn't really "rape" because, you know, men SIMPLY CAN'T resist the temptation of a woman's charms. :/

[paft]

Uh, you do realize that women who report rapes in a society like that are likely to be punished. One woman who reported a gang rape was sentenced to be flogged in public.

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/11/15/saudi-arabia-rape-victim-punished-speaking-out

[raichu100]

I remember reading about this when it happened. It pissed me the hell off. :(

This (either this or a book I read that year - don't remember which was first) was also my first introduction to the mere concept that a rape could be construed as anyone's fault but the rapist. sick shit.

[mikeyxw]

Date rape is the most common type of rape. Outlaw dates and you'll probably cut down considerably on the number of date rapes. Prevent women from leaving home alone and you'll cut down on the creepy guy in the dark alley rapes.

There will of course be those who complain about the individual rights being violated, but Saudi Arabia has come up with a solution for that as well.

[mintogrubb]

er, here is why :

http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2007/11/15/saudi-arabia-rape-victim-punished-speaking-out

If blaming the victim stops people coming forwards, it does cut down the number of cases we have to deal with . But this isn't the sort of solution we need.