Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!usc!aero-c!nadel From: jan@oas.olivetti.com (Jan Parcel) Newsgroups: soc.feminism Subject: Re: Rape on bicycle path Message-ID: <49652@ricerca.UUCP> Date: 8 Jun 91 01:04:57 GMT References: <9106061355.aa04157@ics.uci.edu> Sender: news@oas.olivetti.com Reply-To: jan@oas.olivetti.com Followup-To: soc.feminism Distribution: usa Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA Lines: 81 Approved: nadel@aerospace.aero.org Status: R Originator: nadel@aerospace.aero.org In article <9106061355.aa04157@ics.uci.edu> tittle@glacier.ICS.UCI.EDU (Cindy Tittle Moore) writes: >This topic has been of interest to me for the last three years, and >especially in the last year, when I started learning how to shoot a >gun. > >In <1991Jun6.032952.23195@unicorn.cc.wwu.edu> n9020351@unicorn.cc.wwu.edu (James D. Del Vecchio) writes: > >> The "anti-rape" techniques I've seen in some self protection books >>are foolish and useless. Noteable among these are the "eye myth" and >>the "go for the crotch" myth. As these are the most basic ideas, and >>the first to occur to anyone, they are what the Rapist would never let >>happen. He will be on his gaurd for such attempts, and will disarm >>them without a thought. [deletions] >> Also foolish is the idea that lessons in Judo, boxing, Karate etc. >>will make a small woman a match for a large determined man. It just >>isn't so. [deletions] >As for long term martial arts study, I can make the following points: > > * There *are* good techniques for small people to use on large >people. Many famous founders were small, delicate oriental men. [deletions] > * It takes a LOT of training. If you stop and think about it, that >makes sense. >> Ironicly, the book I just saw yesterday reccomended that women _not_ >>carry the one self defense tool that has any chance of making a small >>weak woman safe from an attacker: The handgun. > >Yes and no. The gun is a true equalizer in some respects. However, >the woman has to know how to handle it and has to be prepared to use >it, not just threaten with it. Many people, men as well as women, are >not prepared for that. You have to know how to handle it to present a >creditable threat; One point made in _Armed_ and _Female_, is that interviews with criminals reveal that swearing must accompany any talking one does on presentation of a gun, as that is 'criminal-speak' for 'I'm serious' (Quotes are for emphasis, not to mark quotes from book) She also points out that training is a must. Having read on the net about _Armed_ and _Female_, I bought the book even though I don't like guns. There are several interesting personal stories in the first section of the book, and a lot of eye-openers re: what we've always been told about self-defense and about guns. Interestingly, the author was one of the original gun-control advocates. She gives a profile of who should and shouldn't own guns (I flunked), and seriously addresses the issue of kids and guns. It turns out (if I read her correctly) there are some models that can be mostly proofed against kids too young to be trained in safety, although that is only a back-up to keeping it locked out of reach in the first place. She also gives a profile of kids who shouldn't be trained in gun use, and my younger daughter also flunked this list. I find it interesting that my personal feelings about my own situation weren't contradicted in the book. But, a lot of things I thought I knew turned out to be just plain untrue. Did MS. review this book? If so, in what issue? I can't find a back-issue that has a review in it. I think the stories in this book have a lot to say to feminists, and it deserves more attention from the feminist community. Is violence the answer to violence? Rarely, according to the author. But feminists must not fall so much in love with women's preference for verbal resolution of conflicts as to assume we can talk our way out of *anything*. I have often read (in feminist magazines) that women police officers are often more skilled at defusing a situation verbally, but IMHO it is significant that they still carry guns. I don't want to get into a big thing about guns in this forum, but I think the book is interesting, and I recommend reading it. If the only people who read it are those who think about guns enough to read talk.politics.guns, (for instance, I don't), then IMHO too many people will be less informed than they should be. ~~~ jan@orc.olivetti.com or jan@oas.olivetti.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We must worship Universal Consciousness as each of the 5 genders in turn if we wish to be fully open to Yr glory. -- St. Xyphlb of Alpha III