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A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

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Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#31

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…

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.

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#32
post #28
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

In suburban and rural areas where they only show up in response to phone calls, I agree as far as police being reactive. But in urban areas police serve a preventative and direct-intervention role, which is one of the classic functions of "walking the beat". They're physically present at major squares and landmarks, and intermittently present through much of the rest of the city. I pass police officers pretty regularly when I walk to and from work, and I would guess most of the time (barring when I'm in a more remote area), I could get a quite timely response if I yelled for help.

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#33
If you would please let me to vent:

    That sir is just fucking hogwash ! how the fuck is
    that going to fucking matter when the fucking police
    does'nt even take the fucking call.
Thanks folks, and I normally dont speak like this. I have been following the incident closely

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_Delhi_gang_rape_case

and I had to get that out of my system.

For those who have not been following this particular incident, as a measure of immediate damage control the govt had recently (quite grandiosely) announced a new number: 181. This was a "special" "fast track" number explicitly set up for responding to threats of immediate and sexual nature.

Guess what, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Auto-driver-th...

The police, most of them are just incapable of conceiving the notion that they have a duty to respond (helpfully that is) when a woman is in danger. Forget responding to immediate threats, they will point blank refuse to even officially register the assault.

Police officers who have been formally accused of molestation, have routinely got promoted to the top, suffered no consequence at all, won patronage from the highest elected officials of the state. This is almost the standard script, unless the whole country erupts in outrage. Sadly the latter doesnt happen very often.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SPS_Rathore

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KPS_Gill#1996_conviction_for_se...

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#35

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…

You're misrepresenting the Marissa Alexander case. Alexander left the scene of the incident, retrieved a gun, returned to the scene, and shot in the general direction of her estranged husband.

Most US states frown heavily upon indiscriminate gunfire as a communication tool, even in cases entirely unlike that one where the shooter is in danger.

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#36
post #2

>“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…

> What would actually help stop a rape is some pepper spray. I don't know the legality of that in India, but I have to say a lot of places in the US make it way too difficult to acquire this very basic and effective self defense item. Self defense gear isn't a great systemic solution to sexual assault and rape, esp. when it occurs with great frequency and police do not take such cases seriously. Even in the US most s…

[deleted]

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#37
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Come now! Surely the rapist would just snatch it from her trembling hand!

I hope this was an ironic attempt to demonstrate the sexism inherent to that kind of argument against self-defense.

Aye, it was.

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#38
post #22

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…

> The absurd idea that we all each take self defense into our own hands is just ridiculous

When seconds count, the police are minutes away. Unless you have your own private bodyguard, being prepared to defend yourself isn't ridiculous.

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#39
post #2

>“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…

> What would actually help stop a rape is some pepper spray. I don't know the legality of that in India, but I have to say a lot of places in the US make it way too difficult to acquire this very basic and effective self defense item. Self defense gear isn't a great systemic solution to sexual assault and rape, esp. when it occurs with great frequency and police do not take such cases seriously. Even in the US most s…

>most people are assaulted by someone they know, not by a random stranger on the street.

Absolutely true

> Self defense gear isn't a great systemic solution to sexual assault and rape

Absolutely true, they are not a systemic solution. They are an individual's solution who chooses to take responsibility for his or her own safety.

A good systemic solution might be to legalize and subsidize brothels?

Re: A Wrist-Worn Answer to Sexual Attack?

#40
post #2

>“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…

> What would actually help stop a rape is some pepper spray. I don't know the legality of that in India, but I have to say a lot of places in the US make it way too difficult to acquire this very basic and effective self defense item. Self defense gear isn't a great systemic solution to sexual assault and rape, esp. when it occurs with great frequency and police do not take such cases seriously. Even in the US most s…

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