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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Men have done such a number on us that even women don't even know what rape is

597 replies

cailindana · 13/10/2014 20:56

Now I know Judy Finnegan is not a paragon of intellectual prowess.

But still, I would never have thought such stupidity could fall from her lips: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-29598732

She said the rape was "not violent." So what was it then? Friendly? Enjoyable? Just a little game?

How how how how how do we live in a world where a woman can't recognise the extreme violence of having your body used by another person?

OP posts:
BrightonB83 · 14/10/2014 22:02

Hi Petula - yes! Long time lurker but found this thread interesting.

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:03

That is not the case in law at the moment Brighton there are various offences around people making "choices" which are not real choices given vulnerability / differing power dynamics and so on.

The law around sexual offences in the UK is actually framed to give a certain amount of leeway for police / prosecutors to act if their view is that a certain situation / set of circumstances is imbalanced etc.

I am happy to link to the relevant parts of the sexual offences act, you have a strong interest in this topic and so it will be interesting reading for you I'd have thought. It might help with you framing your ideas as well to understand properly what the current law says.

PetulaGordino · 14/10/2014 22:04

1991 in england NUP

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:06

Here you go www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/42/contents

I was going to highlight the relevant sections for you, but actually most of it touches on the themes you are pursuing, so it's all relevant really.

CrotchMaven · 14/10/2014 22:06

Do you also like to discuss the whys and wherefores about these men's sense of entitlement to women's bodies? Because the law is not really the thing at issue here. Men's choices to penetrate women who don't want them to do so. However that is expressed and whatever the consequences for not doing so.

BrightonB83 · 14/10/2014 22:09

Hi S7S,

Thank you. I put the line about having a reasonable ability to make decision in there to cover coercion.

I am not a lawyer but I know in some circumstances it is recognised (and rightly so).

I feel this thread has moved on a long way from where I chipped in! My interest was sparked when someone suggested a man refusing to help with house work to get sex should be rape and unenthusiastic consent (as in 'go on then') Now were talking ignoring 'no' and flinches and physical threats. A different beast all together!

cadno · 14/10/2014 22:11

Sorry about the delay in answering, I had to see an old lady in the early evening about selling her farm.

What would be the actual implications if "mere consensual" sex were an offence cadno? How would this harm men and women? I am very interested to learn your concerns about this.

You would end up with poorly drafted laws. The meanings of words are important in law. One can proposes changes to the legislation by all means, but they have to make sense. It is obvious that someone can consent to having sex without any display of 'enthusiasm' (a laconic “I don’t mind if I do” sort of thing) without a criminal offence taking place. If you want to say that the consent must be expressly and verbally given – then say so. I’m not sure where it gets you – as lying defendants in court would merely give whatever evidence is needed in order to get an acquittal.

Not sure why it is hard to understand that clearly the word enthusiastic had to be put in precisely because of the problem of pestering and coercion. The "if you loved me you would do it", "it doesn't hurt, besides I'm nearly finished", "most other women love this, so you must too" etc.

I disagree with your first sentence, for the reasons above – in any event ‘coercion’ is way outside the realms of consent. As for pestering, I suppose it’s a matter of degree. In some statutes, the law groups ‘pestering’ in with harassment – so I think pestering would of itself be unacceptable.

So, cadno, you think it's acceptable that a man should coerce an unenthusiastic woman to have sex, because hormones? Does that extend to men "not being able to stop" once sex is underway and a women changes her mind? Which, by law, is also rape.

Not what I said at all, - at all - you can’t get consent by coercion. As for hormones, it always feels to me, they are a very powerful driver of the male libido. There is a very real tension just prior to ejaculation, which disappears within seconds afterwards. I’ve often wondered what is happening chemically in the male body at those stages.

Whatever part of the male brain that is being used to the forefront at such times is not the same part that does the Sudoku puzzle in the papers.

Do you realise how that thinking reduces men to animals and shows no respect for them as intelligent human beings? Huh, and they say feminists are the man-haters.....

I have absolutely no doubt in my own mind that many of the posters here, can be very safely described as men-haters – the class of men, as it were.

I myself don’t hate men, but I do recognize that they let their libido get the better of them, often – I see no insult in our species being compared to animals. The biochemistry of our male mammalian sexuality comes from somewhere - genes. It’s like the genes for, say, bones – you don’t think that the genetics for bone manufacture differs very much between say the mouse and men do you ? We are a mammalian species, our ancestors for the past, at least, 200 million years, have been mammals. So what ?

I think Cando is saying that if you give someone permission to do something, then they are not going against your will. Especially if they have recognised your right to refuse permission for the act up to that point.

The only serious caveat I can think of would be if you were under duress of some kind of harm.

Yes that’s right – you do not get someone’s consent by putting them under duress.

mostly the actions of hormones - I believe.
Please tell me this isn't leading into "men NEED to empty their sack once they reach the point of no return..." etc.

Actually I think we do have something akin to a need – but I’m not making anything of it – I’d have thought you quite uninterested in male sexual physiology. Also having such a ‘need’ - that’s not good a defense in law against a charge of rape and very probably not good mitigation either.

A lot of men are absolutely horrified by the idea that every single sex act they ever engage in, should be wanted by the person with whom they engage in it.

Nay, nay and thrice nay…what a load of tosh.

Then mere consensual sex is an offence ? Oh dear me cadno. I hope you realise how much of an arse that statement makes you look.

Jolly, I had absolutely no idea. Oh dear. What a pity. Never mind.

BrightonB83 · 14/10/2014 22:11

Hi Crotch - my interest in mainly in where society draws the line that means a persons behaviour is criminal, as opposed to simply morally wrong.

MrsBuffyCockhead · 14/10/2014 22:12

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BrightonB83 · 14/10/2014 22:15

Mrs Buffy,

No offence, but I think we've all been in 'the moment' - expecting a clear yes each time two people decide to jump each other bones is not a realistic or workable solution

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:16

Well if I say to my husband "oh go on then" and in the context of our relationship I feel perfectly OK with that, then I'm not going to go to the police and report him for rape, am I.

A lot of this boils down to a lot of people believing against all the evidence that women routinely report men for rape for no apparent reason.

Fortunately for men, they don't do that at all. Also fortunately for men, there is an extensive process after a report at the end of which a man will be punished if it has been proven beyond all reasonable doubt that he committed rape.

Unfortunately for women (and girls), the fact that so many people believe rape myths and enjoy a spot of victim blaming, means that females are highly unlikely to report rape, and if they do they are highly unlikely to see justice done.

Bottom line is that changing the toxic attitude of society towards victims of sexual violence would help all of them including male victims. Why society is so terribly against this idea is baffling quite frankly.

MrsBuffyCockhead · 14/10/2014 22:18

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MyEmpireOfDirt · 14/10/2014 22:19

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SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:21

"No offence, but I think we've all been in 'the moment' - expecting a clear yes each time two people decide to jump each other bones is not a realistic or workable solution"

BUT if both people are giving it a clear yes, even if not articulated, no-one is going to report anyone for rape, are they.

Where it would be helpful is in cases where someone is reported for rape - where the absence of "No" isn't exactly a ringing endorsement that sex was wanted.

California has just changed it's law on campuses to try and stem the epidemic of rape:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-29406138

""Yes means yes" is the first law in a US state to make the language of affirmative consent a central principle of school sexual assault policies.

The rule defines consent as "an affirmative, conscious and voluntary agreement to engage in sexual activity."

Lawmakers say, however, that consent can be non-verbal, if it is unambiguous.

The aim is to improve the way that campuses deal with accusations of sexual assault, and to challenge the notion that victims of sexual crimes need to have resisted assault in order to have valid complaints.

The legislation also says that silence or a lack of resistance do not constitute consent. Under the bill, someone who is drunk, drugged, unconscious or asleep cannot grant consent."

Sounds fine to me.

PetulaGordino · 14/10/2014 22:21

i would call jumping each other's bones enthusiastic consent

MrsBuffyCockhead · 14/10/2014 22:21

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:21

Oh here is the argument against it:

"The National Coalition For Men condemned the bill as "misandric" (man-hating), saying it "gives license to false accusations, denies the accused due process, will cost the state hundreds of millions of dollars in law suits and sets the stage for ruining innocent lives."

Uh-huh.

Katjasm · 14/10/2014 22:23

Not all men are evil rapists. Most are actually very nice. No man or woman deserves to be attacked or made to do anything they don't want to. Its not just a man thing though. I have seen a fair few women use sex as a weapon. Just use common sense to protect yourself from bad people but remember most people are really nice.

PetulaGordino · 14/10/2014 22:24

yy seven. followed by

"The Department of Education has named dozens of colleges and universities under investigation for mishandling sexual assault cases.

The US estimates one in five women is sexually assaulted while at university."

innocent lives, already being ruined

MrsBuffyCockhead · 14/10/2014 22:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PetulaGordino · 14/10/2014 22:24

how do women use sex as a weapon?

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:25

Maybe women in general are more understanding of, and more on board with, the idea of a swift check-in that all is well, than men in general.

I wonder why that might be.

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:29

lol

what does "women use sex as a weapon" even mean?

when men quite literally use it as a weapon. A weapon of war, a weapon of terror etc.

Google will bring up plenty of material on rape as a weapon of war etc if people are interested. Here is one from unicef which was near the top of the page. Warning that it is very upsetting, obviously.

SevenZarkSeven · 14/10/2014 22:30

Sorry my second line there should have been use rape as a weapon, not use "it".

PuffinsAreFicticious · 14/10/2014 22:34

Yes Kat, we're well aware that NAMALT.

Not quite sure what you mean about women using sex as a weapon? Perhaps you could clarify?

And what Seven said about men using it as a weapon.