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From: berman@psuvax1.UUCP (Piotr Berman)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Re: Re RAPE, etc.../ "understanding" horrible behavior and people
Message-ID: <1752@psuvax1.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Aug-85 17:44:55 EDT
Article-I.D.: psuvax1.1752
Posted: Wed Aug 28 17:44:55 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 31-Aug-85 06:42:31 EDT
References: <739@udenva.UUCP> <540@hou2g.UUCP> <3014@hplabsb.UUCP>
Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ.
Lines: 36

> I listen to men talk about situations where they feel women have taken
> advantage of them. I compare and contrast my mind chatter when I get 
> angry or upset with women with that when I get angry at men. When I do
> it seems to clear to me that men who rape are just at one extreme end
> of a wide spectrum of male attitudes. When men are in a mood of thinking that 
> violence is a solution they tend to think of killing other men but they tend 
> to think of sexual violence towards women. 
> 
> I realize that I have not conducted a scientific survey, but becuase it comes
> from listening to men when they are not "thinking" it may be more accurate
> than interviews etc.

   Interestingly enough, rape of males is also a problem, and probably
much underreported one.  Once there was a series of articles in Washington
Post about conditions in DC jails.  Reporters conducted many interviews
with men who were jailed.  It appears that gang rapes are a common occurence
there.  Quite revealing, the perpetrators are usually not homosexual.
That supports greatly the contention that rape is an expression of aggression
rather than an expression of sex drive.
   Another revealing feature of the discibed situation is how underreported
and unprosecuted those rapes are.  Besides factors like ill-will of the
jail authorities (who wants to protect criminals) and low in average
social status of the victims, there seem to be another factor.
   It appears that men are in even worse position toward rape than women.
Since men are not supposed to be weak, the humiliation is correspondingly
bigger.  Also, it is much less expected.  My though was that the victims
from DC jails were in the position of women some years ago, when being
a victim of rape was shameful.  
   I do not think that rape can be removed from the society entirely.
Probably, the best defence is the following: press charges and prosecution
as much as possible.  If the emotional costs seem to be to high, one 
should remeber that this is not an action for personal revenge, but to
a defence of the future victims.  The law seem to be the only reliable
weapon, and this is a gun with to many bullets unspent. 

Piotr Berman