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 being unreasonable. Many words have many meanings.

My daughter said to me her lawn had died... should all those recently bereaved people be upset?

They are using the word properly, this is what it means. The use of a word to mean sexual assault is only one small aspect of its meaning. It means to violate, and that violation can be a city, a country, a person, an area... etc.

It's disgusting using the word like that.. ( I've been raped.. ) l would get a campaign going.

The word “ravish” used to mean the same as the old meaning of “rape”I think, i.e. to steal, spoil or carry off. But it has positive connotations now.

I completely agree.

@notknowledgeable it's not a small aspect. It is the most common definition. I realise it isn't technically incorrect to use it for the meaning they intend , but it is a less common context and I'd say unnecessarily word to use.

It's only men in the group I've seen using it. I think it's insensitive at best. I think because certain group members have used it regularly they seem to enjoy the impact of it or think that they're being clever. I don't think any woman who had been through rape and throw it out casually.

Agree. I don’t like it either.
once went out with a bloke who said, in bed, he’d like me to “rape” him. It was so off-putting. Luckily I had a my period…

Don’t like it.

But I also don’t like this thinking that we can start telling grown adults how they may and may not use certain words.

Me too. It is a powerful word and sums up well what we are doing to our beautiful earth.

@SmellyKat10 no, I haven't told the person who used it not to, as much as I'd like to. But I do think meaning changes. I think we can talk about it and it's good to know I'm not the only one who finds it uncomfortable. Perhaps using it in the less common usage to refer to something other than sexual assault contexts will fade out. I hope so

How?

Thanks @PudgeControlsTheWeather - I was worried no one would get my badly explained point!

It's just the subtle default male/women not fully human undertones that I hate so much

I hate the word and men using it the way you’ve described is awful!

I use to work in a sales department, the sales reps used this all the time, I hated it. I suspect they deliberately used it at times to make the admin teams uncomfortable, all male sales team and all female admin staff.

They are using the word properly, this is what it means. The use of a word to mean sexual assault is only one small aspect of its meaning. It means to violate, and that violation can be a city, a country, a person, an area... etc.

FFS. It's not 'one small aspect', it's far and away the primary meaning now.

And there isn't another term which exactly means 'rape' in the sense of the crime, whereas there are many other words which could be used for violating the countryside etc.

Yes, exactly - they could make the same point as strongly with another word - but they choose that one...

I simply appreciate that the English language is full of homographs and there is no point in getting triggered by them. Incidentally unless you ARE in a playground then refrain from silly childish insults...

I've never heard that - thankfully

(Not saying it doesn't happen, but hopefully it's rare)

@SmellyKat10 "But I also don’t like this thinking that we can start telling grown adults how they may and may not use certain words."

Really? Isn't that the point of words? That they mean things?

Well yes, they do mean things. But that isn't what @SmellyKat10 was saying.

It isn't misappropriation to use the term like you've heard it, op, but in that specific context it is hyperbole.

"Rape of land" has been used for centuries (I've certainly read it my whole life) and is both acceptable and an accurate description when you consider what this would have meant....invaders or oppressors totally describing the land that people lived on and farmed in such a way as to induce starvation, famine, loss of livlihood etc. Think fields burned and salted, of atrocities.

I agree with a pp that linguistic usage has changed over time, although we should be mindful that this kind of destruction still occurs in other countries so it is still a valid term.

I am sorry you are finding the dialogue around you so triggering,I think you would be supported if you asked people to be considerate of victims of sexual violence when they campaign.

We need a word to describe the weaponising of a penis. And we do not need that word to be trivialised. Society is doing its best to trivialise the act- so we more than ever need to be able to describe it.

I agree with this and also cannot believe that none of these upset posters have come across this usage before!