Article by Germaine Greer in The Sunday Times

[ErrolTheDragon]

I don't think there's a thread on this, may be of interest.

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/germaine-greer-the-law-doesnt-know-what-rape-is-and-that-ruins-sex-for-women-kqp9r937q?shareToken=0a0bde2e7cb7665d9a192c10b5c68c90

I read this, and it did make me think the book will be worth reading. The way her comments were reported in the media and discussed on MN upset me greatly, but reading what she herself has written is indeed helpful, rather than how it was represented.

However, I also wonder if she has clarified or changed what she is saying - obviously the book is the same, but the commments came from a talk which got a lot of negative press - whereas this short discussion piece makes clear sense.

Anyway, I am going to read the book and see, which I did not feel able to do before.

(I have ptsd so I am not being melodramatic when I say I was upset, nor blaming anyone commenting, including GG herself, it is just how it is)

As one of the posters who tried very hard to put forward what she really had said at Hay on Wye, I hope some of those who persisted in misrepresenting her read this, and maybe the book too!

Katara I am sorry that thread was upsetting, I would imagine my posts may well have been included in that, for which you have my sincere apologies.

Oh god! Why did I read the comments?

Bastards!

Her article is already being misrepresented elsewhere online, people saying "she thinks men being a bit uncaring is worse than rape ! " which is not what she is saying at all

I'd take a guess that the same seemingly wilful misunderstanding will be as prominent as it was in the Hay thread.

I can see why Greer is such a target, but I don't know why so many are happy to start in such a contrary position in order to make her sound so deluded.

Having said that, she is provoking thought... as usual

CuriousaboutSamphire no apology necessary, it was merely by way of explanation as I know there were posters on here who did try to convey the more nuanced arguments.

I definitely feel better now. After reading about what she had said about rape, I was confused. Pleased that she has been able to clear that up for me.

I think I agree. The investigation of rape claims is woefully inadequate, and that is only the rapes which are reported. I am sure the stats used to be something like 70% of women have been raped or sexually abused, of those only about 40% will report it to the police, of those 40% only 6% will result in a trial. There are an awful lot of men getting away with it.

I think as a society we still see rape as the 'stranger danger' when in actual fact the majority of rapes are commited by someone known to the victim. In a small group of friends out for a meal this topic came up. 8 of the 10 had been raped or sexually assaulted. None had reported it because it was by someone they knew, a date who would not take no for an answer mostly, but also brother's friends, friends brothers or acquaintances. All knew it would be treated as some sort of regretting sex afterwards, when it is nothing of the sort.

And those comments under that article, fucking men, bastards.

Agree with everything she says. Don’t know what the answer is. Rape in real terms has happened to most women. Depressing.

Thank you so much for the share, I understand her and agree. She's thinking very laterally about it which I don't think some people will get.

"Neglect and indifference from a loved one are far more corrosive of self-esteem and ultimately more spiritually damaging than a random attack from a stranger, however violent."

What a very tone deaf and sweeping statement that fails to take into account that similar experiences can affect different women in different ways.

This is a link to her interview on channel 4 I really liked this interview with her.