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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!ihlpg!sed408
From: sed408@ihlpg.UUCP (s. dugan)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: rape and abused females
Message-ID: <485@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 16-May-85 10:23:25 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.485
Posted: Thu May 16 10:23:25 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 17-May-85 01:16:20 EDT
References: <187@cuuxa.UUCP>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 50

> I have an idea that might help on the subject of rape
> and abuse of women. Let's get a few more women judges
> up there on the bench. I also think that the punishment
> for these crimes should be decided by the victim not
> the judge.
> 
> I feel that life is too short for women to go through
> it in fear that some asshole is gonna violate her. I
> love women (I owe one nine months carrying charges) so
> I am  more that just a little angry about the abuse
> stat.s. Also, I don't feel that a man should rape a
> women even if she's walking around nude!

Bravo!  Hear, Hear!
> 
> While I do believe that the women in this country have
> it a little easier than women in some other countries,
> I also believe the U.S. has a long way to go. Every
> time I hear of some women getting beaten or raped I
> get furious. A lot of the time there were other people
> around who could have helped her but they didn't want
> to get involved. I wish the police would take down
> their names and next time they need help the cops
> could say "I didn't wanna get involved".

How about holding these people partially responsible for the crime.  Perhaps
we could fine them for not reporting the crime and/or stopping it.  I don't
think that we could require them to actually endanger themselves, but I do
think we should try to get people more willing to speak up against crimes.
> 
> Someone suggested letting women carry firearms. Sounds
> good to me. Any of you ladies need firearms training?
> I'll teach you to shoot if you live in the Chicago area.
> Note, no smiley faces.

So your solution to violence is more violence?  I simply don't understand that
frame of mind.  The only effective way to stop violence is to not start it.
"Let the buck stop here."  Sure, it will take many generations.  I know I
won't be here to see it, but I'd like to think that my refusal to purposely
harm other people might help someone else down the road.  

This is not to say that I wouldn't fight off someone trying to hurt me.  I
would and I have.  However, I only used as much force as necessary to get him
away from me.  Then I ran as fast as I could.  I see no point in blowing a
hole in a person just because he's sick.  That just brings me down to his
level.  I would rather work toward a healthier society that would be free of
that kind of violence.

																				Sarah E. Dugan
                                        (no clever lines)