Newsgroups: sci.bio
Path: utzoo!rising
From: rising@utzoo.uucp (Jim Rising)
Subject: Forced Cops.
Message-ID: <1988Feb5.105920.25703@utzoo.uucp>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Date: Fri, 5-Feb-88 10:59:19 EST

I suspect that rape during conquest was an important source of gene flow
in human history.  Whether or not it was "good for the species," of course,
is presumably (barring group selection) irrelevant to the trait.

I suspect that the probability of a male passing on his genes via forced
cops. is slight, and dependent to a large degree on the uncertainty of 
paternity.  I also suspect that it's an extension of "normal" copulatory
behavior, and one in which the male rarely gains (in fitness), but has 
very little to lose.  Much rape in modern society is clearly aberrant
behavior, and maladptive.  (Some seem to think that if we argue that some
human behavior is adaptive that everything we do is adaptive.  Celibacy
and contraception are almost certainly maladptive, too.  One also gets
the impression that many netters would prefer not to understand the
biological, psychological, or sociological bases for "rape."  I would
suppose that they find it more productive to paint slogans such as
"STOP RAPE!" on the walls of public buildings--there's one on our campus.
If that's what we're to do, let's hope it works!)

--Jim Rising
-- 
Name:   Jim Rising
Mail:   Dept. Zoology, Univ. Toronto
        Toronto, Ontario, Canada    M5S 1A1
UUCP:   {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!rising