41–50 of 53 posts
For those advocating arms (pepper spray, taser, gun, etc.) as a solution, please get some basic facts straight. * Most people who are sexually assaulted know their attacker and are not attacked randomly on the street. This makes self defense scenarios unrealistic, as there is already some level of trust between an attacker and the survivor * Most sexual assaults will go without arrests and prosecution. There have alr…
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Statistics don't comfort the victims that could have done something but were restricted from doing so, usually by people who already live safe lives and want them to be safer. And your second example basically says 'we will prevent you from defending yourself, so just take it and hope the system saves you'. And if you think this culture 'supports rapists and demonizes survivors', you are in need of getting your facts…
I re-read all of the comments on here and didn't feel like ANYONE said anything about victims being 'restricted' from defending themselves. People on here were stating that the woman should get a gun, or get pepper spray, or get a taser. Telling women they need to defend themselves in a certain way and it's on them to get a gun and shoot an attacker is what I and a few others were upset about.
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And many women recall every horrific detail. Seriously, you sound like you are advocating that any potential rape victim should just shut up and take it. My guess is it would be because your (already stupidly safe) life would be a bit safer without (legal) weapons around. My wife, for what it's worth, will put a bullet in a rapist and not think twice. I told her to put more than one. If that seems 'crass' or 'tacky'…
No. I'm not. I'm advocating that telling a rape victim that she could have/should have done more to defend herself is stupid and disgusting. I'm fucking thrilled if your wife has the capacity to do that. That's great. I really fucking hope she does. Thinking that every woman can do that, or that it would be possible in every situation (or even most) is absurd.
And I think you're selling women short in terms of what they're capable of. Casting women as helpless victims isn't helpful either.
>“I don’t think this will make any difference in controlling rape cases,” says Sehba Farooqui, a woman’s rights activist in Delhi. I agree. I don't think someone desperate enough to rape will care if their victim has a wristwatch that can sms instantly. A good amount of potential rapists aren't even going to know about them, even if the government advertises it. A large portion of those who know either won't care, or…
Why do you say rapists are desperate?
A gun? Pepper Spray? You have no idea how the rapist will react to that. And someone shouldn't have to have the burden of ending another human's life just to not be attacked.
What is with this absurd first world notion that nobody should ever have anything bad ever happen to them in their life? Self-defense has been part of being alive since the dawn of humanity - living in a civilized (to various degrees) area doesn't negate that. You are either prepared to do what needs to be done to protect yourself, or you rely on passive measures (living in a nice area, avoiding dangerous situations,…
"X does not happen under ideal conditions, therefore, it is wrong/foolish to prepare for X."
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It's a first world notion because that's part of being a first world country. We invest in infrastructure that provides protection. Self-defense has shifted to the much more efficient system where by individuals don't walk around armed because we pay into a system of government that provides both police forces and military defense. The absurd idea that we all each take self defense into our own hands is just ridiculo…
Police are not there to protect you. Their job is to bring perpetrators to justice. If they are nearby, they may or may not attempt to stop a crime in progress, but they are not required to do so, and that does nothing to stop personal assaults that might occur. In the best case, they are purely reactionary, not preventative. In the worst case they are useless. The military is not there to protect you either. Their j…
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What if the attacker has a gun/pepper spray?... Not to mention that many women state their bodies just shut down like they weren't even there, even if they had a way out/way to defend themselves.
And many women recall every horrific detail. Seriously, you sound like you are advocating that any potential rape victim should just shut up and take it. My guess is it would be because your (already stupidly safe) life would be a bit safer without (legal) weapons around. My wife, for what it's worth, will put a bullet in a rapist and not think twice. I told her to put more than one. If that seems 'crass' or 'tacky'…
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What is with this absurd first world notion that nobody should ever have anything bad ever happen to them in their life? Self-defense has been part of being alive since the dawn of humanity - living in a civilized (to various degrees) area doesn't negate that. You are either prepared to do what needs to be done to protect yourself, or you rely on passive measures (living in a nice area, avoiding dangerous situations,…
It's a first world notion because that's part of being a first world country. We invest in infrastructure that provides protection. Self-defense has shifted to the much more efficient system where by individuals don't walk around armed because we pay into a system of government that provides both police forces and military defense. The absurd idea that we all each take self defense into our own hands is just ridiculo…
Then I suppose you also shun the idea of CPR or the first aid in general. That's what first world society has doctors for...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What is with this absurd first world notion that nobody should ever have anything bad ever happen to them in their life? Self-defense has been part of being alive since the dawn of humanity - living in a civilized (to various degrees) area doesn't negate that. You are either prepared to do what needs to be done to protect yourself, or you rely on passive measures (living in a nice area, avoiding dangerous situations,…
I find the mentality puzzling as well. It seems to confuse idealism for reality. "X does not happen under ideal conditions, therefore, it is wrong/foolish to prepare for X."
As an individual, I should protect myself. But I expect my government not to rely on me, or my grandmother, having to learn how to shoot.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Police are not there to protect you. Their job is to bring perpetrators to justice. If they are nearby, they may or may not attempt to stop a crime in progress, but they are not required to do so, and that does nothing to stop personal assaults that might occur. In the best case, they are purely reactionary, not preventative. In the worst case they are useless. The military is not there to protect you either. Their j…
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> to come if you call them
That is very nice in the situation you described (e.g. someone is shouting threats at you, especially in the comfort of your house), but pretty useless in most other situations. Unless you have a police officer walking with you 24/7/365, when you find yourself in front of attacker, you may or may not be able to even call the police and when they arrive, they would only collect evidence around your dead body.
Yes, the attacker would be then removed from the society (usually only temporarily and only if they are found) and some possible new attackers would be deterred by the idea of being found. But before someone like that is convicted, they must perform or try to perform their first crime. Is this some kind of duty, if someone happen to be that first victim, to remain defenseless and sacrifice themselves? Also there are incidents such as road rage or crime of passion, when the attacker has no previous history.
PS: Even in the situation you described (guy making threats outside your home), the police may be, and often is, late, when the guy (or more of them) decide to get into the house. Calling the police and waiting for their arrival takes at least minutes. Unless you have a fortress, making a way into your house takes seconds. Recall the woman who had to shoot two robbers while still talking to 911 operator.