The National Forum   Donate   Your Account   On Line Opinion   Forum   Blogs   Polling   About   
The Forum - On Line Opinion's article discussion area



Syndicate
RSS/XML


RSS 2.0

Main Articles General

Sign In      Register

The Forum > Article Comments > The hidden assaults > Comments

The hidden assaults : Comments

By Joanna Bourke, published 10/9/2007

In bedrooms all over the country, women are still subjected to sexual violence from their spouses.

  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. ...
  8. 10
  9. 11
  10. 12
  11. All
Where is the factual basis for this article? Its bordering on hysterical.

It states "In Australia today, one in every five female friends of mine will at some time in their lives be forced into having sex." Where is the proof for this statement? This morning I emailed five of my female friends.. all of them said they'd never been raped.

I find it very hard to believe that 4 out of 5 women in Australia are raped. It does nothing but heap further shame on the vast, vast, vast majority of men who have never done wrong.

Duncan
Posted by Duncan, Monday, 10 September 2007 12:40:22 PM
Find out more about this user Visit this user's webpage Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
In actual fact if we evolved from animals their is no such thing as rape!
Posted by runner, Monday, 10 September 2007 12:42:39 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
runner- Are you coming around? Of course we evolved, and over millions of generations. Australopithecus africanus, a 1.2 m high small brained hominid went around armed a million years ago. I suggest the male was capable of rape. There is substantial evidence they were guilty of murder. I cannot think of any species other than primates, who have the gripping and enfolding capability which make rape possible but there may be others.
Duncan- The claim was one in five not four in five.
Foyle
Posted by Foyle, Monday, 10 September 2007 1:07:42 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
I think the biggest issue is with evidence. Essentially in many cases it will be a he-said she-said argument, which is really insufficient evidence to convict someone. Given the clear potential for an alterer motive (divorce settlement, child custody) one cannot automatically side with the woman.

While I agree that "No, means No" even within a marriage, I think that a marriage provides a certain level of implied consent, in that a woman would need to actively say "No", and there be hard evidence of the fact for the law to come into effect.

The authors criticisms of the historical argument: that forced sex within a marriage is bad for the man, fails to take in to account the context and serves to highlight her biased and excessively feminist (as opposed to equalist/balanced) view point. The argument is aimed at men who obviously did not respect their wives, and framed to point out the benefits to the men of such respect to change the actions of the men (to ultimately benefit women). The fact that it doesn't directly address the view point of the woman does not mean it is flawed, especially considering the male orientated culture of the time.
Posted by Desipis, Monday, 10 September 2007 2:15:57 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Rape can be viewed as a power play involving a combination of the organs of reproduction and elimination. Depending on your psyche and the actual context the deeds are conducted under it can be a serious sexual assualt or something less serious.

The question is how can a court define the context. You can't go to court saying the act left a nasty taste in my mouth. I worked with a 22 year old Turkish woman who had black rings under her eyes, very heavy periods and she said "My husband he gets it every night", the rest of us shuddered.

So is Joanna trying to push the boundaries of acceptable behaviour? After all, the term "rule of thumb" refers to the diameter of the switch with which a husband can lawfully beat his wife. Its no longer acceptable to beat your wife. Nor as a South Australian pastor found out is it lawful to have sex with your teenage daughters although folklore has it that it used to be common in Tasmania.
Posted by billie, Monday, 10 September 2007 2:20:57 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
Foyle

Your absurd unscientific comments (not unusual for evolutionist) just highlight my point. Unless we can establish a basis for morality then it is just one opinion against another. The treatment of one another with respect comes from our Creator. Rape is often a power play. Women are just as good at this play as men. No better advice for husbands than to love their wives like Christ loved the church ( be prepared to die for her)and for wives to respect and submit to their husbands. Now that will get a few hackles up!
Posted by runner, Monday, 10 September 2007 2:34:25 PM
Find out more about this user Recommend this comment for deletion Return to top of page Return to Forum Main Page Copy comment URL to clipboard
  1. Pages:
  2. 1
  3. Page 2
  4. 3
  5. 4
  6. 5
  7. ...
  8. 10
  9. 11
  10. 12
  11. All

About Us :: Search :: Discuss :: Feedback :: Legals :: Privacy