Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihlpg.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!mhuxt!houxm!ihnp4!ihlpg!sed408 From: sed408@ihlpg.UUCP (s. dugan) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: Re: Re: \"Why not send the men home?\" Message-ID: <480@ihlpg.UUCP> Date: Wed, 15-May-85 04:20:34 EDT Article-I.D.: ihlpg.480 Posted: Wed May 15 04:20:34 1985 Date-Received: Thu, 16-May-85 04:22:14 EDT References: <1848@decwrl.UUCP> <423@sftri.UUCP> <1467@reed.UUCP> <431@sftri.UUCP> <134@lzwi.UUCP> <691@burl.UUCP> Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 63 > > If I wear a real nice suit and walk through a bad part of town at night, I am > 'asking for' trouble. It has nothing to do with the right of anyone to > attack me, nor with my desire to be attacked. However, I would be placing > myself in a risky situation which perhaps I could have avoided. (hint: I > don't DO that). I could get killed, which is likely to ruin my day. > A women's situation varies in degree, but not in kind. I don't think that > everyone in a 'bad' section of town should be locked up at night, though. > There is an element of risk in everything you do, no matter how small. > It behooves me not to take unnecessary ones. I agree with you up to a point. Granted, I (a woman) would be pretty stupid and "asking for" trouble if I were to go out alone in lonely, unlit "dangerous" parts of town. I wouldn't be surprized in the least if I were attacked and robbed or even worse, raped or killed. I think the issue here is the fact that women are raped (usually by men) a whole lot more than men are. When was the last time you were physically molested? Now, ask your female friends how many times they have been molested. I don't just mean raped in the literal sense. How many times have you UNWILLINGLY been pinched on the rear-end? How many times has a woman purposedly bumped up against you to "cop a feel". The point I'm trying to make is that not only do women and men SHARE the common danger of being robbed and/or shot/knifed/etc (which is a whole other issue we should all address) but we women have the added danger of being physically violated. These violations don't just occur on dark, lonely streets. They happen in broad daylight in well populated areas. I know where of I speak. I was walking through a family-type park in Minneapolis. The park was about one square block. There were many women and children scattered around. It was mid-afternoon in early summer (still quite light out). I was wearing mens jeans (rather loose) and a man's short-sleeved shirt (also rather loose). I had no purse and no wallet. This was NOT a robery attempt. A man came up to me from behind and grabbed my breasts. He tried to throw me to the ground. I don't even want to think what he would have done if he had succeeded! I managed to kick him in the groin and ran. I was lucky. How many men do you know who have had something like that happen? Now do you understand our (women's) anger toward men? I haven't even brought up the issue of spousal and/or date rape which usually goes unreported because the woman is made to feel that she "asked" for it and won't be believed by most courts. > Projections like 'one out of 3 women will be victims of rape before they die' > are inflamatory, but unrealistic. I don't think this is unrealistic at all. Try taking an informal poll of the women you know. Be sure to include any instances of spousal or date rapes. (The Random House College Dictionary defines rape as "any act of sexual intercourse that is forced upon a person). I'd be interested to know what you come up with. THEN, ask your male friends! > How are these victims spread out > demographically, what economic level, etc. I am not saying that it is > justified for any women to be raped (obviously)..... > > C. E. Jackson > > ...ihnp4!lznv!cja (for reasons too silly to explain,the address above > > [lzwi] is incorrect--don't use it) > > geoff sherwood Sarah E. Dugan (no clever lines)