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"Women needs to face facts about the link between rape and drinking"

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Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    Then how about preach to men to change their behaviour and not women

    Educating men to behave, and educating women to take precautions, are not mutually exclusive approaches to reducing the risk of a crime taking place.

    But to be clear . . . "preaching" is not educating. I can only surmise that you may feel inclined to use the term because you feel it is "preachy" to advise women to be cautious about being drunk? It's unfortunate that you should feel that way about it. I have not seen too many posters here preach about the precautions that women could take.

    Indeed even the devisive nature of offering separate advice to men and women is misguided. Simply put, a drunk person is more likely to be the victim of a crime than a sober person. Using rape as an example of such crimes merely emphasises the point that those crimes can be severe in nature. For men, being drunk increases the chances of being the victim of assault, including manslaughter.

    The journalist's story is simply pointing out what is an unfortunate reality, albeit part of a wider reality, that in a world where evil people exist, they are more likely to commit evil acts when the chances of being caught are reduced.
    Lollipop95 wrote: »
    I'm also quite disappointed that Niamh didn't focus on more of the onus being on the man not to rape.

    Really?? Did anyone need to have that pointed out?

    There are some cultures where violence against women is a disturbing norm, but among the readership of the Irish Independent I doubt you'd find too many people who do not know that our societal values do not include physical violence of any sort.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    Maguined wrote: »
    It's a terrible video clip. The men involved were actually actors and the producers chose not to let that be known . .

    I did wonder how the sound quality was that good. Seemed a bit odd


  • Registered Users Posts: 8,247 ✭✭✭Maguined


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    I did wonder how the sound quality was that good. Seemed a bit odd

    Yeah the producers were real scumbags. The male actors all got harassed and so did the woman because stupid people thought she was one of the producers when she was only a paid actress herself. She got so stressed from the harassment she chain smoked her lung into collapsing while the real producers sat back safe and sound reaping in their viral fame.


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    Phoebas wrote: »
    I've found myself in plenty of dangerous situations over the years that I would have avoided if I hadn't had drink taken.
    That doesn't make me in any way responsible for the dangerous situations, but the danger is the same even when someone else is responsible.

    I did have a bike robbed once that I left unlocked outside a shop and I was told that I should've been more careful.
    And I'm forever being told not to leave valuables in the car in clear view and to double lock the doors in the house to make it more difficult for thieves.

    Practical stuff.

    I often hear this comparison and I don't think people realise it's not comparable as:

    1. People are not things, being raped can never be compared to being stolen from. Comparing the two is really insulting and diminishes the suffering of rape victims.

    2. Rape victims already feel immense amounts of shame and stigma, they already blame themselves, to place even a iota of responsibility on the victim to prevent the crime is immoral.

    3. It's deeply insulting to men to tell women that the only thing stopping men from raping you is a longer skirt or one less drink.

    Men who rape are predators who will seek out the weakest victim, if you make yourself less 'rapeable', they will rape the next weaker victim. If you're promoting changes to women's behaviour to "prevent" rape, you're really saying "make sure he rapes the other girl".


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭arayess


    Then how about preach to men to change their behaviour and not women

    because most men don't need to change their behaviour and behave quite well.

    I'd think that those needing educating mightn't be too receptive but that said no harm in trying.
    SVJKarate wrote: »
    Educating men to behave, and educating women to take precautions, are not mutually exclusive approaches to reducing the risk of a crime taking place.

    an excellent post

    I just don't see why people aren't so against people taking precautions to minimise risk


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  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    She never victim blamed in the article ffs, she actually went out of her way to make sure was being clear she wasn't victim blaming. All she is saying is that drunk women make easier targets and it is important for women to make sure that they keep themselves safe and dont get drunk to the stage of passing out and they dont have their sense about them/ cant look after themselves. If a guy gets blind drunk and passes out he will get robbed/attacked possibly but with a girl worse can happen. It is important to try and make young girls aware that their is evil people out there that might have sinister motives. In the article she mentioned that a girl from Stanford was raped when alcohol was involved and the guy involved only got 6 months and she said that the sentence was ridiculous and he should have got a lot more. I don't see anywhere she was victim blaming?


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    People are not things, being raped can never be compared to being stolen from. Comparing the two is really insulting and diminishes the suffering of rape victims.

    Nobody has attempted to equate these. The fact that two risks of entirely different consequence might be affected by the same risk factor says nothing about the risks themselves. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of losing your mobile phone [FACT]. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of being involved in a life-changing accident [FACT]. The juxtaposition of these two risks in a thread post does not in any way suggest the risks are equivalent.
    If you're promoting changes to women's behaviour to "prevent" rape, you're really saying "make sure he rapes the other girl".

    This is untrue, and it suggests rather simplistically that a rapist is destined to rape a fixed number of women. The reality is that a man with a predisposition to rape women will rape women wherever the circumstances which make rape easier (or make detection less easy) arise together. Consequently the effect of greater levels of precaution is to reduce the total number of rapes.

    NONE OF THIS suggests that women are responsible for being raped, any more than a person is responsible for being mugged. There is not a one-to-one causal link. Even a woman who takes a lot of precautions to avoid risky situations can find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    Nobody has attempted to equate these. The fact that two risks of entirely different consequence might be affected by the same risk factor says nothing about the risks themselves. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of losing your mobile phone [FACT]. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of being involved in a life-changing accident [FACT]. The juxtaposition of these two risks in a thread post does not in any way suggest the risks are equivalent.

    You say you are not equating but you then two sentences later bring up the same analogy of material possesions. Stop doing that it's apples and oranges.

    SVJKarate wrote: »
    This is untrue, and it suggests rather simplistically that a rapist is destined to rape a fixed number of women. The reality is that a man with a predisposition to rape women will rape women wherever the circumstances which make rape easier (or make detection less easy) arise together. Consequently the effect of greater levels of precaution is to reduce the total number of rapes.


    Now that's a ludicrous interpretation of what I said. Where did I say that a man must rape a fixed number of women? You seem to have very little understanding about how sex-offenders operate.

    I'd simply LOVE to see some research showing that changing women's behaviour reduces rape. Because all the research I've seen shows it does not in fact reduce rape. ( e.g. Norris & Kaniasty 1992)

    Awaiting your peer-reviewed research with bated breath..


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    Nobody has attempted to equate these. The fact that two risks of entirely different consequence might be affected by the same risk factor says nothing about the risks themselves. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of losing your mobile phone [FACT]. When you're drunk you run a higher risk of being involved in a life-changing accident [FACT]. The juxtaposition of these two risks in a thread post does not in any way suggest the risks are equivalent.



    This is untrue, and it suggests rather simplistically that a rapist is destined to rape a fixed number of women. The reality is that a man with a predisposition to rape women will rape women wherever the circumstances which make rape easier (or make detection less easy) arise together. Consequently the effect of greater levels of precaution is to reduce the total number of rapes.

    NONE OF THIS suggests that women are responsible for being raped, any more than a person is responsible for being mugged. There is not a one-to-one causal link. Even a woman who takes a lot of precautions to avoid risky situations can find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
    Stop countering emotive knee jerk arguments with logic, its a fom of oppression


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    Now that's a ludicrous interpretation of what I said. Where did I say that a man must rape a fixed number of women? Y

    When you said that preventing a rape simply means somebody else gets raped. That's a one-to-one correlation. It's untrue.


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  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    When you said that preventing a rape simply means somebody else gets raped. That's a one-to-one correlation. It's untrue.

    Oh look at the goalposts! They've moved way over there, far from the actual evidence you can't refute..


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,591 ✭✭✭blue note


    There are many risks in this world, it is advisable to be aware of these risks and to mitigate them if possible. If someone finds that advice offensive they should probably speak to a psychiatrist.

    If I want to cross the road and there's a green Man I still look both ways first. If i don't and I get knocked down it's the drivers fault. But I still look.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    Oh look at the goalposts! They've moved way over there, far from the actual evidence you can't refute..

    ?? Are you on drugs ??

    I understand this is the AH forum, and people like to take the p**s on these threads, but this thread is clearly not one where humour is appropriate. Perhaps you should peddle your dangerous misconceptions elsewhere?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,616 ✭✭✭✭Sand


    Maguined wrote: »
    It's a terrible video clip. The men involved were actually actors and the producers chose not to let that be known as they wanted to make a viral video about how rapey random guys on the street are and they achieved exactly what they wanted with many of the actors invovled getting harassed in their real lives over it.

    Yep, that entire video clip is dishonestly staged misandric propaganda to portray men as sleazy, rapey subhumans. The actress involved in it (Jennifo Box) came out last year to admit it was a fake, that all the male actors in the video were perfect gentlemen and to apologise for ever having participated in it.



    That its still getting circulated as evidence of rape culture is disappointing but unsurprising. Its just odd people accept a video of such bizarre behaviour and think that it seems normal. What sort of men do these people know?

    As for this argument, I see its still not got past the point where people are ready to accept that advising someone to take care of themselves is not the same as victim blaming. So the message to people is still to go out, get paralytically drunk and hope nothing bad happens. Seems responsible.


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    ?? Are you on drugs ??

    I understand this is the AH forum, and people like to take the p**s on these threads, but this thread is clearly not one where humour is appropriate. Perhaps you should peddle your dangerous misconceptions elsewhere?

    Ya just keep ducking the actual evidence I posted. Pathetic.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    Ya just keep ducking the actual evidence I posted. Pathetic.

    What evidence????

    You posted a statement:
    If you're promoting changes to women's behaviour to "prevent" rape, you're really saying "make sure he rapes the other girl".

    That's not evidence, it's stupidity.

    Then you said you'd read evidence which supported that (Norris & Kaniasty 1992) - and I cannot find that study anywhere. In fact the only studies I can find from these authors are related to PTSD, which is based on post-incident studies and hence not relevant to preventionary measures.

    If you have evidence which shows that every police department in the western world is wrong when offering advice then post it here and let us have a read of it.

    The Garda Siochana website in Ireland offers advice about personal vulnerability:
    Understanding your individual potential to becoming a
    crime victim must be approached from the mindset of
    the criminal. They will judge or rate your vulnerability in
    a number of ways and some factors will outweigh others
    for them depending on the type of crime being contemplated.

    The study by Hanly, C., Healy, D. & Scriver, S. (2009) Rape and Justice in Ireland can be found on the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. It cites alcohol as the most common drug used to facilitate rapes. In 2011 RCNI published some of the findings as:
    The facts suggest that alcohol is the most common drug used to facilitate sexual assaults and rape. Although drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB have received much attention internationally as ‘date-rape drugs’, in Ireland, there has been no evidence to suggest that they are used with regularity in incidents of sexual assault[ii]. The recent Rape and Justice in Ireland study did not identify conclusive evidence of the use of such substances in medical records of complainants of rape between 2000 and 2005.[iii] Alcohol, however, was found to be present in the majority of rape complaints in Ireland.[iv] While these facts do not discount the possibility that perpetrators of sexual assaults may use a variety of drugs to facilitate an assault, there is strong indication that alcohol is the most common date-rape drug. Furthermore, the social acceptance of alcohol consumption as a facilitator of sexual interaction reduces recognition of the substance as a potential ‘date-rape’ drug.

    The inescapable conclusion of these and other studies is that the avoidance of risk factors such as alcohol reduces (but of course does not eliminate) an individual's risk of becoming a victim of assault including sexual assault.

    So instead of muppeting here with ill-considered nonsense, post real evidence which states that preventative actions have no impact.


  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    What evidence????

    You posted a statement:


    That's not evidence, it's stupidity.

    Then you said you'd read evidence which supported that (Norris & Kaniasty 1992) - and I cannot find that study anywhere. In fact the only studies I can find from these authors are related to PTSD, which is based on post-incident studies and hence not relevant to preventionary measures.

    If you have evidence which shows that every police department in the western world is wrong when offering advice then post it here and let us have a read of it.

    The Garda Siochana website in Ireland offers advice about personal vulnerability:



    The study by Hanly, C., Healy, D. & Scriver, S. (2009) Rape and Justice in Ireland can be found on the Rape Crisis Network Ireland. It cites alcohol as the most common drug used to facilitate rapes. In 2011 RCNI published some of the findings as:



    The inescapable conclusion of these and other studies is that the avoidance of risk factors such as alcohol reduces (but of course does not eliminate) an individual's risk of becoming a victim of assault including sexual assault.

    So instead of muppeting here with ill-considered nonsense, post real evidence which states that preventative actions have no impact.

    What your big long rambling wall of text fails to actually address is that giving women advice on to avoid rape does not reduce rape occurrence. Fact.

    I don't really know how I can put it simpler for you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    What your big long rambling wall of text fails to actually address is that giving women advice on to avoid rape does not reduce rape occurrence. Fact.

    I don't really know how I can put it simpler for you.

    You could post a link to the study you thought you were quoting?


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1 Gambling Wolf


    What your big long rambling wall of text fails to actually address is that giving women advice on to avoid rape does not reduce rape occurrence. Fact.

    I don't really know how I can put it simpler for you.

    What are you basing this statement on?


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    What are you basing this statement on?

    Typically a victim has little say in whether or not they'll be a victim.


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  • Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 5,620 ✭✭✭El_Dangeroso


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    You could post a link to the study you thought you were quoting?

    I already cited it. For a guy who's into Karate your google-fu is weak :D

    There's a good few studies examining rape avoidance (teaching women how not to get raped) and there's no strong evidence to suggest it's effective. As always if you have something I'd simply LOVE to see it.

    Otherwise it's just the usual AH ill-thought out bullshittery


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65



    I already cited it.

    Did you? Where?


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    There's a good few studies examining rape avoidance (teaching women how not to get raped) and there's no strong evidence to suggest it's effective.

    The good people at RCNI will be shocked to learn of that!!!

    Perhaps, just so they can enlighten themselves, and me too, you'd be kind enough to actually post a link? You know, a link that actually posts to the study or studies you're alleging to quote from?

    Because it stands to reason that if strategies for reducing the risk of rape don't work, then strategies reducing other assaults don't work, and then, well maybe no crime risk reduction strategy works? That'll come as quite a blow to the people who sell locks, burglar alarms, etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 16,694 ✭✭✭✭osarusan


    SVJKarate wrote: »
    You know, a link that actually posts to the study or studies you're alleging to quote from?
    .
    I haven't read it and have no dog in this fight, but it took me literally 2 minutes to find.

    http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1007/BF00941775/abstract


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    As always if you have something I'd simply LOVE to see it.

    Well, here's one. I've not read the details, just the abstract. It seems to contradict your assertions.

    This next one is a more difficult read, but it agains closely links alcohol consumption to the risk of assault on women. Here's a frightening abstract from that paper:
    Regardless of prior victimization status, alcohol consumption by the victim is a major risk factor for sexual assault. In the NCWSV, women who frequently drank enough to get drunk were at greater risk of sexual victimization than those who did not (Fisher, Cullen, & Turner,
    2000). Mohler-Kuo et al. (2004) found that heavy episodic drinking was the strongest predictor of both rape when intoxicated and other types of rape (physically forced rape and rape due to threats of force); high school heavy episodic drinking patterns were also significantly associated with the risk of rape while in college. The Harvard College Alcohol Study also found that drug use was associated with an increased risk of rape (including rape when intoxicated and other types) (Mohler-Kuo, Dowdall, Koss, & Wechsler, 2004).
    Similarly, Greene and Navarro (1998) showed that heavy alcohol use predicted later sexual assault over the course of an academic year among college women. Interestingly, the severity of the outcome also appears to be affected by alcohol and/or drug use by the victim and perpetrator. In the National College Women’s Study, victims who reported getting drunk more often also reported more severe sexual victimization than victims who got
    drunk less often (Ullman, Karabatsos, & Koss, 1999).

    This last one is slightly more sympathetic to your view, as it looks at the effectiveness of programs run in two universities. The findings show minimal differences in rates of victimisation within two months of training (which is not the same as having applied the risk reduction measures) but does find that there is a reduction in re-victimisation for the trained group after six months.

    So in short - risk reduction strategies work. In fact they work far better than physical self-defence training for reducing the probability of an assault taking place.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    osarusan wrote: »
    I haven't read it and have no dog in this fight, but it took me literally 2 minutes to find.

    Thanks.

    I had also found that study, but (1) I cannot access the full article, (2)it appears to deal more with the post-crime stress and subsequent fear of crime than an actual assessment of risk reduction strategies. In fact if you search other publications by the authors much of their work relates to PTSD, so the methodology of their study seems to focused on a different issue. After all, they are publishing the article in 1992 in the American Journal of Community Psychology. Also (3) the study I cited from 2012 (twenty years later) based on the Ohio University program showed different results, with positive outcomes for self-protection training.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,423 ✭✭✭✭Outlaw Pete


    ..giving women advice on to avoid rape does not reduce rape occurrence. Fact.

    Politically correct nonsense.

    Following advice on how to reduce your risk of being a victim of any crime is naturally going to reduce the occurrence of that crime. There is no reason why sexual assault should be an exception.

    The one night I parked my car in a run down area, on an unlit street in Dublin (near the fruit market at the back of the four courts) I came back to a smashed window and my jacket nicked out of the boot. The person who is ultimately responsible for that crime is the thief, no question about that, as had he not been a cnut, my car would have been grand and I'd still have my jacket. However, when I reported it, and told the Garda where I had parked, he gave me a 'Well, that wasn't the wisest decision' look and he was right.

    In an ideal world though, I should be able to park my car where I want. I shouldn't have to be worry about these scum bags. In fact, I would like the authorities to focus on stopping them, so that nobody ever has to worry about coming back to a vandalized car like as I did. But, we don't live in an ideal world. There will always be scumbags. It's a impossibility for authorities to totally prevent crimes from occurring, particularly those of an opportunistic nature.

    I don't know what it is about sexual assaults which makes people so damn precious about any discussion regarding risk reduction. As a guy, if I am walking down a road alone late at night and I see a group of lads that seem drunk and unpredictable, I will take a detour as I know statistically there is a good chance I could get a hiding. If the Gardai release a five point plan on how men might best avoid becoming victims of assaults, I am going to heed it, I'm not going to say they are victim blaming.

    Groups like the following are not giving advice for the craic.

    http://www.woar.org/sexual-assault-resources/how-to-reduce-risk/


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65


    Typically a victim has little say in whether or not they'll be a victim.

    I have only a little say in who should be elected as a TD in my area, but for me that's not a reason to not vote.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    I don't know what it is about sexual assaults which makes people so damn precious about any discussion regarding risk reduction.

    There is a heightened sense of concern for victims of sexual assault that makes us not want to worsen their suffering by making even the vaguest suggestion that they may have contributed in any way to the assault (by not being careful enough).

    This would not be so important were it not for the unforgivable approach which has so often been taken in court whereby a defendant is permitted to refer to the sexual history of the victim, and to their attire, in an attempt to lead the court / jury to believe that "they were asking for it".

    In any reasoned, compassionate society, a defendant should face a doubled sentence if they have used any of the above as a defence. Courts in Ireland and elsewhere are far too ambiguous in the treatment of sexual assault cases*, and the overwhelming majority of decent law-abiding respectful people know that.

    As a result, we can be overly sensitive to the idea that acknowledging the wisdom of taking precautions is a form of victim-blaming. Another poster here has explained that difference better than I can in the context of their car being broken into.



    *An example of which we've seen recently where a man who sexually assault two nieces was given a suspended sentence.


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  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,945 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    What you guys are implying is that all that is needed for a rape to happen is the opportunity. An easy target. Which is a pretty dim view of males. Then on the other side there's an implication that if a woman gets drunk and raped that it's more deserved because they didn't think to, for example, drink less. Which is a pretty dim view of females.

    A rapists is gonna rape. They create the easy targets. And no amount of exploding nuclear dick scissors hidden in sober vaginas is gonna change that.

    Associating a rape crime with car damage is fine though. Because women are things right?

    There's nothing "politically correct" about suggesting your point of view is wrong.


  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    What you guys are implying is that all that is needed for a rape to happen is the opportunity.

    Nobody here said that.

    Rape requires a person with the "zero moral compass" which allows them to rape, and the opportunity.

    As for your scissors, I've no idea what you're talking about.


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Rapers gonna rape.
    Thats all women need to know.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    Then on the other side there's an implication that if a woman gets drunk and raped that it's more deserved because they didn't think to, for example, drink less. Which is a pretty dim view of females.

    Its sorta funny to see a poster repeatedly explain something in simple terms only for someone to jump to the same wrong conclusion based on muscle memory from sheer habit I guess.

    might as well be showing a dog a card trick for all its worth. :)


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Music Moderators, Politics Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 22,360 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dravokivich


    Zen65 wrote: »
    I have only a little say in who should be elected as a TD in my area, but for me that's not a reason to not vote.

    You have as much say as anyone else that votes.

    People who have not been a victim, aren't such because they were determined not to be a victim.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65


    You have as much say as anyone else that votes.

    People who have not been a victim, aren't such because they were determined not to be a victim.

    People who take precautions against being a victim are less likely to become a victim. There's been plenty of research into that in all fields of life, including crime.

    A house fitted with an alarm is less likely to be broken into.

    A person who walks with a large dog is less likely to be assaulted.

    A person who looks like a lost tourist is more likely to be mugged or assaulted.

    A child who has trained in martial arts is less likely to be bullied at school.

    As much as some people like to peddle an agenda to the contrary, we can influence our chances (positively or negatively) of being a victim by taking precautions or by not taking certain actions. There are no guarantees, but that does not invalidate the precaution.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 260 ✭✭SVJKarate


    People who have not been a victim, aren't such because they were determined not to be a victim.

    People who have been victims of a crime are not such because they were determined to be victims.

    Some people who have been determined to avoid being a victim, and took precautions, still because victims. Some did not. At the individual level there is not a one-to-one causal relationship between precaution and outcome.

    You can smoke and live to be 100, you can do drugs and still have a normal life, you can drive or ride in a car without a seat-belt, or regularly drive at speed, and still be accident-free, but each of these choices increases your chances of an adverse consequence. It cannot be argued otherwise, except by a fool.

    It should not really be an issue then to state the simple truth that it is possible to reduce the risk of being a victim of crime. It applies to any crime, from pick-pocketing, to identity theft, to murder.

    You can reduce the chance of being assaulted. You can reduce the chance of being bullied at school. Some of the things you could do to reduce those chances could be unacceptable to you. Some of them could expose you to another risk (you could stay in bed all day, but that has far more certain and severe consequences for your quality of life).

    Where a person has been the victim of a crime it is untrue to suggest that they are to blame for that. A person is entitled to walk where they wish, wearing whatever they wish, and factors these cannot be seen as being "contributory" to the crime of assault by any right-minded person.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65


    And no amount of exploding nuclear dick scissors hidden in sober vaginas is gonna change that.

    Wow, . . . yet they made you a moderator?


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    What you guys are implying is that all that is needed for a rape to happen is the opportunity. An easy target. Which is a pretty dim view of males. Then on the other side there's an implication that if a woman gets drunk and raped that it's more deserved because they didn't think to, for example, drink less. Which is a pretty dim view of females.

    A rapists is gonna rape. They create the easy targets. And no amount of exploding nuclear dick scissors hidden in sober vaginas is gonna change that.

    Associating a rape crime with car damage is fine though. Because women are things right?

    There's nothing "politically correct" about suggesting your point of view is wrong.
    Its not a dim view of males :rolleyes: If a girl is so drunk she cant walk it just takes her to come across one wrong person and she might get in trouble. All the woman in the article was saying is girls should try look after themselves and refrain from getting so drunk that they are targets to those creeps. If a girl is drunk and taken advantage of by a creep its still 100% not her fault but I think its best to try encourage young girls to not be in situations where it might be more dangerous for them.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,688 ✭✭✭storker


    Its not a dim view of males :rolleyes: If a girl is so drunk she cant walk it just takes her to come across one wrong person and she might get in trouble. All the woman in the article was saying is girls should try look after themselves and refrain from getting so drunk that they are targets to those creeps. If a girl is drunk and taken advantage of by a creep its still 100% not her fault but I think its best to try encourage young girls to not be in situations where it might be more dangerous for them.

    There's also the consideration that being drunk will not help someone's credibility if later they end up giving evidence in court.


  • Moderators, Music Moderators Posts: 35,945 Mod ✭✭✭✭dr.bollocko


    Its not a dim view of males :rolleyes:
    Zen65 wrote: »
    Wow, . . . yet they made you a moderator?
    Roman Diaz wrote: »
    Sweet Jesus, such tripe.

    Lolol.

    Believe it or not, throwing insults and then circle jerking some thanks amongst the same regulars does not actually make a solid counter-argument.

    There are no women I know of that don't alter their behaviour because of fear of rape in some way at some point. Focusing on the situation and this "she had it coming for drinking" mentality you guys are showing is shortsighted as saying "Most people who get raped leave the house. Responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house".


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  • Registered Users Posts: 8,247 ✭✭✭Maguined


    Lolol.

    Believe it or not, throwing insults and then circle jerking some thanks amongst the same regulars does not actually make a solid counter-argument.

    There are no women I know of that don't alter their behaviour because of fear of rape in some way at some point. Focusing on the situation and this "she had it coming for drinking" mentality you guys are showing is shortsighted as saying "Most people who get raped leave the house. Responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house".

    No one is displaying this mentality at all and your perversion of peoples points into this blatant lie is not a solid counter argument for yourself.


  • Registered Users Posts: 4,591 ✭✭✭blue note


    Lolol.

    Believe it or not, throwing insults and then circle jerking some thanks amongst the same regulars does not actually make a solid counter-argument.

    There are no women I know of that don't alter their behaviour because of fear of rape in some way at some point. Focusing on the situation and this "she had it coming for drinking" mentality you guys are showing is shortsighted as saying "Most people who get raped leave the house. Responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house".

    It's interesting that you say that all of the women you know alter their behaviour in some way due to fear of rape. You're villifying those on this thread that advise women that this is an unfortunate necessity - saying that this is victim blaming, etc.

    Are all the women you know wrong to alter their behaviour in any way? if they tell their friend to get a taxi home after a night out are they saying it will be their fault if they get raped if they walk instead?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,372 ✭✭✭LorMal


    Lolol.

    Believe it or not, throwing insults and then circle jerking some thanks amongst the same regulars does not actually make a solid counter-argument.

    There are no women I know of that don't alter their behaviour because of fear of rape in some way at some point. Focusing on the situation and this "she had it coming for drinking" mentality you guys are showing is shortsighted as saying "Most people who get raped leave the house. Responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house".

    Can you point out where anyone has said this? I am late to this debate so I may have missed it.


  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted this morning at approx 2.30 am in ronanstown.

    She was cycling alone, I suppose women need to face the facts between cycling alone and rape too??


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65


    "Responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house".

    Actually, that's really bad advice on any level.

    Firstly, women who are victims of sexual assault are most likely (60%+) to be assaulted by someone they know. In over 40% of cases (from memory of UK Metropolitan Police stats) the assault is carried out by their partner or other close family member. Spending her life at home makes a woman more vulnerable, not less.

    I teach self-defence, including women's self-defence. I've spent years researching the topic, I've met and spoken to victims and I know how difficult it is for them to face the world after such trauma. Without blaming themselves, most victims consider the advice to drink only in moderation as sensible advice. Sadly, many victims (male and female) do blame themselves because of their state of intoxication at the time.

    I know this is the AH forum, but if the only contribution you can make to a topic this serious is crude references to exploding scissors in women's bodies then really I'd suggest you should stick to your music fora where you're views are less harmful.

    Nobody here has suggested the sort of liberty-restricting precautions that you have spoken of. It's a fact that women who, for whatever reason, are confined to their homes often suffer the worst abuse. Limiting the intake of alcohol (or drugs) is good advice for both genders and is a significant risk reduction strategy, especially in circumstances where there is limited support available, and especially for women where the consequences of vulnerability can be greater.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 20,559 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    The good intention gets lost in these discussions.

    Rape isn't usually about sex and it's usually about power. Being vulnerable makes you more likely to be raped. Being drunk makes you vulnerable.

    Obviously the onus is on men not to rape. I respect that a woman has every right to do exactly as she pleases but a rapist will not.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,630 ✭✭✭Zen65


    bubblypop wrote: »
    A woman was allegedly sexually assaulted this morning at approx 2.30 am in ronanstown.

    She was cycling alone, I suppose women need to face the facts between cycling alone and rape too??

    What facts would those be?

    We know almost nothing about this case except that a woman has been left traumatised as a result of a cowardly and evil act by men. Even by the standards of AH it's inappropriate to speculate or moralise about it.

    If you want to debate whether there is merit in taking precautions against crime, then fire away; we're reading. If you want to make jibes at the expense of a woman who has suffered at the hands of men, maybe this isn't the country for you.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 3,372 ✭✭✭LorMal


    As usual on Boards, there are a number of posters taking offence about an argument nobody is actually positing.

    Despite all the sarcastic counterpoints such as 'responsible women should limit their risk of getting sexually assaulted by not leaving the house' and 'I suppose women need to face the facts between cycling alone and rape too' I don't believe anyone here is actually suggesting women deserve to be raped or are in any way responsible for being raped as a result of drinking too much.

    All the self righteousness is a pity, because there is a point being missed. A couple of years ago my 16 year old son got completely wasted on vodka and ended up aimlessly wandering the streets having missed his bus home - out of his skull. It was a terrifying experience because he left himself wide open to being harmed. Luckily I found him after a couple of hours frantically searching the streets.

    If he had been mugged, beaten up or worse, it would not have been his fault. However, I really hope he will not leave himself that vulnerable to harm again through getting so drunk that he cannot take care of himself.

    Likewise, I have tried to instill the same caution in my daughter who is of similar age. nobody is victim blaming here - simply making the point that completely irresponsible behaviour will make you vulnerable to the evil bastards out there.


  • Posts: 18,749 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    Zen65 wrote: »
    What facts would those be?

    We know almost nothing about this case except that a woman has been left traumatised as a result of a cowardly and evil act by men. Even by the standards of AH it's inappropriate to speculate or moralise about it.

    If you want to debate whether there is merit in taking precautions against crime, then fire away; we're reading. If you want to make jibes at the expense of a woman who has suffered at the hands of men, maybe this isn't the country for you.

    The same FACTS that link drinking and rape.

    IE, none.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    Zen65 wrote: »
    What facts would those be?

    We know almost nothing about this case except that a woman has been left traumatised as a result of a cowardly and evil act by men. Even by the standards of AH it's inappropriate to speculate or moralise about it.

    If you want to debate whether there is merit in taking precautions against crime, then fire away; we're reading. If you want to make jibes at the expense of a woman who has suffered at the hands of men, maybe this isn't the country for you.

    If you look at some of the comments online there are plenty in the "what was she doing out on her own at that time of night" vein. It's taking focus away from the rapists and onto the woman and her behaviour. I don't want to live in a society where I have to assess every risky behaviour with an assessment of how likely I am to be raped.


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