Using the word Rape

[Windywuss]

Aibu...to flinch when people use the word rape in contexts other than sexual assault? We've got an ongoing campaign in my area about over development of green belt and the loss of natural habit. I'm on the side of the people wanting to protect nature... (Not getting into a housing debate here ).

Some people...well, men in fact keep referring to the rape of the countryside. I hate it. It's such an emotive word and hetro men rarely experience actual rape. It really jars.

I also hate the use of porn ..food porn, property porn etc. But that's not as bad for me, I just don't like it.

Anyone feel the same?

It's used for shock value but women who've experienced rape probably don't use it as flippantly.

You're not alone. I get where these people are coming from but it's very disrespectful to people with direct experience of (and I hate to use this phrasing but I can't think of a better one) "actual" rape.

This is much the same as when people misuse holocaust. Referring a badly made lasagne or poorly executed interior design is no way, shape or form a holocaust.

I've never heard the word being used in that context, but agree it is shocking

I agree.

I agree. Donald Trump used to do this, in contexts when he really meant “rob”.

I’ve never heard it being used in that way either so don’t think it’s a common saying.

I have a friend who is otherwise a perfectly normal, sensible woman and she described being "raped" by the excessive price of a Kit-Kat. She'd be horrified to understand the level of offence something like that could cause but just has no clue whatsoever.

Wtf I hope you speak up and tell them not to say this and why! I would if I heard it. Completely unacceptable.

I agree.

I love the film Jurassic Park but at one point the character played by Jeff Goldblume says, “It’s the rape of the natural world” and it makes me feel really uncomfortable.

People have always used hyperbole for emphasis, though, e.g. "It's a blood bath in there!" "I nearly had a heart attack when I saw it" "I could have strangled him when I found out" etc. etc. Language is powerful, but it's not always meant to be taken literally word for word, more what is suggested.

I've heard of 'rape fields' or 'fields of rape' but never in the context in which you are writing about. It's a pretty gruesome word to describe the desecration of the countryside.

I also hate the over-usage of 'porn'. It's crass.

It's local Facebook.... I can't imagine them taking it on board. I'm tempted to say something but I don't think it'll go my way. Probably just raise my blood pressure! Our town isn't exactly progressive 🙈

From what I remember, originally rape came from a latin word that meant to steal, to destroy, to carry off. Hence the paintings about "The rape of the sabine women", it was actually about the act of them being carried off, than the subsequent inevitable sexual assault.

I find the 'rape of the countryside' less offensive a usage than FRape or some charmer on X thinking that saying "I'd rape yer" is a way of getting into my good books.

This is different - these are fields of Oil Seed Rape, or Rapeseed, (Rape for short) A crop with bright yellow flowers, commonly grown for oil.

I'm really surprised at the people who haven't heard of the usage of rape as a verb to mean despoil or plunder. It is often used in an environmental sense. Personally that usage doesn't bother me but I understand why others may have issue with it.

🤣🤦‍♀️ thats not the same thats a type of crop

I listen to a lot of comedy and panel shows overnight on YouTube so will listen to a decades worth of Mock the Week, 8 out of 10 cats etc.

It really emphasises how content changes.

One 'joke' that was hideous at the time but don't think (hope)'it would be aired now Russell Howard, depicting sticking a finger in someone's open mouth as 'Yawn Rape'.

🤢🤢😡

@Wilkolampshade @Makeitmakesensetoday I know what it is, I'm surrounded by the stuff! 🤣 The OP used the example of the rape of the countryside. You get rape in the countryside, but never heard it being of the countryside.

This. I've often heard it used in this context. And gave no issue with it. Lots of words have multiple meanings and uses.

Rape is also a traditional regional territory marker. The rape of Lewes, the rape of Arundel etc. so you need to be careful, if someone talks about "the rape of Lewes" you shouldn't automatically assume they mean it as in "violate" it could be they're just using the traditional term.

To be fair a definition of rape is "to plunder" or "despoil" - so I think in the OP's examples are actually perfectly fine. It's no worse than someone "killing" a computer program or something like that.

Basically what I'm saying is words can have multiple meanings. Nobody is likely to hear someone say "the rape of the countryside" and assume they meant the countryside has had a penis inserted into it without consent, that's crazy.

It's a very old word that has always had the meaning they are using.

Same. Its a legitimate use of the word.

YANBU. There's nothing stopping them from using a different word. I don't get why they don't. It's weird and disrespectful.

Yes, agree with you OP. Although if someone genuinely means 'despoil or plunder' by 'rape' then I agree that's legitimate use.

Really hate the overuse of the word porn. And pimp! Ugh!

Ducksinthebath · Today 14:14

This is much the same as when people misuse holocaust.

Holocaust was a ritual mass sacrifice of animals, in honour of the gods and goddesses of ancient Greece.

Rape can also mean and administrative district in Old English, the violent seizure of goods during an armed robbery, to plunder etc. As well as various farm crops, not limited to the oil seed plant, but turnips and radishes, clusters of grape stems.

That's according to my 1967 Oxford English Dictionary.

I think this is one of the cases where there's been a linguistic/usage shift, and there are good alternatives that could be used in contexts other than sexual rape.

Eg you could use words such as desecration or despoliation.

Trivialising and unnecessarily overusing terms which are quite likely to cause real pain (not mere 'offence') to others is best avoided. YANBU, OP.