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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Why do so many men turn bad...?

418 replies

Destinysdaughter · 27/01/2017 18:44

Was just thinking about this, May be simplistic but was wondering why so many men end up being rapists, paedophiles, DV abusers, stalkers etc?

Is it something in their family background, being a victim of abuse themselves, conditioning, or something else?

OP posts:
Datun · 07/02/2017 09:40

jms

Yes really.

"Around one in two women in Britain have been physically or sexually assaulted, according to the world’s biggest ever report into abuse suffered by women."

"The report also shows that Britain ranks among the worst countries in Europe when it comes to women being violently abused – a shameful accolade.”

www.google.co.uk/amp/www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/the-violence-epidemic-half-of-women-in-britain-admit-they-have-been-physically-or-sexually-assaulted-9169143.html%3Famp

This is no surprise to anyone but you jms.

AssassinatedBeauty · 07/02/2017 09:22

I think that intervention in the early years (birth to 3 years perhaps) might be effective at challenging and addressing a whole host of issues, including the kind of toxic masculinity that's being discussed here. The problem with that though is finding the funding, the political will, and working out how to actually engage with the families that you'd need to in an effective way.

There's also an issue with a general societal acceptance of low level sexist attitudes. Personally, I'd like an assessment of how well these attitudes are challenged to form an explicit part of the inspection criteria for early years providers (child minders, nurseries and pre school's) and for schools.

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 09:11

Epidemic?! Really?!

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 09:09

Whathaveilost...Your observations make perfect sense to me as I suspect they will you most. However there are so many factors at play in that scenario, where do you start?! Add to that the fact that correlation is not causation anyway! 20 pre conditions 2 outcomes - which, if any, if the preconditions is the cause?!

Datun · 07/02/2017 08:43

jms

No-one Should invade the personal space of another person.

And I do understand. When my son was given the talk at school he came home very indignant because it implied that all men were violent. It's probably the way the talk is framed.

But it's a framed like that for a reason. The statistics are inescapable. The level of violence committed by men on women is epidemic.

When people like your children go about their daily lives, they generally don't see it. But that doesn't mean it isn't there. And however unpalatable it is, getting indignant because 'not all men are like that' (NAMALT), and pointing out that you have had your bum felt in a bar, simply does not address the issue.

Violence and sexual violence is a gendered issue, precisely because it is not a level playing field.

So, although you personally see some unfairness going on, it really isn't what this thread is about.

Whathaveilost · 07/02/2017 08:22

I can only speak of some of my observations so it's only anecdotal musings I'm throwing into the ring

I work with teenagers I residential care. We often here how 'our kids' have got on 10-15 years after they left us, so they will be in their mid 20s - 30.

Some of them have done ok for themselves but the ones that have raped, ended up in prison, prostitution etc where the kids that came to us and were already very angry and unhappy . They were the ones who were from a broken family AND significant issues such as father being in prison for a violent crime, serious neglect, sexual abuse, exploitation and other harm from a parent etc. The single family wasn't an issue for many kids. We all know many families like this and the young people grow up to be hard working, great adults. It is the significant issue that seems to be the problem and lack of other support such as counciling or the refusal to engage with counselling.

As I said, I'm not claiming to be an expert, it's just my observations.

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 08:20

And no when it comes to male v female violence it's not going to be a level playing field. Men are generally bigger and stronger than women (no doubt cos society conditions them to be - certainly nothing to do with testosterone)
If you got a hundred women to repeatedly attack a hundred men. Extreme DV microcosm - you would still end up with more female deaths and injuries precisely because of that fact despite that fact that women were the aggressors 100% of the time

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 08:17

Datun isn't one man a week also killed by a woman? Or am I misreading that stat?

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 08:11

MissH
Maybe men DO need to fight for the right to be taken seriously but it will be a long time coming precisely because it's NOT an issue for them. It happens to them all the time, and they just let it happen because they have more important things to worry about. But also because, in my opinion, they don't see it as a threat in the vast majority of cases. Maybe we should start teaching young women how to behave around men and also start teaching men that it's not ok to be touched by a woman when you havnt given her permission. Even if you liked it!

Datun · 07/02/2017 08:01

jms

the vast majority just simply don't acknowledge or take any notice (probably not even to themselves

And there you have it.

When two men are week are killed by women you may have a point.

When women start punching men in the face for no reason, you may have a point.

When men's arms and ribs are broken by women for no reason, you may have a point.

When women start annihilating their own children because the man wants to leave them, you may have a point.

Women get felt up in bars all the damn time. It's almost inevitable.

And yes, it's awful and unpleasant. You need to encourage your sons to call it out.

But women are far more concerned with getting the crap beaten out of them and raped.

It's never a level playing field.

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 08:01

The original question was ' Why do so many men turn out bad"
But the lens your looking through when you ask that question is of male perpetration and female victimhood. Not saying that isn't the majority of cases but my point is when it's the other way around its virtually invisible. It exists (objectively) in abundance but females probably don't even realise they're doing it and males probably don't either and even if they do they will never call it out. It's completely normalised.
I was at work in the kitchen a few weeks ago and a male colleague of mine was having his muscles felt by the HR Director (a woman) she felt his arms and put her hands on his chest above his nipples and squoze/squeezed! And said something like "Oooooooh they're really hard!"
Can you imagine if he'd done that to her!! Unthinkable! He'd be out the door!
But who does he complain to?! HR?!
He probably never even contemplated it. This kind of thing just happens. Women are just allowed to do it!

MissHemsworth · 07/02/2017 07:55

Women being able to report sexual assault & be taken seriously is a PRIVILEGE that women have fought for over the years. If it was such an issue for men then maybe they need to also fight to be taken seriously.

AssassinatedBeauty · 07/02/2017 07:42

And what is this to do with male violence?

Jmslvlc990 · 07/02/2017 07:40

If your saying having your bottom felt whilst stood 3 deep at a bar is sexual violence and should be reported then there would be millions of cases of 'sexual violence' by women against men every week!

And Miss yes I would call it priveledge. And like most priveledge the people that have it don't know they have it because they've never know any different.
The police have said they will not be taken seriously!
The whole machinery that exists to deal with sexual assault is geared towards women being the victims.
Both sides my sons have had hundreds of times more unwanted sexual contact than my daughters yet it's my sons that have to attend mandatory "how not make women feel uncomfortable or threatened" courses at uni or "How to behave appropriately towards women"
Patronising, insulting and in many cases just adding insult to injury!

Xenophile · 07/02/2017 07:28

Assassinated... it's whataboutery, deflecting attention from the actual perpetrators of violence onto their victims in order to pretend it isn't gendered in nature.

Xenophile · 07/02/2017 07:26

So, what you're saying JMS is that men are telling your sons that they'll laugh at them if they report sexual violence?

In what way is that women's fault?

They of course should report. They'll be taken more seriously by the police than women.

MissHemsworth · 07/02/2017 06:47

Jms are you suggesting that women 'getting away' with sexually assaulting men is a privilege or that women being able to report sexual assault 'without ridicule' is a privilege?

AssassinatedBeauty · 06/02/2017 23:55

What has this got to do with male violence, and why it happens?

Jmslvlc990 · 06/02/2017 23:44

"Reported" sexual violence remains firmly in the male domain!
I'm not trying to imply women are as bad as men for unwanted sexual contact. But the truth is we don't know!
There will be under-reporting by women but boys and men virtually Never report anything like this and you can understand why. There's no point. Nothing will happen except for their own ridicule. Some no doubt like it or feel flattered by the vast majority just simply don't acknowledge or take any notice (probably not even to themselves) they just put up with and accept it. They don't care. It's just one example of the societal 'priveledges' women have. They're allowed to get away with it cos they're women and it's up till me n to look after themselves.

Datun · 06/02/2017 23:31

jms

That's awful for your sons. But despite them being sexually assaulted and even raped and your daughters being the target of only a few catcalls, sexual violence remains firmly in the male domain.

Why do so many men turn bad...?
Jmslvlc990 · 06/02/2017 22:27

If it's social conditioning you have to ask yourself two major questions.

  1. Why is it social conditioning? were did it come from? It's no good just saying patriarchy or entitlement because you have to ask where did that come from?
  2. If it is social conditioning and it's endemic why are only a tiny minority of men affected?
I have two daughters and two sons. My daughters have had the ocassionally cat call and whistle but both my sons are groped by women in bars (usually having their bottons felt) almost every weekend and they have learned the hard way to stay clear of hen parties especially if they're on their own. One of my sons has even woken up at a house party recently to find a drunken 40yr old woman trying to perform oral sex on him. He was effectively raped but when he considered reporting it he took advice and was told he'd be laughed out of the police station. He says a lot (not a few) of his friends have had similar experiences and non of it has EVER been reported for fear if ridicule. One of his friends had his name spread all over Facebook by a girl he rejected as she unzipped his fly. Because he knocked her back she posted on Facebook that he must be gay because he turned down a blow job from her. What she didn't mention was that he did just turn her down he had to physically stop her from doing it! In the modern parlance my sons have been 'sexually assualted' hundreds of times by women and even raped but boys just don't report this stuff. They're told by society and the entitled girls and women that do this that they should be grateful and to stop being so wet!
DeviTheGaelet · 06/02/2017 22:19

Ok I kind of get what you are trying to say, after a few rereads. This "Alpha" real man stuff is bollocks, you know. If someone said "real man" to me I would think the person saying it was a knob. It wouldn't bring to mind any particular type of man.

I agree men are now experiencing a lot more of the same kind of pressure felt by women to meet a particular image but I think that's more to do with consumer culture than any kind of realistic view of what women want. Same as most men don't actually want a permatanned waxed boob implanted partner.
Seriously, get off 4chan and talk to some actual women, you know, as people rather than a conquest. Stop obsessing about if you are a man enough. It's sad and it doesn't help your mental health.

DeviTheGaelet · 06/02/2017 22:12

To make the point you are incoherent and using trumpesque phrases like "parallel bigness". Just for the lolz really

scaryclown · 06/02/2017 22:01

sigh...instead of seeing the point, extending or expamding the issue..you compare me to curremt bogeyman...to.make what point exactly??

DeviTheGaelet · 06/02/2017 21:38

parallell bigness via workout culture Are you donald trump?