The Monster Problem

[nicked_metal]

I read a little bit of my friends-list today, something that I haven't done for months. I've been trying to live in the world, instead of living in my head and in virtual spaces. Which sounds impressive, so long as I don't mention massive doses of computer games, pretty much every day. More to the point, I've been really really stressed, and

Comments

[finding_helena]

The 'Monster Problem' is this: the more you demonize something, the more people reject it without question. Rape is agreed to be a horrible, bad thing. Nobody wants to be responsible for a horrible, bad thing. The more unquestioning the rejection, the more likely they are to shove the responsibility onto someone else.

I think the thing here is, guys don't perceive rape as something that they or their buddies could be capable of, because only monsters do it. I think that's the #1 perception that needs to change. Ordinary guys (and to a lesser extent girls) need to realize that they're capable of rape.

[nicked_metal]

Yes. That's the 'many fewer words' version that I think I was heading towards, and am somewhat embarassed about missing, despite aiming for it.

I can only hope that the rambling was entertaining!

[nicked_metal]

Thanks :)

[rionaleonhart]

I don't think people who say 'I'm fed up with the fact that you can't talk about what men can do to prevent rape without someone saying "Women should just learn to defend themselves"' are actually saying women shouldn't be aware of the possibility of rape and prepared to defend themselves so much as frustrated by the frequent implications that the victim's failure to defend (him or) herself is why rape happens, when in fact rape happened because somebody raped him/her. It is easy to not rape someone. When I'm walking on my own at night, I am constantly on edge, constantly thinking 'if someone attacked me right now, would people say I was asking for it because I'm walking alone at night?', and that really angers me. I don't have a bodyguard I can pull out of my pocket, and if I can't feel safe I should at least be able to feel that I wouldn't be blamedAll that said: it is in the victim's interest to prevent rape. It is not in the rapist's interest. So, if anything is to be done to prevent it, it will be by the victim. It's rubbish, but

[nicked_metal]

Yes, that.

(Right down to the bit about being worried about being coherent!)