phantom

‘I don’t think violence against women is any worse than it has been through history.’

Well … no. But aren’t you validating my point? Violence, particularly sexual violence, against women is endemic to the patriarchal society that we have lived in for many, many centuries.

Hasbeen

‘… there is less violence against women than in the past, when it was not a news item. Perhaps the huge growth on female with journalist qualifications has an effect on such reporting.’

There is no way of telling whether violence against women is less than in the past. More likely, it’s just being reported more. And you are totally correct in saying that this is a product of more women with journalist qualifications.

In the past, women were excluded from most professions, including journalism (except for the ‘women’s pages’, which offered handy housekeeping hints, fashion news and tips for how to get that engagement ring on your finger). Women reporting on violence against women is a relatively new phenomenon. However, the almost universal denial of that essential element in all women’s lives is still going strong.

Rogindon

I’ve written many OLO posts on all this dubious research that comes up with the convenient finding that women are equal to men as perpetrators of violence – indeed as being even more violent. Their methodology is extremely suspect, as is their funding trail. I have neither the time nor the patience to reiterate it all here. You may wish to view my posting history instead

On the beach

Re Daniel Morecombe. Children have always been a major target of disturbed men wanting to do harm. As are women, elderly people, gays, homeless people and minority groups.

These are all individuals who are part of groups who are outside of the entrenched power structure – which is made up almost exclusively of males – either young men of the majority race and in the prime of life, or wealthy middle-aged men of the majority race who are in positions of power.

The kind of violence practised on excluded groups always has a degradation factor and is often of a sexual nature. Another entrenched form of power-based violence is the common tendency for rich men to send poor men off to war.

phanto

Apologies. That damn glitch that keeps defaulting to 'phantom' has struck again. Please accept that it was not my intention.

Killarney, so many lies so little time.
Ordinary men don't rape women under any circumstances, in times of war or otherwise, when men are conscripted into an army en masse of course criminals end up in the ranks.Where such men are detected in military formations they are arrested and dealt with, Edward Leonski for example or Louis Till.
You're also offering us information taken from surveys conducted in South Africa and presenting it as an indication of the views and conduct of all men, your statements about men raping if they think they can get away with it relate to Africans don't they?
http://www.irinnews.org/report/84909/south-africa-one-in-four-men-rape
Africans are different to Asians and Europeans, their behaviour generally could be described as "sub human", African males are notorious for their sub-human treatment of females, everywhere they settle they behave the same way:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocLNuOFcoCc

Phanto how nice to see someone who has included other groups who wish to have freedom from violenc bestowed upon them, women seem to feel that they are the only group which are subject to violent behaviour by men.
We all men and women feel threatened if walking in dark areas, it is not only females.
Gay people are threatened all the time by the heterosexual society, of course we accept them but in reality we don't, poofters being the common term used in conversation, what acceptance is that.
Your comment with war games, how true, the poor and vulnerable are used for the non caring Governmments and wealthy, indispensable and not needed.
We can write all we like about abuses, violence, etc but nothing will change, it hasn't 'in the past nor will it change in the centuries to come, we are born the way we are, violence being the order of the day.

Jay,

"Do your own legwork, go looking for reports of Indian sex offenders and you'll find them, I don't have to prove anything because it's common knowledge."

Thank's for those references, see it's not hard when you try; as for doing legwork, it's up to the person making the initial assertions/bald statements to do the legwork not their respondents.

Jay

‘Ordinary men don't rape women under any circumstances’

No. But ordinary men either actively or passively participate in rape culture – using prostitutes; viewing recreational porn that degrades women; absorbing cultural tropes that view sexually active women as sluts; fervently following violent, macho sports; endorsing war as manly, heroic and glorious; revering violent competition, especially in business;engaging in humour that demeans and degrades women; actively discrediting viewpoints that promote women’s financial and emotional independence … the list goes on and on.

It’s a convenient copout to isolate sexual violence to a few disturbed men. Those disturbed men are symptomatic of a society that views women as inferior beings, to be used and exploited in a continuing power struggle between men.