What seems to be overlooked in this and all the similar threads about rape, is that every situation is different

Until that is absorbed and acknowledged, this sort of discussion is fruitless and simply frays tempers and creates factions

There is no 'one size fits all' rape scenario, just as there cannot be a 'standard victim' or 'standard rapist' or 'standard rape scenario'

It's the same with traffic accidents, for example. Sometimes one party will put up their hands and admit yes, they are fully responsible. But most often, there's accusation and counter-accusation, further confused by the varying testimonies of witnesses. And throughout, the vast majority involved believe they are 'telling the truth'

Women are stereotyped as 'bad drivers' very often. And many women deserve the label, whilst others are excellent drivers

In the same way, men are often considered 'better drivers than women' and many deserve that description, whilst as we know, many men are useless fool drivers

Many people have excellent recall and are honest to boot and so could be considered 'reliable witnesses', whilst others -- knowingly or otherwise - twist events to fit their mood

Rape is no different. Many (men, children, women and even animals and fruit or bicycles) are raped through no fault of their own. In other words, they cannot be said to have contributed to their rape by either word or action

Others, in some way (even though they may not have realised it at the time) could be argued to have contributed to the series of events which led to their rape

In many instances, rape is the result of a communications break-down

And other rapes occur because someone has 'played with fire' or 'tempted fate'

More damage can be sustained in a traffic or road accident than via rape, yet we don't see these emotive threads about traffic/road accidents, nor do we see people apportioning blame along gender-lines


Most of us exercise caution when on or near roadways, because we don't want to become a fatality or placed in a coma or have our legs amputated

Traffic-road accidents are at least as common as rape, so it makes sense that we should exercise the same caution in order to avoid being raped

However, despite our caution, some of us are going to being involved in traffic-road accidents, just as some of us will be raped

We could apply this same template to most things in life. Parachuting or scuba-diving, drug-use, hitch-hiking, camping, cooking, chemistry experiments, childhood, use of electricity or gas, etc. etc.




.

[edit on 6-5-2010 by Dock9]

You know what. Why am I even bothering? What is the point, really? You can accuse people of silly, irresponsible behaviour if they are male, but the same standards don't apply if they are female. You can criticise men that get harmed while taking part in stupid behaviour, but applying this same standard to women means you are attempting to blame the victim.