Teaching about Rape

The following WMST-L discussion began as a query about rape statistics and
broadened into a more general discussion about how to teach about rape.  It
took place in May, 1996.  Of related interest may be a paper entitled
Rape Scripts and Rape Acknowledgment by WMST-L member Arnie Kahn, Virginia 
Andreoli Mathie, and Cyndee Torgler.  For additional WMST-L files now 
available on the Web, see the WMST-L File List.

 
A student asked me a question to which I had no answer and wondered if
anyone else did.
 
We usually hear the statistics about what percentage of young women
have been raped.
 
But does anyone have a statistic that reveals what percentage of men
have been rapISTS?
 
That is, presumably, a rapist is going to assault more than one woman
over a period of time -- so the percentage of rapists among all men
should be less than the percentage of victims among all women.
 
Does anyone either have, or know where to get, a good statistic on
this?
 
Mary Schweitzer, Dept. of History (and women's studies), Villanova
University (on leave 1995-97)
schweit2  @  ix.netcom.com

 
>That is, presumably, a rapist is going to assault more than one woman
>over a period of time -- so the percentage of rapists among all men
>should be less than the percentage of victims among all women.
 
This is a rather large presumption, based on a notion that there are men who
can be labelled 'rapists', and counted as such. I have no research evidence,
but personal experience suggests that many women who are raped, are raped by
a date, a relative, an ex-husband ... on a one off basis, not by a 'rapist'.
 
I'd be more interested in discussing with students the violence inherent in
hegemonic masculinity which makes all men potential rapists.
 
Marj Kibby 
 
Marj Kibby
Dean of Students, The University of Newcastle
Callaghan, NSW, 2308 Australia
Ph: (049) 216604 Fx: (049) 217151
Email VFMDK  @  cc.newcastle.edu.au

 
On Thu, 9 May 1996, Schweitzer wrote:
 
> We usually hear the statistics about what percentage of young women
> have been raped.
>
> But does anyone have a statistic that reveals what percentage of men
> have been rapISTS?
>
Good question. In the U.S. felonies (including rapes) are presented
as rates (x per 100,000 population or males between certain ages) so
you won't get the percentage of recidivist rapists. Besides looking at
the U.S. Bureau of the Census *Statistical Abtract of the US* (published
annually) for some general numbers over time, try the following
(sponsored by the Bureau of Justice Statistics and operated by the
Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor):
 
http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/NACJD/home.html
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
nacjd  @  icpsr.umich.edu
 
I haven't logged on recently, but the URLs usually have the phone number
of a real person who can answer questions related to the data (or lack
of it). And the real person even responds!
 
n. Benokraitis, University of Baltimore, Sociology Dept

 
On Fri, 10 May 1996, Marj Kibby wrote:
 
> >That is, presumably, a rapist is going to assault more than one woman
> >over a period of time -- so the percentage of rapists among all men
> >should be less than the percentage of victims among all women.
>
> This is a rather large presumption, based on a notion that there are men who
> can be labelled 'rapists', and counted as such. I have no research evidence,
> but personal experience suggests that many women who are raped, are raped by
> a date, a relative, an ex-husband ... on a one off basis, not by a 'rapist'.
 
True. But all of the above are rapists and classified as such (when
reported, of course) by the criminal justice system.
 
> I'd be more interested in discussing with students the violence inherent in
> hegemonic masculinity which makes all men potential rapists.
 
Although our culture (in the U.S.) doesn't discourage rape, I'm not sure
that it "makes all men potential rapists." The majority of rapes are
committted by men women know, love, or think they love/should love. This
doesn't diminish the hegemonic masculinity argument, but I think that
many women's culpability in acquaintance rapes has been
largely ignored. For example, there's lots of evidence that many
mothers and fathers (in two-parent middle class households) and many
mothers (in single-parent households) are still raising boys with
macho values, that many women take enormously high risks (high alcohol
and other drugs usage) during dates, and most women still don't report
rapes (even though the criminal justice is much more professional and
supportive in many urban areas).
 
I might be flamed, but I think that many of the Women's Studies courses
(or rape-related topics in such courses) should place more emphasis on
changing women's behavior and not just men's.
 
n. Benokraitis, University of Baltimore, Sociology Dept
nbenokraitis  @  ubmail.ubalt.edu

 
Women's culpability in rape!  This is blaming the victim.  Men have
the right to drink without it being an invitation to rape. Focussing on
women's culpability diverts attention from the real problem.
 
Qhyrrae Michaelieu
UCSC
qym  @  cats.ucsc.edu

 
I agree with Qhyrrae totally. whether women take high risks or don't
report rape is NOT the issue.  Benokraitis's argument seems to suggest
that "hence they deserve it."  Gee!  ARe you for real?  It's like
saying that women need to limit THEIR actions so that
they don't get raped, and as Qhyrrae points out, this IS diverting attention
from the actual issue.  What I also find interesting is how terms such
as "high risk behavior" etc get so easily applied to women's actions
but hardly ever to men's!!!!
 
Raka shome.  rshome  @  uga.cc.uga.edu

 
I think _I Never Called It Rape_ has some statistics of this sort in it and
a discussion of the issue of whether the percentage of men who rape is
smaller than the percentage of women who are raped. Of course this relates
primarily to the study of date rape on campus but might be useful.
 
Dr. Jo VanEvery
Dept. of Cultural Studies
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
United Kingdom
 
0121-414-3730
 
J.Van-Every  @  bham.ac.uk

 
The only statistics I'd guess exist would be of those convicted for the
offense. The state police or the fbi would have those.
 
Dr. Jane Elza   jelza  @  grits.valdosta.peachnet.edu
Political Science Dept., Valdosta State University
Valdosta, Ga. 31698

 
Benokraitis's argument that women take risks - especially college women on
dates re:drinking and drugs points us in a direction of LOWERING the
incidence of rape. That is the point isn't it - to decrease the violence
against women. The men who rape are guilty of it and should be punished,
but to encourage women in "high risk behavior" (which includes heavy drinking
and drugs - regardless of dating or not) is ridiculous. We should be telling
college women AND men to avoid this behavior because it is self-destructive.
And because it leads to other kinds of harm such as date rape. In fact, I
 would argue we ought to be discussing dating relationships which at many
universities means getting drunk or high and "hooking up" for a one night
stand. BOTH men and women widely engage in this behavior and never TALK to
each other, find out about each other, or establish any other kind of re-
lationship. I think this is not healthy for them as human beings but that's
my morality and notion of human relationships. The point is however that
both men and women (not male patriarchy) create this situation. We need to
talking about that and the impersonal and uncaring human relationships it
tends to promote between women and men.
Joan D. Mandle
Colgate University
Director of Women's Studies

 
concerning postings on rape and how we must teach women to change
their behavior:
my niece was raped by an old high school friend. she was at a
birthday party, was afraid to walk home by herself because it had
gotten dark, and a boy she had known for years volunteered to
"protect" her. when she invited him in for coffee, he tried to rape
her. she fought him, was beaten up badly, then raped. she reported
it to law enforcement officials, who told she put herself at risk
when she invited the boy into her house.
how should she have changed her behavior?
a young woman in my neighborhood was raped one morning when she
went outside to get the newspaper?
how should she have changed her behavior?
while i agree women can make themselves less vulnerable to rape by
not using drugs or alcohol on a date, i would remind everyone that
drinking too much at a party is not a crime. rape is.
i think women's studies courses and feminists are on target when
they remind us that rape is an act of violence and control. victims
of crime should not be viewed as accomplices.
Barbara Barnett
Duke University
bbarnett  @  fhi.org

 
In the study done by Mary Koss which was used as the basis for the statistis
used in I Never Called It Rape, she also questionned men about acts
of sexual aggression.  The study was national and done on college
campuses so it clearly only looks at sexual aggression by college men.
Koss, M.; Gidycz, C; and Wisniewski, N. (1987).  The Scope of Rape:
Incidence and Prevalence of Sexual Aggression and Victimization In a
National Sample of Higher Education Students.  From Journal Of Consulting
and Clinical Psychology.  It's 1987 but I'm not sure of the volume or
number.
Diane Goldsmith
Director, Transition and Women's Programs
Manchester Community Technical College
MA_Goldsmith  @  commnet.edu

 
See also Diana Scully's excellent! Understanding Sexual Violence.
and
Liz Kelly's Surviving Sexual Violence (for a look at the continuum of
sexual violence)
 
Miriam K. Harris
mharris  @  utdallas.edu

 
IF A MAN RAPES, HE IS A RAPIST.  Any other definition is ancillary.
 
 
On Fri, 10 May 1996, Marj Kibby wrote:
 
> This is a rather large presumption, based on a notion that there are men who
> can be labelled 'rapists', and counted as such. I have no research evidence,
> but personal experience suggests that many women who are raped, are raped by
> a date, a relative, an ex-husband ... on a one off basis, not by a 'rapist'.
 
Cheryl Sattler
csattler  @  CapAccess.org

 
On Fri, 10 May 1996, Barbara Barnett wrote:
 
> a young woman in my neighborhood was raped one morning when she
> went outside to get the newspaper?
> how should she have changed her behavior?
 
Getting one's newspaper, walking to one's car from a grocery store,
sleeping in one's bed are all examples of non high-risk behavior
where women get raped. That wasn't my point. Getting drunk or
inviting a stranger to one's apartment IS high risk behavior.
 
> i would remind everyone that
> drinking too much at a party is not a crime. rape is.
 
It's also not a crime to leave one's keys in the ignition, to accept
a ride home with a drunk driver, or to jog in isolated areas late
at night. But how many of us would do so? And, more
importantly, also teach our kids not to do so?
 
> i think women's studies courses and feminists are on target when
> they remind us that rape is an act of violence and control. victims
> of crime should not be viewed as accomplices.
 
OF COURSE rape is an act of violence and control and regardless of the
circumstances. And of course victims are not accomplices. All I'm
arguing is that we should be more responsible in teaching students
to avoid high-risk situations so they are less likely to be victimized.
 
niki Benokraitis, University of Baltimore, Soc Dept

 
The discussion of how to teach women to unlearn, as it were, 'high risk'
behavior in relation to rape raises the following issues, in my opinion.
First, teaching women SELF DEFENSE is crucial and a clearer way of
framing the pedagogical and activist challenge at hand than thinking in
terms of 'high risk behaviors", a terminology which dilutes the political
reality, I think, which is the reality of power relations between men and
women in which rape occurs.  Yes, it is patriarchy that is the term for
this social reality of power.  Even women's self defense has been debated
among feminists for its focus on women's 'behavior' in contrast to
men's.  However, I think that self defense (verbal as well as physical)
when taught in a framework that keeps a minimal focus on the poltiical
issues at stake, can keep 'victim blaming' at bay.  But stopping the men
is equally critical-- i personally think that self defense strategies
are a good way to stop men from raping, not on a one by one basis, but
as an organized, collective basis. In this light, i have long thought
that re-framing statistics regarding how many men rape, in contrast to
how many women are raped (agent deleted, passive voice) would be a key
self-defense, political strategy.  Kathy Miriam kmiriam  @  cats.ucsc.edu +++

 
At 07:28 PM 5/10/96 -0500, you wrote:
 
>Getting one's newspaper, walking to one's car from a grocery store,
>sleeping in one's bed are all examples of non high-risk behavior
>where women get raped. That wasn't my point. Getting drunk or
>inviting a stranger to one's apartment IS high risk behavior.
>
>> i would remind everyone that
>> drinking too much at a party is not a crime. rape is.
>
>It's also not a crime to leave one's keys in the ignition, to accept
>a ride home with a drunk driver, or to jog in isolated areas late
>at night. But how many of us would do so? And, more
>importantly, also teach our kids not to do so?
>
>> i think women's studies courses and feminists are on target when
>> they remind us that rape is an act of violence and control. victims
>> of crime should not be viewed as accomplices.
>
>OF COURSE rape is an act of violence and control and regardless of the
>circumstances. And of course victims are not accomplices. All I'm
>arguing is that we should be more responsible in teaching students
>to avoid high-risk situations so they are less likely to be victimized.
>
>niki Benokraitis, University of Baltimore, Soc Dept
>
This appals me.  I don't want to bring up young ladies who are terrified to
do aything that might be fun -- and I'm sorry, but getting drunk when you're
seventeen is fun.  It's altered states, and fascinating in adolescence as
itis boring when you're older.  I took all kinds of chances when I was
youner and I don't regret the danger I got into.  I learned much more about
people and the society than I ever would have if I had been a young lady.
Danger is not always sometime to be avoided, nor is being friendly or
curious the problem.  The problem is male violenc,e not female curiosity.  I
go along with Golda Meir's original suggestion:  if men rape women, put a
curfew on men, not on women.  I certainly think women's have to be aware of
risk,but not to be blamed for taking risks. If you don't take risks, you
will never learn anything and you will never encounter other peple who are
at all different from your family and yourself.
MArge Piercy  hagolem  @  capecod.net

 
Asking women to "be careful" and putting the onus on them for avoiding
being raped creates a substantive handicapping condition for women
(and I mean 'handicapping' in the way it is used when more weight is
added to the saddle of a race horse or when extra strokes are added to
a golfer's game, not as a slur against persons with disabilities, though
I know they have common etiologies, but I hope I can just SAY this somehow
without having attention turned toward my language rather than toward the
issue of who is responsible for preventing rape).
 
For example, if my students ALL have to go to the library (which is in
a moderately dark corner of the campus with no available parking nearby),
but SOME of them can use the library 24 hrs/day (as their schedules
allow and/or dictate) while OTHERS of them need to forgo using the library
during hours when it would be "foolish" for them to be walking back
and forth between the library and their cars or homes (a substantial
number of these hours are "after dark" in the middle latitudes during
the time when most universities are in full regular session) -- then
this alone makes the university more hospitable and more accessible to
one gender than it is to the other.  EVEN if one says, well, take the
"rapemobile" (what some students call the van one may call during
certain hours if one wishes to own up to being afraid of being raped) or
well, study with friends, walk in groups -- these suggestions STILL
handicap women students who would prefer to be able to just stay at the
library for as long as they need (without waiting or rushing in order
to coordinate with others), or who don't have any friends, or who find
it embarrassing and/or humiliating to seem so vulnerable as to have to
call a rape-prevention van just to get to and from the library.
 
What I wonder is:  why is this still considered an INDIVIDUAL responsibility?
 
If we are ALL responsible for preventing rape, then why aren't the
sidewalks fully lit, why isn't parking nearby easily accessible, why
aren't there (if necessary) security personnel stationed around campus
on foot and in large enough numbers that no woman ever NEEDS to
be walking "alone, in the dark, and in remote areas" to get to and from
the library?  Why should *individual women* still bear the brunt and
the expense and the hassle of preventing their own rapes if rape is
*everybody's* problem?
 
Most campuses can come up with plenty of security and lighting and
whatever it takes to provide parking for large (men's) althletic
events and security for the event.  Why can they not provide equal
amounts of security and lighting (etc.) so that women can use the
libraries (and computing centers, etc.) on campus as freely as can
men?  Who says that this should be *individual women's* responsibility
to bear personally and alone?  And why?
 
----- RUTH GINZBERG <GINZBER  @  UKCC.UKY.EDU> -----

 
    I teach about violence against women here at OSU, and I wanted to
share some emergent information that I just received concerning rohypnol
(pronounced ro-hip-nol), which is known as roofie on the streets.
Rohypnol is a colorless and odorless drug that quickly dissolves in
liquids and is being used to sedate women in order to rape them. Rohypnol
is a powerful and hypnotic sedative used in some countries as a surgical
sedative, but it is illegal here in the United States. The most
frightening aspect of this drug is that it causes amnesia, therefore, the
victims cannot remember anything that happened to them while on the drug
(lasting on average 8 to 10 hours) and some women do not even realize
they have been raped.  The drug is not traceable after 24 hours in the
human body. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has seen a
tremendous increase in the presence of the drug in the United States. The
drug is reportedly easy to purchase and only costs $3.00 a pill. Roofie
related rape charges have been pressed, but are very difficult to
prosecute due to the victim's loss of memory.
If you would like more information about rohypnol, I have included e-mail
addresses to contact.
http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/pubs/rohypnol/rohypnol.htm
and
http://www.emergency.com/roofies.htm
Please help spread the word about this drug - knowledge can be prevention.
Wendy Rielly
OSU Women's Studies

 
I can't agree strongly enough with both Marge Piercy and
Ruth Ginzberg.  I don't encourage dangerous behavior
for anybody, but why should a woman be more responsible
for a bad outcome than a man if she drinks, or walks alone,
or talks to strangers, or goes to the library at night?  The thing
that bothers me most about this discussion is the language that
suggests that women need to be protected more than men.  I
don't want to have to ask for help to do basic things like
commuting after dark, or going to the library, and it is
patronizing to expect anyone to do so.  Our male students
would certainly not put up with this expectation and our
female students shouldn't either.  I have always, and
will always, go wherever I want whenever I want.  The
minute I am too scared to leave the house for fear of
being raped or attacked, I have lost.  The problem lies not
in women's behavior, but in men's attitudes, and until all
men are able to deal with women as real equals (not just
tolerate us in the workplace but still expect to control us in
the home) the problem of rape will exist.
 
Gillian Rodger
gmrst8  @  vms.cis.pitt.edu

 
        When you lived outside of the United States for a long period of
time, in societies where rape is much less common and much less tolerated,
you come to realize that what women have given up is no less than freedom.
I find it ironic that, in the country which supposedly stands for the
greatest expression of individual freedom 'on earth', women's tangible
freedom is so drastically curtailed. Being able to walk the streets of most
European countries throughout the wee hours of the morning, go to the
library, enter public bathrooms and elevators, etc. without giving much
thought to possible danger is what I consider to be freedom, and I
experience it on a daily basis. I have heard of little research that
compares the incidence of rape in the U.S. and other advanced capitalist
countries, or discourses that frame the problem in terms of human liberty.
It seems this discussion is about, as Beneria and Sen once said, 'putting
bandaids on a cancer'; teaching women to adapt to a situation that is
intolerable in order to survive is necessary, but also tends to divert
attention from more a fundamental analysis of why rape, crime (including
against male children), racism, sexism, violence and social disintegration
seem to go converge in the U.S. The impression that girls must perceive is
that what they experience in the U.S. is simply 'life as usual'. The answer
is to put more bars on your house (and on your mind), police on your
streets, or guns in your purse?

 
On May 12, Joshua Fausty wrote:
 
> I have a seven year old girl and I have been disconcerted
> and troubled by the degree of what I see as sexual harassment that takes
> place in first grade (and even earlier).  I have looked for books to help my
> child and myself deal with this problem since the dominant attitude in the
> school is that boys will be boys.  I hate to tell my child, and have not so
> far, to stay away from the boys, but it seems that all else fails.  It's very
> frustrating.  If anybody knows of any books on the subject, especially
> children's books, I would be grateful if you could send me the information.
>
There is very little written about specific measures women can use to
counter sexual harassment in general - most work on sexual
harassment focuses on workplace/college campus harassment, and details
formal (legal) provisions. A couple of books which might help,
however, are:
 
Larkin, June. 1994. _Sexual Harassment: High School Girls Speak Out._
Toronto, Ont.: Second Story Press. (ISBN 0-929005-65-1)
 
Langelan, Martha J. 1993. _Back Off! How to Confront and Stop Sexual
Harassment and Harassers._ New York: Fireside Books. (ISBN 0-
671-78856-6) [This book contains accounts of how very young
girls cope with sexual harassment of the type experienced by
your daughter]
 
The American Association of University Women has also published
_Hostile Hallways_, a report on sexual harassment in schools. This is
available through the AAUW at 1-800-225-9998, extension 321.
 
As a survivor of intense sexual harassment as a young girl, I commend
you for seeking to empower your daughter - I was told to ignore it
and it would stop. It didn't until years later, when I started
fighting back.
 
I am posting this to the list because I think it is important for all
of us to be aware of these strategies of resistance. I would also
like to hear about any books aimed specifically at children which
deal with this behavior.
 
Good luck.
 
Lauraine LeblancLauraine Leblanc
Institute for Women's Studies
Emory University
 
llebla  @  soc.emory.edu

 
On Mon, 13 May 1996, patricia howard-borjas wrote:
 
> When you lived outside of the United States for a long period of time, in
>  societies where rape is much
> less common and much less tolerated, you come to realize that what women have
>  given up is no less than
> freedom. I find it ironic that, in the country which supposedly stands for the
 
I have read that actually, media articles about rape often stress
stranger rape in order to make it seem as though women changing their
"unsafe" behavior will give them some control . (I imagine we all know
this already) The interesting question is whether or not this is
deliberate manipulation to control women's behavior and access to
(various things, events, etc) -rather than fgocusing on male behavior. If
acquaintance rape and incest rape is the norm for sexual violence, than
women's behavior is probably pretty irrelevant to rape  (and thus rape
statistics). Thus, also, all it may mean that women can walk the streets
safely in various countries that aren't the US is that acquaintance rape
and incest are still not being discussed publicly. Nothing to back this
up, it's just an idea to ponder.
 
Alana Suskin
alanacat  @  wam.umd.edu

 
I'll probably regret getting into the fray about this, but here it goes! I think 
that it is possible to include many points mentioned about this debate by 
encouraging students' critical thinking about the issue. I generally introduce the
topic by asking women students if they take special precautions to protect 
themselves against stranger rape (usually all do), asking them WHAT they do, and 
contrasting these precautions with what the men do or don't do. We discuss the 
fact that most rape isn't stranger rape and analyze why this fact is so little 
known, the racial implications of the media's emphasizing inter-racial rape when
that constitutes a samll fraction of rapes, etc. We discuss the evidence that
men who rape tend to choose women who appear vulnerable - alone, or drunk, or
looking down while walking down the street, or non-assertive, etc. The students
"get" the fact that many characteristics that we associate with being "ladylike"
also make women vulnerable to rape. Then we look at the overall social structure
ture with regard to the degree to which we have a "rape culture," condoning and
excusing rape and blaming the victims, and what could be done to change things,
from raising all of our little girls to be able to use their bodies in self-
defense from an early age, raising our boys to be non-violent, deconstructing so
cial structures, etc. During this discussion we examine what seems fair and what
seems unfair among the actions we are encouraged to take to protect ourselves.
Individuals are can then choose how they will behave in particular circumstances.

 
   Sorry I went on so long. That's my two cents.  dorothy miller
    dcmiller  @  twsuvm.uc.twsu.edu

 
This is an important discussion. I'd be very interested to hear about
how others teach about rape/harassment in Women's Studies or other
classes. I have encountered a number of ways in which the topic of
violence against women is addressed, including:
 
1. Assigning readings, but not having class discussion.
 
2. Having a speaker from the local Rape Crisis center speak to the
class.
 
3. Having an in-class open discussion.
 
4. And once, disasterously, a guest speaker who, without our prior
knowledge, accused all men of being potential rapists and harassers,
and set up a really bad "us vs. them" gender dynamic in the classroom.
 
I have found that such discussions must be undertaken very carefully,
because chances are good that one or more women (and perhaps some men
too) have been abused, and are at various places in dealing with
their recovery. I would also suggest to anybody who teaches a Women's
Studies course (or, ideally, anyone who teaches at all) to undergo
training as a rape-crisis counselor. I have found that my training
has helped me enormously not only when talking to classes, but when
talking to students one-on one, about sexual abuse and other matters
as well. I would also recommend this to anyone who does interview or
ethnographic research with youths.
 
Another thing I wanted to add to this discussion is the link between
rape and sexual harassment, especially "public" sexual harassment -
some researchers (cites escape me right now- sorry) have found that
some criminals use sexual harassment to assess the "easiness" of
their target, with failure to respond to "Hey baby nice tits" or
some other inane comment being seen as indicative of someone who can
be easily victimized. I wholly agree that women should NOT be blamed
for being raped - after all, does anyone ever "ask" to be mugged?
However, things being as they are, we should learn to respond to such
harassment, and teach children to do so as well, in order to fight
back against those who would victimize us.
 
Lauraine Leblanc
Institute for Women's Studies
Emory University
 
llebla  @  soc.emory.edu

 
On Mon, 13 May 1996, patricia howard-borjas wrote:
 
> When you lived outside of the United States for a long period of time, in
>  societies where rape is much
> less common and much less tolerated, you come to realize that what women have
>  given up is no less than
> freedom.
 
and Alana Suskin responded:
 
>Thus, also, all it may mean that women can walk the streets safely in
various countries that aren't the >US is that acquaintance rape
>and incest are still not being discussed publicly. Nothing to back this
>up, it's just an idea to ponder.
 
I lived in the Central African Republic for two years (Peace Corps), and
all the nice young white women (including myself) were told by the embassy
staff that we could walk anywhere any time and be safe.  None of the men I
dated or met ever attempted to coerce me and indicated it as a possibility.
In addition, several years later I interpreted in a court proceeding
involving a Central African family in the Washington, D.C., area.  At one
point, the questions I was interpreting from the court staff surprised and
confused the parents, who were concerned about their daughter's health.
They became alarmed because I was asking if the child had fallen or played
with something that could have broken her hymen.  They assumed that the
child had a serious injury or had come to some harm because of the
questions I kept interpreting for the court staff.  I had to inform them
that we ask these questions in the United States because the child might
have been abused by a family member or acquaintance, not because the
ruptured hymen is a serious injury.  The idea of sexually abusing a child
was outside their understanding.  (There was absolutely no indication of
any abusive behavior in this case, which was clearly the result of
ethnocentrism on a few people's part.)
 
This experience with another culture opened my eyes on U.S. assumptions
about "the way the world is" with regard to rape and sexual abuse.  These
violent behaviors are not something that should be tolerated or accepted as
a given in a society, but something we learn and learn to accept.  That
also means, of course, that the behaviors can be unlearned and not
accepted, and that boys especially and girls, as several people have
mentioned, can learn to act differently and be intolerant of these kinds of
violent behavior.  It would be great to have a mandatory course or
component of a college (high school) course that could re-educate men and
women about this issue while we worked to instill new values and beliefs in
the young.
 
You can't achieve something until you at least believe it is possible.  I
must add that I came home from the court proceeding and sobbed because I
had to explain to those parents that in my culture we are so cruel to our
young.
 
Aurore Bleck
ableck  @  nas.edu

 
The City of Seattle has an excellent "Love Shouldn't Hurt" program.  They
have developed curricula for students (I think both high school and middle
school) that is delivered by a specially trained (and very young) woman.
I'm not sure whether all schools participate, or whether this is some-
thing that individual schools/staff request.  If anyone is interested
in this program, please respond privately -- I can get an e-mail address
and the URL of the City's Domestic Viollence Web site.
 
Lorraine Pozzi
femme2  @  scn.org

 
i strongly urge any of the women on this list who are interested in rape
and sexual violence form a cross-cultural/anthroplogical perspective to
read the works of Peggy Reeves Sanday.
 
she spent time in West Summatra iving in a rape-free society and
documenting their culture. she has very engaging theories about what
differentiates a rape-free society from a rape-prone society.
 
she has 4 or 5 books in print, all of which deal with gender issues.
 
i _highly_ recommend her work. it may even be a good idea to include
chapters (or even whole books) in any course which touches on the subject
of rape.
 
if anyone wants her complete (i'll even annotate it if you want) list of
works, just email me at the address in my signature.
 
peace and sisterhood
leah
 
 
/^\
\_/  lklerr  @  mail.sas.upenn.edu
_|_                              http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~lklerr
 |

 
Hi all,
 
When I teach about rape in WS classes, I find necessary to move beyond
the "facts" of stats, self-defense, etc.  I also, this term, have given
them info on "roofies."  Here are some things I have found helpful:
 
1. rape crisis counseling training (as another poster suggested) is very
helpful.  I got mine when I worked at a women's shelter (domestic
violence).  I don't think a term has gone by when I have not used it.  WS
classes are often "safe spaces" for students to bring up frightening or
traumatic events in their lives; I don't think I have ever taught an
intro course in which at least 3 or 4 students are rape survivors & tell
me about it (I usually get one "I've never told anyone this before" story).
 
2. addressing the issue of self defense.  I do talk about self defense &
safety, but I do not focus on it.  When we talk about it, I always remind
them that it isn't "fair" that women have to be careful & that our
ultimate goal is a society in which we are as safe as men (& in which all
people are safer than we currently are!).  But self defense & safety
measures are necessary until we get things changed.
 
3. I also invite a lot of discussion about the cultural idea that a
woman could "deserve' to be raped or was "asking for it."  In order to
facilitate this discussion (if it doesn't get itself going--usually it
does), I sometimes use the rape scene from _The Accused_ with Jodi
Foster, which begins w/ her drinking & "flirting" with one of her
rapists.  We watch the scene (about 15 or 20 minutes) through the rape
itself (students are not required to watch & I am pretty graphic in my
pre-viewing description, so several usually leave the room during that 20
minutes & come back for discussion), & then talk about the "moment" when
the behavior of the men becomes rape.  (Of course, there isn't one
moment, but they begin to see the process of overpowerment.)  Although
this particular discussion day is tough on the students & on me (as a
rape survivor, I have to work very hard to maintain), I have never had a
negative response to it (in response papers, journal, evaluations, etc.);
in fact, survivors are always positive. I get responses that say things
like, "it was so hard to be in class on Monday, but I'm glad I was."
 
As a survivor, a teacher, & a counselor, I must say that a focus on
safety & self-defense can (doesn't always) encourage a blaming-the-self
response in victims/survivors.  This is a response that most rape victims
& survivors have anyway (its being a part of our culture & all) so I try
not to encourage it.
 
3. I also teach about men's responses to rape (the book _Transforming a
Rape Culture_ has an interesting chapter written by two men who have
est'd a men's education center dealing with sexual assault) & about male
victims (and children).  This seems to help address the "all men are
jerks" responses some women students acquire as well as the "guilt"
responses the especially nice guys in the class are trying to work through.
\
4. It seems to me that what we really need to be talking about (in our
classes & in this thread of discussion) is acquaintance rape.  This is
the one that no amount of traditional self defense work can help the
students with.  Acquaintance rape self care has to begin with an
understanding of what it means to be "on a date"--wanting to like & be
liked, working with still-ingrained notions of "dating"--and how to sy
"no" & how to HEAR "no."  We read the Antioch Sexual Offenses policy (the
actual policy--not the media hype, which blows it all out of proportion)
& we talk about what "consent" really means & about how "consent" might
be asked for in an endearing way (rather than "sounding like an idiot" as
one male student said).  Many women in the class talk about how "nice" it
feels to have a date ask whether s/he can touch your face, kiss you,
etc.
 
I think we need to teach our students to practice saying & HEARING "no."
My personal policy (with my 9-year-old son & with students who ask me
about it) is that when a person says "no," the initiator (of any kind of
touching) takes two steps back & puts his/her hands behind his/her back.
 
I also think we should refrain from "blame the victim" statements, even
ones that say things like "here is how you can be more empowered so that
you won't get raped."  The truth is that victims cannot stop rape.  So we
need to teach our students how to be safe & how not to be rapists.
 
Roofies are scary.  The info i have says that the time to take effect is
3 - 10 minutes, and there is no indication that the effects can be
'fought."  Roofies are made from a legal sleeping drug widely used in
Europe (but not legal in the U.S.).  The amnesia afterwards is so total
that accusations (thus far) have come from witnesses, not victims.
 
I teach in Lima, Ohio.  my students tell me that, in the little towns
they are from, roofies are making appearance.  Be on the lookout, don't
accept drinks from anyone, drink from sealed containers, etc. (reminds me
of the PCP stuff from my own high school days in the 70s).
 
If anyone would like more info on any of this stuff, please cantact me
personally!  Thanks.
><><><><><><><><keep abortion available, safe, and legal><><><><><><><><><
Jeannie Ludlow                        jludlow  @  bgnet.bgsu.edu
The telecommunications bill, signed into law by President Clinton on
February 9, 1996, makes it illegal to discuss abortion anywhere on the
internet.  You are now reading an illegal document.  VISIT THE WEBSITE OF
THE NATIONAL ABORTION RIGHTS ACTION LEAGUE!!    http://www.naral.org
><><><><><><><><><><><>standing up for our rights<><><><><><><><><><><><><

 
May 14, 1996
 
Cross-cultural data on rape are interesting in this respect since they
challenge the concept of man-the-rapist and force us to differentiate
between cultures which discourage or encourage vilent behavior of men
against women. Several sources on the Iroquois state that Iroquois men did
not rape women, including female captives. Peggy R. Sanday actually got some
statistics and found very low incidents of rape in contemporary Minangkabau
culture. She speaks of "rape-free societies", those that have -low incidents
of rape. I found the same situation among the Guajiro in South America. All
three groups are matrilineal and thus entertain a women-centered gender
ideology. The latter has obviously something to do with this low rate of
rape. barbara watson
Maria-Barbara Watson-Franke
Department of Women's Studies
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182
mbwatson  @  mail.sdsu.edu

 
I was very surprised by the dynamics that were unleashed the first time
I started a discussion on date rape with my students.  It was an honors
class, and frankly I had expected some level of prior experience
talking about this.  None.  (Maybe that was because I teach in a
Catholic school; I don't really know.)
 
The young men immediately and passionately jumped on the first woman to
speak, falling all over each other to insist that most of this is just
"unfair" accusations.  Morning after sour grapes.  It took a lot of
doing to get them to settle down and discuss this rationally.
 
I had expected the possibility that one or more young women in the room
might have experienced rape, and had my eye out for someone showing
increasing discomfort.  But what I was NOT prepared for was the young
woman who spoke up -- again, passionately -- about how it is mostly the
girl's fault, and then told us a story where her freshman roommate told
them to go ahead and leave her at a fraternity party, because she was
with an older guy she liked a lot.  Well, she was raped by more than
one guy at the party.  My student was FURIOUS that anyone blamed
anybody but the girl!  Clearly we had more than a smidgeon of
survivor's guilt going on, but the degree of her vehemence, combined
with the forceful insistence of the men that it was all about taking
revenge on someone you don't like, I found personally very upsetting.
 
Since then I have been careful to use texts and back into the
discussion.  We often get into it through a discussion of the
stereotypes about "good" and "bad" girls coming out of the 1950s.  I
have been made aware, through these discussions, that one serious
dynamic going on (at least at my university) is that the BOYS have all
been taught this good/bad dichotomy by their fathers, but that the
girls are absolutely unaware that it exists.  At least, when I was
their age, I did know about it.  They don't even have THAT line of
defense.  So actions that they take simply to have a good time,
innocently, freely -- just like the guys -- are still interpreted
culturally as the signal that we have a "bad" girl here and it's open
season.
 
Starting the discussion with 1950s-era "good" and "bad" girl images
helps the students distance themselves and use their reasoning powers;
when we move into the present period, they are much better prepared for
listening to themselves critically; thinking about what they habitually
say on these issues.  They have already laughed at the images as
"stupid"; what are they to say when it becomes clear that many of those
images are still in force?
 
These discussions inevitably lead into the related issue of binge
drinking, because (at least on my campus) excessive drinking is the
catalyst for many incidents of date rape.  It is a problem for both
genders.  Of course, the steadily increasing rate of binge drinking in
women is leaving them more and more vulnerable to assault, and toward
"blame-the-victim" lines of reasoning.  But I also think that the
shared experience of blackouts -- of becoming so drunk that you cannot
remember the next morning what you did the night before -- serves to
bolster the myth that "anyone can scream date rape".  Don't tell me I
drink too much.  I CHOOSE to binge drink.  Binge drinking is a NORMAL
part of college life.  Consequently, anything that happens while anyone
is drinking is ALSO a normal part of college life.  The students'
inability to face up to the role drinking is playing in their lives is
one reason for the stonewalling on date rape -- denial of the one is
linked to denial of the other.
 
One more dynamic I have observed:  all of the female faculty I know
have at some time or another introduced this issue into the classroom
for a discussion.  To the degree that WE are the university, we are the
older members of the community, we must take some responsibility for
culture, whatever the subject we formally teach.
 
But the MALE faculty NEVER bring it up.  I wonder what would happen if
male faculty took the time to go to men's dorms and groups and TALK
about this; gave them a different male cultural reference from the
locker room -- a stereotype that is still true.  When I have mentioned
it, my male colleagues generally turn green.  Interesting who is
squeamish, isn't it?
 
Mary Schweitzer, Assoc. Prof., Dept. of History, Villanova University
(on leave 1995-97)

 
I'd like to recommend a new book concerning date rape.  It contains
personal narratives as well as feminist analysis.  It would be an
excellent source in intro classes when the topic of rape is covered.  It
is called _The Other Side of Silence:  Women Tell About Their Experiences
With Date Rape_ ; edited by Christine Carter and published by Avocus
Publishing 1995.  I wrote a chapter in this book (personal narrative) and
am pleased with how Christine put the book together.
 
Diane Delp
ddelp  @  bird.library.arizona.edu

 
There's an article of the "it happened to me" sort in the June 1996 issue
of Sassy magazine that deals with roofies.  As someone who knew nothing
about roofies until this discussion cropped up on this listserv, I found it
interesting.  If any of you have teenage daughters, you might want to leave
a copy of this issue of Sassy lying around your house.

 
Some excellent comments have been made here.  Especially innovative are the
cross-cultural studies and the idea of re-framing statistics to focus on
rapists rather than victims/survivors.
 
My two cents:  In the Psychology of Women class, after reading the textbook
material and viewing "Rape Culture" (very old but still provocative), I
would ask the class to break up into small groups (separating the women and
men seemed to work better than mixing them), and come up with answers to the
following questions:  (1) What can individual women do about rape?  (2)
What can women in groups (or as a group) do about rape?  (3)  What can
individual men do about rape? and (4)  What can men in groups (or as a
group) do about rape?
 
Invariably some women would argue that that it's a men's problem, and that
even suggesting that women should do anything is victim-blaming.  Some women
would propose answers that did indeed appear to be victim-blaming, while
most others fell in between. The men's answers were usually equally diverse.
This allowed us to consider various levels of the problem and various
actions that can be taken, ranging from self-defense training to attacks on
cultural attitudes, and to separate personal safety issues from societal
issues.
 
I would try to direct their attention to what I consider the most important
points:  that every rape is a crime that should be reported and punished;
and that women's main job is to convince themselves of that simple fact.
Our own ambivalence, self-doubt, and willingness to accept blame (or assign
it to other women) are a major and pernicious part of the problem, in my
opinion.
 
Let's not be too quick to point accusatory fingers at each other for
emphasizing different aspects of the problem or different approaches to
solutions.  While some work toward understanding and correcting the
underlying cultural attitudes that have created this horrendous situation,
others are trying to help individuals survive and live well right now.  Both
are essential.
 
In sisterhood,
 
Kathleen Preston
kp1  @  axe.humboldt.edu

 
On May 16, Kathleen Preston presented an excellent idea for promoting
discussion about rape in the classroom. She also added that
>
> I would try to direct their attention to what I consider the most important
> points:  that every rape is a crime that should be reported and punished;
> and that women's main job is to convince themselves of that simple fact.
> Our own ambivalence, self-doubt, and willingness to accept blame (or assign
> it to other women) are a major and pernicious part of the problem, in my
> opinion.
 
I agree that every criminal (not just rapists) should be held
accountable for their crime. However, it is simply not appropriate
for every rape survivor to report and prosecute. Given ongoing
incidents where the legal and judicial systems fail to take
survirvors seriously (and in Atlanta, we have just had two incidents
where police officers were accused of rape!), forcing or pushing
women to report the crime may not be the best thing for individual
survivors. Police, whose aims and interests differ from those of rape
crisis counselors (they want to prosecute, we want to facilitate
recovery) may try to "guilt" women into pursuing prosecution against
their wishes, by saying things like, "If you don't punish him, he'll
do it again." Talk about blaming the vicitim - now she is not only
responsible for her own victimization, but for that of others as
well! We should not be adding to this in the classroom - we should
focus instead on educating agents of social control about ways in
which to make prosecution a viable option for survivors.
 
> Let's not be too quick to point accusatory fingers at each other for
> emphasizing different aspects of the problem or different approaches to
> solutions.  While some work toward understanding and correcting the
> underlying cultural attitudes that have created this horrendous situation,
> others are trying to help individuals survive and live well right now.  Both
> are essential.
 
I agree, and it is crucial that we do each part of this while being
mindful of the other. Let's keep working together in forums like this
to address and collectively solve these problems.
 
 Lauraine Leblanc [llebla  @  soc.emory.edu]
Institute for Women's Studies, Emory University
 
Be strong and resist always!