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From: sed408@ihlpg.UUCP (s. dugan)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: rape and other assorted stuff
Message-ID: <651@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 16-Jun-85 21:49:57 EDT
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.651
Posted: Sun Jun 16 21:49:57 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 17-Jun-85 08:20:09 EDT
References: <191@cuuxa.UUCP> <2919@sdcc3.UUCP> <2301@sun.uucp>
Distribution: net
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 53

> > Remember, get a little courage and ZZZZZAPPPPP.
> > Poke the person in the eye.
> > 
> > Larry G. Kim
> 
> That's right... the 100 lb weakling with her arms pinned against the asphalt
> by the 200 lb guy who's got his weight over her so she can't move them at all.
> Why are we still going around in circles?  There IS no defense in many cases.
> The only way to end rape is for all the bigger more dominant men in the
> world to recognize the simple fact that they haven't got the right to do that
> to women.  Men have to respect women, and stop treating them like 2nd class
> citizens.  The point is that rape is not a women's issue.  Women have very
> little to do or say about it, because WOMEN CAN NEVER STOP RAPE!
> Only MEN can STOP RAPE-ing.  Women don't have the strength nor power to stop it.
> 				Sunny
> -- 
> {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Ms. Sunny Kirsten)

While I agree, whole-heartedly, that men don't have the right to rape women, I
also think that there is something we, as women, can do about it.  There are a
lot of things, actually:

	1)	Educate as many men as possible about our (women as a group) feelings
	about rape.

	2)  Learn to defend ourselves.  Not all potential rapists are twice as big 
	and twice as strong as their intended victims.  Intimidation is usually
	their biggest weapon (excluding guns, knives, etc).  Learning how to kick a
	man in the groin, shins, instep or whatever it takes may not only save your
	sanity, it might even save your life.

	3)  Raise our sons and daughters to have respect for EVERYONE.  We might not
	wipe out rape in our lifetimes, but we might be able to put a big dent in
	it.

I finally learned how to defend myself and I'm glad I did!  I managed to fight
off three attacks in two months!  I don't know if they were attempted rapes or
attempted robberies.  I don't think it really matters.  The point is that I
learned to value myself enough to fight for my dignity.  After submitting to
two rapes, it really helped restore my self-esteem to know that I wasn't
forever a victim.  That was actually the best therapy I had, although I don't
actually recomend it.
-- 

Sarah E. Dugan
"LET ME OUT OF HERE - I WANT TO GO HOME!"

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