(no subject)

[hellison]

At the risk of opening the can of messy worms that posts about rape always seem to, this quote this morning, tagged on the end of a brief news report just made me twitch -
The attack was condemned by local politicians who urged women to look out for each other during the current party season
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/4551200.stm

Because of course
a. You can't trust ANY men to look out for you
b. It's entirely the responsibility of women to make sure you're safe.

Yes, it is good that they are concerned, it is good advice in its way and yes, I may well be reading too much into it, but that's just how it struck me.
I'm not sure if it's the implication that you can't trust/rely on men or that it's all down to women too look out for each other because it's our responsibility to make sure we are safe, not men's responsibility to have some self control/respect for women that bothers me more.
Why aren't they urging men not to be rapists in the first place?

Hmm. I was going to say I've obviously been lucky with the men I know/have met, but surely it's not 'luck' that my male friends aren't rapists and that I can trust them fully? Surely that's NORMAL?

Comments

[tyrell.livejournal.com]

The other message you get a lot is that you should have other women look after you because you'll be too drunk to do it yourself. Because hey, a group of women out on the town, they'll all be too drunk to notice a dangerous situation, won't they? And they'll let each other walk home alone, singing loudly in dark alleys at 2am, eh?

I never know what I want the message to be. "It's alright, we'll castrate rapists" or just "carry Mace". This current slogan doesn't seem to cover it for me.

[thesme-01.livejournal.com]

Hellison - have a look at this link - in fact EVERYONE have a look at this link:

http://www.rcni.ie/assault_6.htm

It's scary how pervasive myths about rape and sexual assault are throughout the media and wider society. Anyway, have a read and let me know what you think

[tiquetoque.livejournal.com]

frothfrothfroth.

I agree 100% with you on this, so no further comment. Although, frothfroth. MASSIVE disproportionate media-fuelled issues behind this[1]. Plus not a little gender inequality[2].

[1] Remember the article on adults and children and the frankly unnatural and disproportionate limits placed on interactions between them due to media overkill?

[2] Which I don't really mind, because I don't believe in equality of gender, merely equality of opportunity. Men can't have babies, but I'll defend their right to have babies, given the opportunity.

[thesme-01.livejournal.com]

Also this one:

http://www.rcni.ie/maleSur.htm

and this:
http://www.silcom.com/~paladin/madv/stoprape.html

obviously, you don't have to agree with these links, just food for thought...