B0ycey wrote:Then don't use it. The term has a meaning chosen by the author that created it. You and like-minded people can't dictate what it means because you have an alternative agenda. And whether you like it or not, the term is the topic of this thread.
Nonetheless I don't lie awake at night thinking about rape culture. Neither does the vast majority of people. People who can see how society is changing to become more sexualized can also see that there is a acceptance of sexual aggressive behaviour. Whether that is innuendos, touching or mind games. The figures don't lie. This no doubt creates an illusion and blurs the lines of 'what is rape?' So the feminists that have created the term you hate so much have a point. They are also in my opinion correct in their analysis. But if rape culture does indeed include advice and pre-emptive action in they way you imply (which I doubt) then I would refuse to acknowledge this aspect of it. But so what?
My feelings are not part of the poll. And neither are yours. So perhaps you should start a new thread. A thread that actually states your opinions on the nature of rape that excludes the term "Rape culture". Because until then you will always be out played on here by the definition alone.
How am I dictating what the term means when I'm referring to the definitions used by academia or other institutions? And since the term is, as you say, the topic of this thread, this is surely the best place to voice my opinion on it.
Talking about the OP article and the meaning of "rape culture" within it, here's a snippet:
A rape culture condones physical and emotional terrorism against women as the norm
Do you agree this is the case in, say, the UK?
They also recommend and link to this site's explanation of "rape culture":
shakesville wrote:[...]
Rape culture is telling girls and women to be careful about what you wear, how you wear it, how you carry yourself, where you walk, when you walk there, with whom you walk, whom you trust, what you do, where you do it, with whom you do it, what you drink, how much you drink, whether you make eye contact, if you're alone, if you're with a stranger, if you're in a group, if you're in a group of strangers, if it's dark, if the area is unfamiliar, if you're carrying something, how you carry it, what kind of shoes you're wearing in case you have to run, what kind of purse you carry, what jewelry you wear, what time it is, what street it is, what environment it is, how many people you sleep with, what kind of people you sleep with, who your friends are, to whom you give your number, who's around when the delivery guy comes, to get an apartment where you can see who's at the door before they can see you, to check before you open the door to the delivery guy, to own a dog or a dog-sound-making machine, to get a roommate, to take self-defense, to always be alert always pay attention always watch your back always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down for a moment lest you be sexually assaulted and if you are and didn't follow all the rules it's your fault.
[...]
Sorry to say but you are complicit in "rape culture" if you want to give women advice. I also note that you are ignoring your own advice that we cannot dictate what the term means by excluding an aspect you disagree with.
As for the numbers, considering that the surveys discussed in this thread conflate attempted and actual rape, potentially include sex under the influence, cover a period going back to the 50s, and have response rates as low as 25%, I find it difficult to have any confidence in them reflecting the current rate of actual rape. They also have this result:
NISVS wrote:Approximately 1 in 8 lesbian women (13%), nearly half of bisexual women (46%), and 1 in 6 heterosexual women (17%) have been raped in their lifetime. This translates to an estimated 214,000 lesbian women, 1.5 million bisexual women, and 19 million heterosexual women.
I hope we agree that almost 50% is just crazy.
snapdragon wrote:A man needs to be able to perform to have sex and if he was too drunk to know what was happening, then he was probably too drunk to get it up. In fact, no probably about it.
Not true for the CDC surveys mentioned in this thread. Being unable to consent doesn't require a level of drunkenness such that a person does not know what is happening.
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Also, question for the men in this thread: Do you believe you would have raped someone if you hadn't been educated that forcing a woman to have sex with you is wrong?