Pelican,
There is almost no technology now being produced by Australian universities. To justify their extistance, so many of the staff have to concentrate on "social issues", with the attempt being made to show that women are being constanly oppressed by men.

"A woman is at just as great a risk of sexual assault from a man who stands up as she enters his company as she is from any other man" is the thinly disguised attempt to portray men as being sexual predators and oppressors of women, and that includes ALL MEN.

Here is an interesting article "Why do we demonize Men who are honest about their sexual needs"

<Although I’ve become more aware of it recently, I think I’ve always had the sense that men are particularly vulnerable to the judgment of “creep.” Over a year ago, I wrote a series of blog posts on the problems of masculinity, and in Part 3 I noted that — unlike men — “I can be explicit and overt about my sexuality without being viewed as a creep.”>

http://www.worldchangecafe.com/2010/10/02/why-do-we-demonize-men-who-are-honest-about-their-sexual-needs/

"In most convictions for shoplifting, the perpetrators did not set out with evil in their hearts in order to steal. They simply set out to shop – and were, for example, indifferent or careless as to the need to declare and pay for the goods. That indifference or carelessness is not particularly uncommon, and indeed is often rewarded – and this is what I meant by referring to "destructive norms of female criminal behaviour".

-Simply a case of arguing backwards from a desired result or belief, in this case a belief that women are much more prone to 'lifting' goods from department stores. It is a circular argument that begs the question. That are some well-known examples too if needed, from beauty queens to politicians' wives. Must be true, yes?
Of course most women are not indifferent or careless about other people's property and neither are men predisposed to taking sexual advantage of women ie being indifferent to the need to obtain consent. Alright, but what about women trappng men into marriage by falling pregnant? Gosh!

It is a rather quaint idea that Helen has got going that men are somehow programmed (hard-wired?) to keep following through once they get the scent as it were - just like that randy Fox Terrier next door (reptilian part of the brain?)- and that the 'culture' accepts and rewards them for that.

The 'little head' over-rules the one above the shoulders, they say. We can never civilise that out of them and that is why women must always be on the look-out, preferably with a panic button to push and a policeman on call.

Honestly, how many people would fall off their seats laughing if they read this stuff on the bus?

BTW, have you heard about women trapping men into marriage by falling pregnant? No, just kidding, but it sort of goes with the 'logic' used here. No wonder young women run screaming from the feminists.

We'll have to agree to disagree here, isabelberners.

>>Ms Cunneen seemed to suggest that a person could not be guilty of this crime given what she adjudged to be the good character of the accused, as evidenced by some rather superficial indices of character.<<

That is a very narrow interpretation of what she actually said, is it not?

"Any allegation that [the accused] forced himself on any woman or girl is completely inconsistent with the character of the young man I know"

Unsurprisingly, being a lawyer, Ms Cunneen chose her words extremely carefully. At no point did she assert that he "could not be guilty", merely that had he done so, this would have been "inconsistent with [his] character".

When I served on a jury, it was made clear to me that as a juror, I should not make up my own story of what might have been, but instead listen carefully to the evidence.

Your interpretation would not be admissible in the jury room, and should be treated the same way here.

Cornflower

The point that was being made is that most of these blokes didn't set out with the aim of raping someone (like the rapists in the cop shows), these blokes merely set out with the aim of having sex and weren't careful enough to ensure they had consent. The sex that they had might look alot more like consentual sex that many people's mental picture of rape.

As well as pay more attention to what Ms Cunneen said, I think the author had best re-read the anti-discrimination policy of the University of NSW.

Which states: -

UNSW aims to provide a study environment that is free from unlawful discrimination, harassment and vilification, and one that fosters fairness, equity, and respect for social and cultural diversity. Discrimination is treating one or more people unfairly because they belong to a particular group. In Australia, this behaviour may amount to unlawful discrimination, harassment or vilification.

Treating people unfairly because of their sex; race (including nationality, national or ethnic origin or ethno-religion), disability; homosexuality, political or religious affiliation, views or beliefs, marital status, pregnancy, transsexuality or transgender, age, responsibilities as a carer, and association with someone else who may have these attributes may be discrimination or harassment.

https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/atoz/Discrimination.html

By her statements concerning men, I can't see any evidence that the author's article would abide by that policy.