fremont@hplabs.UUCP (Michael J. Fremont) (03/22/84)
In several articles it has been stated that rape somehow "benefits"
all men. This may or may not be true. Also please note that, since
it certainly changes the way women feel about men, and act towards
and with men, it can also have the opposite effect.
For instance, by making women "suspect" men in general.
How about continuing the discussion with the following subject?:
How can this society reduce the incidence of rape? (1/3! of all
women in this country will eventually be raped is the statistic I've
heard).
mikemartillo@ihuxt.UUCP (Yehoyaqim Shemtob Martillo) (03/23/84)
Where my mother grew up (Libya) a modestly (no American woman dresses modestly) dressed Muslim women did not have to worry about being raped. If a woman were being attacked on the street, all the men would grab their weapons and hack the attacker to pieces. In any case, a woman would spend almost all her time in the house and usually would go out on the street accompanied by her father or brothers. If women are willing to pay the price, rape can easily be eliminated.
ellen@unisoft.UUCP (03/26/84)
You are incorrect in assuming that if a woman dresses modestly and only goes out accompanied by a brother or father that rape will end. I have heard of instances of elderly women getting raped and *generally* elderly women dress modestly (of course they don't wear veils but I have seen many wearing scarves :-) ). Women are frequently raped by someone they are familiar with -- father, brother, husband, boyfriend, etc. e. boyle
maf@unisoft.UUCP (03/28/84)
This is in reply to the character who wrote regarding women in Muslim countries dressing 'modestly' and staying in their homes - only going out when accompanied by men - thus avoiding (being 'saved' from) rape. Why should women - the victims of rape - have to live like prisoners when those who commit the crime are free to do what they please? Imprisoning women in their homes, setting dress-codes, and generally treating women like so much chattle are not reasonable answers to the danger of rape. It's more reasonable to suggest that, since men commit rape, they should be the ones imprisoned in their homes.
robison@eosp1.UUCP (Tobias D. Robison) (03/29/84)
References: Tow points about this Libyan society that seems to protect women from rape: (1) No one has stated anything like the full burden that society places upon women in return for "protecting" them. How well, in comparison to our society, are their property rights, and divorce rights protected? Are they given free reign (well, inside the home) to educate themselves? Etcetera, etcetera... (2) Do we all agree there is no rape in traditional Libya? Let's not accept this so quickly, given just one or two assurances. And let's certainly not take the lack of rape prosecutions as evidence of lack of rape. - Toby Robison allegra!eosp1!robison decvax!ittvax!eosp1!robison princeton!eosp1!robison