Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ucbcad.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!ucbcad!ucbesvax.turner
From: ucbesvax.turner@ucbcad.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Rape - (nf)
Message-ID: <1072@ucbcad.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 18-Dec-83 01:58:16 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbcad.1072
Posted: Sun Dec 18 01:58:16 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 14-Dec-83 02:07:28 EST
Sender: notes@ucbcad.UUCP
Organization: UC Berkeley CAD Group
Lines: 30

#R:mit-eddie:-102900:ucbesvax:10300026:000:1339
ucbesvax!turner    Dec 11 18:17:00 1983

Doug Alan sets up the issue as a choice between assault as "being beaten to
a bloody pulp" and rape (assuming no non-sexual physical abuse).  This makes
the question very easy, doesn't it?

In fact, many--if not most--rapes do not involve such a choice--women are
violently abused sexually *and* otherwise.  (Also, most cases of assault
fall short of bloody-pulp type beatings.)

It's not clear to me that, short of mutilation, a credible threat of physical
abuse is any less traumatic than the abuse itself--especially when such
threats are employed persistently by the attacker to achieve his ends.

The key issue is somewhat less tangible than Doug Alan would suggest--just
how to compare loss of flesh (e.g., "bloody pulp" beatings) with loss of
dignity and peace of mind (e.g., rape).  Some rape victims take many years to
recover, even if the physical damage they suffered was minimal.  This is a
a fact; it can't be ignored.

Let's re-pose Doug's question: how much of a loss of self-esteem would he
endure to avoid being beaten to a "bloody pulp"?  Does he see these two
kinds of damage as commensurable?  How does he propose to measure the damage
done to a rape victim, with a view toward establishing fair penalties?

Or is there nothing he wouldn't do to avoid being beaten severely?
---
Michael Turner (ucbvax!ucbesvax.turner)