The rape of men

[the_gabih]

Of all the secrets of war, there is one that is so well kept that it exists mostly as a rumour. It is usually denied by the perpetrator and his victim. Governments, aid agencies and human rights defenders at the UN barely acknowledge its possibility. Yet every now and then someone gathers the courage to tell of it. This is just what happened on an

Comments

[mswyrr]

This is an important issue. It's regretful that Will Storr is a misogynist who chooses to aim his criticism at women (and uses diminishing language re: the suffering of women survivors) rather than talk abuot the fact that (a) rape is something largely done by men and it's not natural, it's culturally constructed and can thus be culturally deconstructed and (b) encourage his privileged male readers to get off their asses and do something about rape. This would be a marvelous opportunity to say "hey, dudes, you know how you don't give a fuck about rape because you think it only happens to women and you don't give a fuck about them really? Well, it happens to men, too. Maybe you selfish jerks will care now?"

[mswyrr]

Handy Guide to Will Storr's Misogyny

1. When a man or group of men does something wrong to women, look for the nearest woman or group of women to blame for it.

2. When a man or group of men does something wrong to other men, again look for the nearest woman or group of women to blame.

3. Men as a group are never to blame for not caring at all about rape; women are to blame for not caring more than they do, even though many of them care about the rape of all people.

4. Bitches have it easier when they're raped!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. Bitches are such goddamn bitches

6. Bitches ain't shit

[terribilita]

Before reading your comments, I felt like my head was going to explode from reading the bullshit from the threads above. Thank you.

[anjak_j]

Thank you for these comments. So much bollocks being spouted in other threads in reply to this piece - I'm really glad for what you've posted.

[castalianspring]

Men aren't simply raped, they are...

This bothers me. Rape isn't simple. Rape isn't more horrific just because it's happening to a man rather than a woman. The way this article is written just rubs me the wrong way entirely.

[mswyrr]

Men aren't simply raped, they are forced to penetrate holes in banana trees that run with acidic sap, to sit with their genitals over a fire, to drag rocks tied to their penis, to give oral sex to queues of soldiers, to be penetrated with screwdrivers and sticks.

Yeah, the fact that he mentioned penetration with "screwdrivers and sticks" and genital mutilation as something not part of the "simple rape" that happens to women, but something extra that just happens to men shows just how fucking ignorant he is of how many diverse, horrific ways women are raped and mutilated. JFC, has he bothered to pay any attention to the women who suffer horrible pain and life-long, life-endangering injury and can't get help? And whose husbands/families leave them?

What a fucking wretch.

[castalianspring]

Exactly. I hate everything about this post right now.

[crossfire]

Just about everybody in this thread is pissing me off right now.