Rape is rape. No adjectives required.
COMMENTS NOW CLOSED. I THINK THESE ARGUMENTS HAVE BEEN EXHAUSTED. THANKS FOR PARTICIPATING.
I’m not at all happy what’s going on with politics lately. I’m supposed to keep quiet and say things like, “There’s no war on women,” “Chik-Fil-A is allowed to do what they want,” and “Oh, stop being so picky about what politician say, it doesn’t matter, and look at what they do.”
The thing is, it DOES matter. Word always matter, and when we live in a day and age when Spin rules our decisions, they matter even more.
This week, the news focuses it’s disdain on Missouri Republican Senate hopeful Todd Akin, because he said the following last weekend in defending his extreme pro-life stance:
First of all, from what I understand from doctors [pregnancy from rape] is really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview posted Sunday. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Ugh. Really?? “Legitimate”?? Oh my, where DO I begin? Are you saying that women who are raped and DO get pregnant aren’t legitimate? What kind of rape is “illegitimate”? And why? Does it matter how the victim dresses? What she’s had before to drink? If she was on prescribed medication? If she has a learning disability? And “ways to shut that whole thing down”? Have you ever read a science book? Yikes.
Later, Akin came back and said that what he meant was “forcible” rape. As opposed to, ya know, the other kind, because obviously that’s a much better turn of phrase.
So wait, now I’m thinking that maybe it’s me who has the wrong idea of what rape is… So I went to Merriam-Webster online and was shocked to find this definition of rape:
Rape, definition #3:
1: an act or instance of robbing or despoiling or carrying away a person by force
What’s worse is that this is the THIRD definition listed there, the first noun and the verb don’t even allude to sexual nature of the crime. WHAT???
When it doubt, go for a second or 3rd opinion, and naturally, I had to go overseas, sheesh:
Macmillan: the crime of forcing someone tohave sex by using violence
Oxford: 1the crime, typically committed by a man, of forcing another person to have sexual intercourse with him without their consent and against their will, especially by the threat or use of violence against them
You get the picture, but I guess *some* dictionary writers have confused Akins. But Mr. Akins, let me assure you that when someone forces themselves on you sexually, whether or not you’ve had alcohol, worn revealing clothes or are male, you’ve been raped.
Period.
End of story.
Oh and as a side note, Ron Paul, “honest” rape?? Really?? Do we NEED to go there? Because I assure you there are not HOARDS AND HOARDS of women out there faking rape in this day and age.
And, do women get pregnant from rape? I looked that up too and found this study:
The national rape-related pregnancy rate is 5.0% per rape among victims of reproductive age (aged 12 to 45); among adult women an estimated 32,101 pregnancies result from rape each year. – NCBI
32,000 pregnancies a year, and that’s ONLY 5% of total victims – and that too, would probably be victims who report. And I wanted to bring up the victims, because that’s what’s this entire piece is about – the victims. When people like Todd Akins take a pooh-pooh attitude or make careless statements about a crime so horrific as rape, it demeans victims. Specifically, it demeans women, because we don’t hear these words in describing male rape, that’s always honest, forcible, and legitimate*. Apparently everyone else is suspect, but no, no war on women here, move along.
In Akin’s defense, it only took until his THIRD public statement on this matter to talk about how his heart really cares about the victims. (No word on what he think of those “illegitimate” or “unforcible” rape victims – whatever that means.) Unfortunately, it’s your tongue that gives away the state of your heart, and pretty much, nothing else.
Personally, I’m FED UP with return to treat women as second class citizens, that appears to be the fantasy of so many men in our culture today. Where did this come from? We still make quite a bit less money, still get screwed with promotions and job offers because of our ability to have babies, still are abused in ways men never can or will be. How on earth do we threaten you so much that you have to belittle the most heinous act that has nothing to do with sex or lust and everything to power, domination, and violence?
Mr. Akins, rape is rape.
* I was taken to task by this, rightly so, by a man. Read his article about male rape and victim blaming here. It does go both ways, and I apologize for being narrow-minded.
Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Allissa says
The comment was completely unintelligent for an elected official. Get him out! There is a cause to remove him spreading across the Web – http://www.youstand.com/cause/82112/remove-todd-akin-from-the-house-science-committee
admin says
Ha, I’m a liberal..I say leave him in, make him lose 🙂
bob says
Ha – great article!
I found out the four year old up the street from me was born from a rape, so I took my shotgun and blew her little brains out, cause, you know, if you were conceived in rape, you don’t deserve to live!!
bob says
I suppose I better add that, obviously, I didn’t really shoot a kid on my street… don’t want the police showing up on my doorstep! Just trying to make a point…
rape is horrible, and I would be the last to confront a victim to her face for seeking an abortion… nevertheless, the logic behind the pro-life movement is “life begins at conception.” If that is so, then suggesting that same life is ok for termination if it came from rape or incest is an intellectual equivocation for the sake of “not looking bad” to a society that is far too sensitive for it’s own good.
admin says
Wow, way to go to make an hysterical leap! I do not believe life begins at conception, only potential for life, and to me the facts and figures on general miscarriage are why I think that. So I don’t think emergency contraception after a rape is murder. If you do, then you do, where you get a comparison from that to blowing a kid’s brain out kind of fully demonstrate where you’re at.
Cindy says
I think you are a very troubled person. There is no way that analogy makes any sense, and your pathetic attempt to be sarcastic or funny or intelligent fails miserably.
Margie says
Sadly, I sometimes think that this historical wish (need?) by certain men to dominate women goes back to the days before science when men were completely mystified by the female ability to create life. Men can destroy. Men can even build. But the ability to create life out of what appears to be nowhere? Now *that* is power, my friends! This type of male animal still has a hard time dealing with power that he cannot control. Kind of like how bullies are often aggressive out of fear.
I’m so grateful that not all men are like that. But it scares me that so many of the men in power are.
admin says
But historically, in the home, men and women in lower classes had more share in BOTH raising the kids, so while I agree that may be true, I think that when we made the move to men working out of the house in the industrial era, that kind of underlined the idea of male dominance..you know groups of men of every class now, not just the upper class, together, doing “damage”, ruling the world, etc.
Matt says
What on earth are you talking about?
1. It takes both men and women to create life, since when do women spontaneously create life out of nowhere?
2. Being against abortion has nothing to do with ‘dominating women’, some of you feminists seriously need to lay off your dilusional ideas of men. I don’t want to dominate anyone, my concern is for the life inside the woman, I defend that life, you can argue where life begins, but you are completely distorting the issue trying to make this some man v woman thing, if babies grew inside men I’d be saying the same thing. (Oh BTW, nearly half of all women also disagree with abortion.)
admin says
1. I’m not calling all men bad. I’m saying men CAN leave, women can’t leave a pregnancy. If they have no choice for abortion, they are forced to carry this baby. I’m talking about rape, not about consentual sex, so I don’t understand your argument in #1.
2. I’m saying that RAPE is about dominating women, actually it’s about dominating the victim. That statement has nothing to do with abortion, it has to do with rape, what I’m referring to as the “most heinous act”. Please re-read and don’t misinterpret. Rapists want to dominate their victims, whoever they may be. Not male dominance, which I’ve experienced in every aspect of my life from work to romance.
Also, please show me your resource for “half of women disagree with abortion”. Do you mean the right to abortion or the act itself?
Matt says
Well you weren’t the person I was responding to you so I’m not sure why you are speaking as to what she meant.
My whole reply tho was to point out the huge detour of the actual issue here, abortion is not about man or woman, it is about the baby. Women ‘do things with their bodies’ all the time that I wouldn’t necessarily approve of, but I would never seek to make it illegal, if this issue was solely about a woman doing something with her body it would not be an issue.
BNZ says
You can find a percentage of people who don’t “agree” with all sorts of medical procedures and protocols. Some people are “against” vaccinations, medications for ADD/ADHD (heck you can find people opposed to any neurological disorder or mental illness), boner pills…you get the point.
What we’re talking about here is a medical condition, between a woman and her HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL, into which a handful of politicians and loudmouths have inserted themselves. I’m too old to explain to some pimply faced kid behind the counter that my bcps are being used for heavy bleeding or endometriosis (yeah, I’ve done that…loudly and in a manner that caused HIS face to redden). You may not like that women have control of their bodies, but that’s simply too bad. We’re not going back and we’re not okay with your American Taliban.
Women suspect that some men (apparently including you) want more than to simply “protect life” because they (you) don’t seem to give a rat’s ass about the life carrying the life. When you attempt to eliminate birth control, try to redefine rape, and simultaneously ignore absurdly large number of young girls being impregnated by ADULT MEN…well, lets just say we’re onto you.
Furthermore, women are taking back your “for life” bullshit. Everyone is “for life” and “concerned about life”. Using that phrase doesn’t make you bold or badass or even more “lifey” than the next person. How bout you try being “for” each and every aspect of a woman’s life.
admin says
Very well put, IMHO. Thanks for the support.
Matt says
Wow, you’re sure going out on a limb and making some huge assumptions about me. Tell you what, if you want to calm down and actually respond to what I said instead of what you seem to think I said, maybe we can talk.
Teresa says
“Life inside”. Think about that. It’s a potential being inside a fully recognized and developed human. Historically, we’ve recognized that “life” does begin at birth. We celebrate birthdays, not conception days. We grant citizenship based on where one is born, not where one is conceived. We use different language for a “miscarriage” or a “still birth”.
All that said, women have historically been treated as second class citizens. My mind is boggled by anyone who would claim otherwise.
admin says
Excellent point Teresa, and one reason I brought up Ron Paul…it’s my understanding that as a doctor, he agrees with you, but as a Candidate, he couldn’t. Thus the ugly “honest” comment… And that is not a defense of him, his integrity is down the tubes.
Matt says
Then you are completely misinformed of Ron’s position. He does not agree with her as a doctor or a candidate. He has stated on numerous occassions his experiences as a doctor has made him 100% pro-life.
“his integrity is down the tubes” – are you serious? Even his worst enemies in Washington all will concede that despite their disagreements with the man his is the most consistent and principaled person there is. I don’t think you’ve looked into him much.
Matt says
You really are going with that? Do you know there was a time in history where society believed a certain group of people were only 3/5 of a person, thankfully there were those who bucked the system and spoke out.
How have women been treated as ‘2nd class citizens’. That is a relative term that can’t be defined. Did women have to crawl around in trenches during the two World Wars? Did women have to march in colums and get limbs blown off, die of infection or some horribly painful disease in a disgusting med tent on the battlefield? Did women have to work in coal mines where they devoloped all sorts of medical problems, all without any unions, labor laws, workers comp, etc.
Sorry, you’re vision of this golden age that men had “historically” is simply not true, both my grandmothers were from those ‘terrible times’ and they never once felt they were treated poorly or were 2nd class citizens.
LiturgyGeek says
“Did women have to crawl around in trenches during the two World Wars?…” – Why, NO, because women were not PERMITTED TO SERVE IN COMBAT POSITIONS. Even if they had WANTED to, they COULD NOT. Because, you know, their lady bits might have distracted the soldiers or reduced morale, or their menstrual cycles might have ooked out the other soldiers.
Did women have to work in coal mines …? Again, no, but they were often prevented from doing do! Please remember, too, that women have had to work in their own dangerous fields – ever hear of the Triangle Shirtwaist factory?
Did men as a class get paid $0.77 for ever dollar made by women? Did men ever get fired from a job for becoming a parent? Did men ever get called hysterical or thrown into mental institutions for years or decades because they wanted to have the right to vote? Were entire industries of high-paying, prestigious work closed to men by custom or law? Here in the United States, all those things have happened to women or currently do.
Have you ever had to think about the reaction your outfit will have on strangers you pass on the street, or have you ever considered changing an outfit before a night out with friends because you thought you might get lots of obscene comments hurled your way by strangers?
No? Hmmmm, maybe YOU need to think about what the “golden age” really is, and who our systems have supported, historically and presently. Here’s a hint: it isn’t women. It isn’t always men, either, especially if they are of color or poor, but to pretend that our historical systems have not oppressed women is just plain stupidity.
Also, just because your grandmothers didn’t feel they were treated poorly (how do you quantify that?) or were 2nd class citizens, doesn’t mean they weren’t treated that way in the eyes of the law or others. The plural of “anecdote” is NOT “data.”
admin says
Thanks for jumping in-that was my first thought too, women weren’t allowed in combat.
James Landrith says
Todd Akin is utter wingnuttery. Hopefully, Claire will be able to defeat him. He needs to be turned into Citizen Akin once and for all. I am encouraged that there is still some humanity left in the human race by the outpouring of disgust for his comments.
As a male rape survivor, I have to disagree with the following statement though: “Specifically, it demeans women, because we don’t hear these words in describing male rape, that’s always honest, forcible, and legitimate.”
It is utter nonsense to claim that male rape survivors are always considered “honest, forcible, and legitimate.” Do you actually know any male rape survivors and what they endure on a regular basis?
When we aren’t outright mocked, we are being told we wanted it, should have fought it off and that our erections during rape meant that we were really homosexuals and enjoyed it so it wasn’t rape. Oh yeah, and then we are told that men can’t be raped. Then they laugh in our faces. Again.
It is completely untrue and quite harmful to male rape survivors, like me, to claim we are treated otherwise. Make your point about Todd Akin, but not at the expense of other survivors and the truth. That is not necessary – AT ALL!
I’ve written about male rape and victim blaming here:
http://jameslandrith.com/content/view/3868/79/
Please read it. I lived this, not the fantasy that our rapes are always treated as “honest, forcible, and legitimate.” That simply IS NOT true.
admin says
James, first of all, I apologize..if you like, I will remove that. I have known male victims, it’s just not something I hear about in the press-that’s what I meant. I do not believe that rapes are always treated that way, and I’m very sorry. I will go read your article now.
Oh and thank you for an honest, open opinion! I very much appreciate that and applaud it.
ArJay Bare says
Akin tried to foist a pretty lame premise that science simply doesn’t back up. I’m a conservative and I wouldn’t vote for him. However with that said, much of the bruhaha today in the media was based on what, in my opinion, was what many people wanted to infer from what he said as opposed to the stupidity of what he actually said
What he tried to say was that somehow, if there was an actual rape (not consensual sex) that some kind of stress reaction would trigger some other non scientific chemical reaction that would prevent pregnancy. Utter tripe and I respect any criticism directed at him for such a moronic statement. I have seen few media sources discuss that, instead many media figures, self appointed experts and activists are all clamoring about how he said “rape isn’t real” or some other nonsense that he never said and nobody, who actually saw everything he said, in context, would think he said.
Misinterpreting his turn of the phrase makes far better press than the actual statements he made. I don’t consider that ethical journalism.
admin says
ArJay, Yes, that it what he was trying to say, so why not just say it? It’s not the body, it’s the stress and trauma on the brain that sometimes causes women who are raped not to get pregnant. But really, what on earth does that have to do with whether you are for or against abortion? It’s a senseless argument, in my opinion, and demeans victims.
Matt says
“Because I assure you there are not HOARDS AND HOARDS of women out there faking rape in this day and age”
Oh really, I beg to differ, perhaps you should go to the FBI’s website where they have had DNA tests prove over 60% of rape claims to be false. I myself was falsely accussed, and I didn’t even sleep with this woman, trust me, it doesn’t take much and women do it all the time. I can also guarantee you that number would skyrocket if rape were the only excuse for an abortion.
I’m well aware rape does occur, more than it should, but your statement is just false.
admin says
Show me the data, then. I’m being honest, let me know where I can see these statistics for myself.
BNZ says
Well, now we know what axe you’re grinding.
And, “more than it should”? WTF?
Try never. It shouldn’t happen. At all. To anyone. Men, women or children.
I’ll check back later for that 60% data.
Meanwhile, if you’re in the mood for statistics, you should also go looking for the number of rapes which go unreported.
And, while you’re at it, check out the statistic on teen pregnancy…statutory RAPE of children by men often twice their age is responsible for a very large percentage of teen pregnancy. And it goes uncounted.
admin says
🙂 nice catch on”more than it should”. This is the sort of wording that is offensive… Can’t even imagine how a victim would feel about that.
Matt says
That was a poor choice of words, I meant to many people get away with rape as the topic was unreported rapes, but again, should have worded better as I look at it now.
Matt says
I can’t seem to post links in my comments, but you can do a google search for it yourself, you will see numbers all over the place ofcourse, feminists will claim it at 3%, some men’s groups have claimed it as high as 90%, it takes some time to weed through it all but you can find some solid studies. Try
theforensicexaminer dot com
Obviously there will never be a cold hard number, even times when DNA is proven to be false, there is not always DNA present, so no one will ever know the true number.
Also, you are taking my ‘more than it should comment’ the wrong way, I meant people get away with rape more than they should, but it was poor working on my part as I look at it now.
admin says
Was there a study done more recently than 1984, besides the exonerated cases since 2000? I ask because sexual mores are way different now than 28 years ago and I would think that possibly that would affect the number.
Matt says
Honestly, and I’m ‘man enough’ to admit these things, I have lost alot of the links I used to have. I’m not making excuses, it was my fault for throwing the stat out there without having my old boomarks to back it up, but for about 3yrs after my unfortunate experience I was totally obssessed with this topic, I had mountains of info on it, and obviously stats are all over the place based on the who the author is and what their motivations are, but I always used the FBI one because it was DNA, and that seemed the most reliable and unbiased source to me.
I will continue to look for it, but for now, I’ll have to swallow my pride and say I can’t find it, after this whole thing consumed my life for about 3-4yrs I realized it was ruining me and I was starting to become a very hateful person, so I had to put it behind me and move on, I still don’t forgive, and I definitely don’t forget, but I am not the source of info I used to be on the subject, and again, my fault for throwing that number out there without sources.
Margaret says
I got a little curious about the 60% statistic and looked it up. The largest study (2005) ever done on the topic of false claims puts it at 3%, so you’re way off in more ways than one. I think you got your 60% number confused with the 54% of sexual assaults that the Justice Department says go unreported each year.
admin says
Interesting, Margaret, thanks for sharing those numbers.
LiturgyGeek says
Did you actually READ that article?
1. It addressed “forcible rape,” which is just one (dubious) “category” of rape.
2. It nowhere said that 60% of cases were unfounded (only that 40% were “cleared,” which at least implies that the remaining 60% of cases were never CLOSED. That’s not women making false accusations – that’s police not making arrests (or, being cynical for a moment, not bothering to look for the suspects).
3. If you read just a few paragraphs down, you’ll note that the FBI noted that 8% of allegations were considered “false” for a certain time frame.
4. These don’t even address the cases of rape that are never reported.
I’m sorry that you were falsely accused of rape. I’m also sorry that you have such a low view of women that you assume we make those kinds of allegations “all the time.” Do you think that way about your mom? Your sisters? Your nieces?
Sandra Gray says
Why in the world would you apologize for being ?narrow minded”? It’s time women were treated as human beings having credibility even when it comes to rape and sexual assault.
STOP APOLOGIZING! YOUR ARTICLE WAS RIGHT ON!
Maybe that’s what we girls need… to make more noise. You know what they say about that squeaky wheel…
admin says
Oh I am definitely a squeaky wheel! Thanks for your Support, Sandra.
Cindy says
Many people also lie about their cars being stolen. I guess to crack down on that, we’d better pass a law that says saying your car was stolen is no reason to involve the police or hold your insurance company responsible for paying for a new one.
I’m going to come right out and call bullshit on an FBI stat that 60% of rapes are false. Perhaps it can be determined that unusual force was used, but that puts us right back to saying that some rapes are “real” or “legitimate” because the woman was hurt badly. Disgusting. How about the rapes where a woman is a quiet as possible to save her life or that of her children? How on earth could there be a test to determine if that was a “real” rape or not. Go troll somewhere else.
admin says
Great comment Cindy. I bet you’re right on this, I can only imagine how difficult rape must be to prove particularly if you know the perpetrator, as if that knowledge could somehow protect you!
Matt says
OK there knee-jerk, did I say we ignore rapes cause many of them are false? Please show me where I said that…..I don’t ever recall making any statement regarding whether or not a rape was ‘real’ or not, I am baffled as to where you are even getting that from as well.
Do any of you actually read what someone says or do you all just fly off the handle and portray all of your anger at the world on someone who says something that disagrees with you?