Rape Does Not Alter the Victim’s Status!

Vijendira Rao:

Welcome to Chowk. You have picked a good topic and I believe that you meant well. It took me some time to figure it out but I take it that you are against porn and firmly believe that it is degrading to women.

There is no doubt that pornography increases the “objectification” of the women but the conclusion that the media and especially internet is somehow responsible for the increase in the incidence of rape is, however, debatable. The common belief, that Porn is the theory; rape is the practice, though shared by many remains unproven.

We would have seen a rise in the incidence of rape on a logarithmic scale with the pervasiveness of the internet considering that more than half of the internet traffic is porn related. That certainly is not the case.

Contrary to what might be expected, studies have shown that there is a negative correlation between pornography and sexual criminal behavior.

In fact, a study done by Robert A. Baron and Donn Byrne in 1984 shows a decline in the number of sexual crimes.



A good review on this topic is available at: http://www.asc.upenn.edu/usr/chunter/porn_effects.html

Regards

Nauman Nisar

Rao, I am left confused with this. Still have to figure out your position. Think you are being unclear.

Rao, I am left confused with this. Still have to figure out your position. Think you are being unclear.

I really wish you`d write straight English! Its difficult to reach your argument, given the fact that its clothed in layers and layers of hard to decipher words and usages.

As far as rape goes you seem to hold technology responsible. Also, you point out that these days there is only stimulation and no outlet. I think you are wrong on both counts. Technology can`t be blamed for social ills. As humans we use technology and not the other way round. Further, the bit about stimulation - what`s so new about it anyway!

A thought. The increasing reportage of rape and other sexual crimes, whatever be the reason, more eye-balls, hits, (were you ruled by similar considerations?!!!), could fulfil one function. Help women come out in the open and confront the issue.

All said and done, thought-wise you are on the right track. BTW, are you from Hyderabad?

regards

Dear Sir,

I agree with this part of your article.
``Media projection of the female species fixates her role: to bodily pleasure outsourcing. Salacious after salacious film, lascivious after lascivious channel, lewd after lewd portal, bawdy after bawdy magazine all render woman to a uni-functional organism. A gadget of sexual gratification. A faceless being whose existence is fulfilled by the appropriateness of the size of her vital organs. ``

I can`t agree with the rest of it, because it seems as if you are saying, in very flowery and ornate English language, that the cyber-revolution is responsible for rapes and other crimes against women. Guess you must not be having much knowledge of history then, otherwise you would have us to beileve that the rapes have started after Mark Anderesen (haha). Also, if what you are saying is true, then the crimes against women must be highest in the developed countries like the US and Europe where the internet penetration and freedom of the expression is highest. Third world countries would be the best place for women, because hardly anyone is watching the porn on the net there!

I think you are biased against the technology, at the most what has happened is that cyber cafes have come up in the rural and urban areas and provided more income to earlier guys who were running only STD/ISD booths. Since you seem to be very clever with big words I will not argue with your views, but this is my honest opinion, thank you for listening.

I think your intentions were good and you meant to say that society is rather cavalier in its attitude towards rape and it shouldnt be that way considering what a trauma is for the victim. But what came across was what shoresahib and temporal pointed out - i.e. you think:
1. women are inferior
2. women are responsible for rape
3. more women get raped today because of media and tech
4. rape is no big deal
and none of those conclusions really hold water.

What is this?
Flowery sentence upon flowery sentence! The wordiness of the damn essay detracts severely from the premise if there is one. The concluding sentence:

``Rape does not really alter the victim’s status. She was a non-entity even earlier.``

No my dear, A woman is not a non-entity, never was, and never will be. It is some men`s thinking that makes her so.

You make such sweeping generalizations and assumptions in this article. Rapes have been taking place since men had hard-on`s, a lack of impulse control, and the need to dominate.

Social Scientists in the United States have long rejected a link between pornography and rape.

Your premise is flawed!

By blaming rapes on firstly pornography and secondly, increased exposure of sexual titilation in the media, you remove the personal responsibilty from men for their actions.
So its actually women, and the visual appeal of their sexuality that is the cause of rape.

Such a lame excuse. Why did the Taliban force their women into non-descript shuttlecock Burqas? Because they presented the same idiotic reasoning as you do. Women are a cause of sexual titilation for men, and thus must be placed beyond four walls or under a billowing tent.

It is the need to dominate women, and the sexually perverted convultions of men`s minds that are the primary causes of rape and not your far fetched ludicrous theories.

hamzaad:

your unabashed expressions of admiration for my comments is acknowledged

but

not reciporcated!

have a nice and safe weekend

t

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vijendra:

welcome to chowk!

In fact, rape is no violation (else, societal response to it would be more proactive and corrective).

wrong on both counts!

Rape does not really alter the victim’s status.

wrong again!....it does unalterably... more so in desi context...even more so in pakistani context

She was a non-entity even earlier.

so nothing has changed, really

the muslim historians use a word chattel to describe the status of women in the times of jahiliya the dark ages before the advent of islam...in reality judging from events in pakistan she still is a glorified chattel...

rgds

t

Dear Rao,

Your observation and analysis is beyond superb!

Congratulations on hitting the nail right on the head.

Best wishes.