A time when sexual regret did not amount to sexual assault

[Twoofginger]

The words in my thread title appear in an Irish Independent article about the journalist's experiences of uni life Trinity College Dublin in the 80's/90's versus how it is portrayed in the BBC3 TV hit Normal People.
I was quite enjoying the article until I got to that part and it shocked me - is the journalist saying anything other than that sexual assault reports nowadays are just experiences that women regret and who decide in the cold light of day to "cry rape" ?

www.pressreader.com/ireland/irish-independent/20200519/281968904879388

I will see if I can figure out how to do a clicky link - not even sure that the URL above works

I read the Ansari account, I recognised it. I've been the person who's had to say no extremely forcefully - luckily within safe walking distance of home - it was unacceptable behaviour from the man, it was assault, but nothing I could talk to the police about - they'd laugh me away, which of course is why it carries on as an expectation.

I can't speak to your experience obviously, but that is not very similar to what happens in the Ansari account.

I wondered if it was also a reference to that famous study. The original one which claimed one in five students had been raped but had to then backtrack a bit as they had classed 'sex that was later regretted' as unwanted sex and hence rape, or something like that - they said that many who they classed as rape victims weren't even aware.

It's not true that "there was little access to contraception in 1992" You could get condoms in chemists and the contraceptive pill from GPs and women's clinics like the Well Woman Centre. I remember a sense of being on the cusp of a new era and people my generation had a foot in both worlds which could get confusing.

Annasgirl yes, I wouldn't pay much heed to the pound shop Mary Kenny!