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The Growing Terror of RapeAwake!—1980 | July 8
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The Growing Terror of Rape
RAPE! Perhaps it frightens you so much, or you find it so distasteful, that you are reluctant to read about it. If so, and if you are a woman, you may be the type of person who especially needs to think about the matter. We say this because of the way rapists go about picking their victims.
“A potential rapist looks for a woman who is vulnerable to attack,” explains James Selkin, director of the Center for the Study of Violence at Denver General Hospital. Gene G. Abel, a professor of psychiatry, describes such a vulnerable person: “Most rapists are seeking a startled, stunned, passive woman who submits sexually with minimal resistance.”
Threatened by a rapist, would you be that type of woman? How would you react?
How Most Victims React
Understandably, a woman faced with the threat of rape may be terrified. In fact, two Boston College professors, after interviews with 80 rape victims, noted: “The primary reaction of almost all women to the rape was fear.” And the problem is that such fear can be paralyzing.
The illustration was given by a rape victim: “Did you ever see a rabbit stuck in the glare of your headlights when you were going down a road at night? Transfixed—like it knew it was going to get it—that’s what happened.”
Often coupled with the fear is confusion and uncertainty. For example, a 19-year-old explained: “I never physically fought him off in any way, partly because I was frightened, mostly because in my naïveté I thought a girl has to do what she’s told. . . . I was overwhelmingly confused and defenseless against the whole suddenness.”
She reacted as many others have under similar circumstances. She submitted. Few are prepared to resist—to resist for all they are worth. Elizabeth R. Dobell, writing in the magazine Seventeen, made the surprising revelation: “In only one of the 4,057 rape cases reported in New York City in 1974 was there an act of resistance. . . . Profound terror in the face of physical threats simply renders most women helpless.”
Would a rapist be able to intimidate you to submit to him? How would you resist? Do you know?
Need to Learn How to Resist
Some advisers may tell you not to resist, especially if the rapist has a weapon. It is best, they say, to let the man have his way and thus avoid further harm. But is this counsel wise?
“I think that [it] is totally wrong,” says Frank Lena, a teacher of Rape Self-Defense courses in American high schools. “I teach these girls that if you let a guy rape you out of fear, he just may kill you when he’s done so you can’t identify him later.” Other experts say the same thing, urging women to resist.
Yet the problem of how to resist is a very real one. “We’re afraid,” observed one woman, “because we have no confidence in ourselves. . . . We hope it doesn’t happen. And when it does, we don’t know what to do.”
But conditions in many places make it important for you, as a woman, to learn. You need to learn to react to a potential rapist in a way that might be totally different from what you would do under other circumstances.
A Real Threat Today?
“But really,” you may ask, “aren’t rapes relatively rare? Isn’t being raped a rather remote possibility?”
Looking at certain rape statistics, a person could assume so. In 1933 only 4,930 rape cases were reported in the United States. By 1962, although the number had increased to 16,310, not that many women seemed to be affected.
However, in the next 16 years reported rapes leaped more than fourfold, to 67,131 in 1978. And during the first nine months of last year they rose another 9 percent. Rape is the fastest growing crime in America. Yet reported rapes give little idea of the extent of the threat faced by women today.
This is because the vast majority of rapes are not reported to authorities. Many victims are embarrassed to do so. They may fear skepticism and suspicion about their claim of being raped, or just desire to preserve their privacy. Some fear what their family may say or do. Others feel it simply is not worth the bother, since only about 2 percent of all rapists are convicted and jailed.
Investigations indicate a staggering number of rapes. Generally the figure is estimated to be from three to five times the reported number. Time magazine said: “Some analysts claim as many as 500,000 people a year are attacked by rapists.” According to the book How to Protect Yourself from Crime, “There are estimates which indicate that as many as 90 per cent of all rapes are not reported.”
So more than 1,000 women a day may be the victims of rape in the United States alone! And this number does not include most of the 60,000 children who are sexually abused annually.
Yet rape is by no means an American problem. Sexual violence is also increasing in South America, Africa and Europe.
Why has rape become such a problem today? What causes men to rape?
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Why Does It Happen?Awake!—1980 | July 8
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Why Does It Happen?
INCREASINGLY, men are raping women. “On college campuses there are so many rape incidents,” observes the book Against Rape, “some large schools have put anti-rape measures into effect. At one Midwestern university an escort service was established. Women then reported being raped by the men who volunteered as escorts.”
Rape is nothing new. The Bible tells about the rape of Jacob’s daughter and David’s daughter thousands of years ago. But why has such conduct become so commonplace today?—Gen. 34:1, 2; 2 Sam. 13:1-14.
A Rape Mentality
The way many men today view women is an important factor. They seem to think that the chief function of women is to provide sexual pleasure for men. The tremendous spread of pornography is a factor in such mentality. The phrase “piece of meat” is even used to describe a woman. The mentality that prompts such speech also is the mentality of a person who could rape.
Youngsters often are raised in an environment where they learn these attitudes. Young boys are taught that aggression and violence prove virility and masculinity. And girls learn to play hard to get, in effect, to tease men. Commenting about this, a counselor at a rape center in Chicago claimed: “Rape is the logical consequence of the way men and women are taught to treat each other.”
Sexual confusion in a boy’s formative years is also a factor in some men’s becoming rapists. Some female relatives, by treating boys as sexual playthings, have contributed to their having aggressive feelings toward women. One study of 200 convicted sex offenders in the United States revealed that 44 percent of them had slept with their mothers in the same bed, and that the mothers had behaved in a sexual way toward them.
Change in Modern Life-Styles
The fact that women are getting out and competing with men, becoming increasingly “equal,” is pointed to by some as another reason for the increase of rapes in America. Camille E. LeGrand, a California lawyer, says that rape is a way, consciously or unconsciously, of men ‘keeping women in their place’ by showing men’s continued strength and power over women.
The greater freedom of movement of modern women in itself exposes them more to rape. Psychologist Carolyn J. Hursch explains: “There are more rapes because there are more women out doing things. Fifty years ago there hardly was a woman out alone at night without a man. Today, that is obviously quite common.”
Also, more women today are putting themselves into rape situations. A popular TV commercial shows a woman alone at home inviting a male acquaintance over to her apartment for an alcoholic drink. She explains to viewers that to do so now is “downright upright.” And since the Bible’s standards of morality have been discarded by so many persons, the stage is set for women, in such a situation, to be forced, against their will, to have sexual relations.
“Date Rape”
The above expression may seem strange to many, yet it is appropriate. One authority estimates that “35 percent of rapes” occur in the dating situation; another, that “the vast majority” do. Thus the description “date rape.”
In a survey of 1,070 rapes, sociologist Pauline Bart of the University of Illinois reports that 59 percent were by men the victims knew. Pointing to the problem, the Toronto Star observed: “In many cases where a woman is sexually assaulted, it’s by someone she knows, she liked and trusted prior to the assault. In about half the cases, she found his initial sexual advance acceptable.”
Why, then, the rape?
Basically, it is because the woman dates a man who doesn’t respect the Bible’s moral standards. Dating has become a sort of “game” with many, rather than a means of seeking a suitable marriage mate. In such a dating situation, some men “misread” women. “They think if a woman has a drink with them that it’s OK to have intercourse with them,” explains psychiatrist Gene G. Abel. An invitation to her apartment, or by her accepting one to his, may mean to the man that the woman is willing to have sexual relations, even though when it actually comes to following through she says, “No!” and tries to get away.
Violence and Sex
There is debate over just what prompts a man to rape. It is commonly assumed that it is to satisfy sexual passion. But some say that often more is involved. A team of Boston College researchers reported: “Rape is a pseudo-sexual act, a pattern of sexual behavior that is concerned much more with status, aggression, control, and dominance than with sensual pleasure or sexual satisfaction.”
Sides often are drawn very sharply in the debate. A newspaper columnist expressed the view of many: “Rape is not a crime of lust—it is a crime of violence.” No doubt some rapes are principally crimes of violence, with the motivation being to hurt women, dominate them, ‘keep them in their place.’ Yet the arousal of a man’s sexual desire—whether the woman intended this or not—also is a major reason why many men force women to have sex relations with them.
Interest in this matter prompted Donna Vali, a Los Angeles sociologist and criminologist, to send questionnaires to 645 psychiatrists. She asked such questions as: “If a female wishes to avoid being a sex-crime victim, would it be wise for her to consider what her clothing and actions might be saying as interpreted by males?” Also, “Are bikinis, tight sweaters, short skirts, low necklines and the no-bra fad among styles which might attract the consideration of a potential sex criminal?”
A total of 88 percent of the psychiatrists answered, “Yes,” to the first question, and 62 percent, “Yes,” to the second one. Vali commented: “Resentment against women is often given as the motivation [for rape]. This resentment is often the result of being teased by revealing clothes, then rejected if he tries to follow through on what looked to him like a come-on.”
Obviously, since both women in their 80’s and small children are victims, clothing is just one factor of many that can contribute to rape. But regardless of the factors involved, there can be no excuse for a man’s forcing a woman to submit to sexual relations.
Failure to Punish Offenders
Yet another reason for the rapid increase in rape is the failure of the courts to punish offenders. According to the Associated Press: “Police in Seattle received 308 reports of rapes last year, but only six persons were convicted.” Only about 2 percent of rapists are convicted and jailed. The rest go free. As the Bible says: “Because sentence against a bad work has not been executed speedily, that is why the heart of the sons of men has become fully set in them to do bad.”—Eccl. 8:11.
Even convicted rapists are soon released, to rape again. “Turnstile justice is a hackneyed term—but that’s what it is,” observed one police officer.
A Sign of the Times
So rape and other crimes are increasing at a faster and faster rate, creating a violent, sex-mad world in which it is almost too dangerous to live. Significantly, the Bible says “the last days” of this system of things would be “critical times hard to deal with” because men would be “fierce, without love of goodness.” Thus the unprecedented increase in rape is just another evidence that we are living in a most significant time foretold in Bible prophecy.—2 Tim. 3:1-5.
Authors of a book dealing with rape prevention noted: “Some people, reading over our advice, will say that it verges on paranoia. . . . But paranoia is a necessary part of survival. When you consider our society, paranoia is to be expected. You shouldn’t be ashamed of it, or try to deny it, but, rather, you should deal with it.”
What can you do? How can you protect yourself from rape?
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How You Can Protect YourselfAwake!—1980 | July 8
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How You Can Protect Yourself
AS UNPLEASANT as thinking about rape may be, the experience itself can be absolutely terrifying. And since, as we noted in the previous article, we are living in “the last days” of this system of things, we may well expect that the number of such experiences will continue to increase.
This means that you, as a woman, need to know how to protect yourself. For one thing, it is important to know what circumstances often lead to rape.
Resisting in Dating Situations
Many girls are raped while on a date. Typically, the couple engage in kissing, perhaps even petting. Then the man, sexually aroused, wants more. But the girl doesn’t want to go any farther. The man presses the issue, and the girl, intimidated and confused, submits. As a 17-year-old explained:
“I was sedate, demure, humble, submissive—and a virgin. . . . On our last date he pushed me in the back of his car and held me. I just gave up.”
Why are girls often so easily raped? Their first mistake is to date men who fail to hold to the Bible’s moral standards. And their second is to allow themselves to be maneuvered into a compromising situation. They may not want to seem concerned or to look foolish by taking a strong position against the man’s early advances. But in a rape-prevention manual for women, the authors urge: “You have to be blunt, make a stand, perhaps even look foolish. You will undoubtedly lose a suitor, which in this case would be no loss.”
Going on, these authors say: “Once you start to play along with the situation, you’re trapped. The point is not to start, to stay clear of the entire matter.” Yes, girls need to understand fully the effect of getting started with preliminary sex play, such as kissing. Frederic Straska, who has spent years investigating rape, said of a victim who had engaged in kissing:
“The next mistake [Gayle] made was to assume that ‘kissing isn’t that important, is it?’ Kissing is a very potent sexual activity all by itself. The upper lip is one of the most sensuous areas of the body. Either a man or a woman could be as enticed sexually by passionate kissing as by fondling direct sexual areas of the body. . . .
“From Mike’s standpoint, Gayle was leading him on, teasing him. She may not have meant to. She probably didn’t. But that’s what he perceived. That’s what most men would have perceived in a similar situation. By allowing as much as she did, by putting up no convincing stop signals, Gayle led Mike to what, for him, was the point of no return.”
Parents can do much to protect their daughters. They should get to know well the young men with whom their daughters keep company. Do these youths respect God’s moral requirements? Do they apply them in their lives? If so, there should not be a problem. But if a young man has been able to disguise his true motivations, the girl needs to take a bold stand, letting him know that by no means will she submit to him.
There are many things a girl can do to resist. When the improper intentions of her date became apparent, one girl did what others have also found effective. She turned her head away from him, stuck her finger down her throat, turned back and vomited on him. Immediately his passion was quenched; he was sympathetic, concerned about her health, and took her home.
Resisting Others You Know
Other persons you know may also be potential rapists, including your own relatives, neighbors, relatives of your girl friends, and so forth. To protect yourself, it is vital to be aware. It’s not that we should be suspicious of every relative and friend who hugs us or otherwise shows us affection or attention. But remember, every rapist is somebody’s relative or friend.
While visiting relatives, a 15-year-old was raped by her cousin when others were not around. A 17-year-old was raped when she accepted an invitation to the apartment of her sister-in-law’s brother. It is being done all the time—by people the girls knew and often trusted. Surprised, shocked, confused, many girls, sadly, prove easy victims, often raising the question, even in the minds of their own parents, as to whether they were not willing participants.
Properly, a girl in such a situation will resist boldly. Some have successfully avoided rape by doing all sorts of vulgar and repulsive things to make themselves unattractive and unfeminine. Also, what one says can turn off a potential rapist.
A 14-year-old baby-sitter was being taken home by the child’s father. On the way he turned off the road into a secluded area. He began touching and fondling her, then started stripping off her clothes. At that she stopped struggling and said: “You know, Mr. Jones, in nine or ten years this could be happening to your little girl.” That stopped him cold. He apologized and even wept.
Take Precautions
“Prevention is the key,” one police officer says. “I maintain that 95 percent of all rapes could have been avoided.” You need to think about possible consequences of your actions.
For example, the practice of hitchhiking places women in a vulnerable situation. According to the results from questionnaires provided by two rape researchers, the majority of the women raped by men whom they did not know had been hitchhiking at the time of the rape. Neither is it wise to pick up a hitchhiker.
Similarly, inviting into your home a man whom you don’t know well can lead to your being raped. Perhaps it’s a man you hired to do yard work, and you want to give him something to drink. Or it may be a man that knocks on your door desiring to make an “emergency” phone call. Wisely, take the drink outside to the man, or make the call for the one who needs help. Especially if you live where crime is rampant, don’t permit strangers inside your home when you are alone!
Also, guard the security of your home with adequate locks on doors and windows. Since living alone exposes one to greater danger, if you do you might think about getting a roommate.
If you are a parent, you need to consider your daughters who may be home after school before you arrive. Exercise care that a daughter is not there alone with a boy other than her brother, or in a situation where she may be the only female in a group. Discuss rape prevention with your daughters, as well as how to resist an attack.
Wisely, draw your blinds when dressing or undressing. Don’t walk around your home scantily attired so that those from the outside can see you. One woman did that. A neighbor viewed this as an invitation. One evening he came to her apartment. She let him in, and he raped her.
If you can at all avoid it, don’t travel alone at night. Even though rapists generally choose women 16 to 24 years of age, don’t assume you won’t be a target because of being much older, or much younger. Remember, even children and women in their 80’s are sometimes attacked. And since sexy attire is a factor in some rapes, it is wise to dress modestly.
New York City policewoman Mary Keefe gave insight regarding precautions to take when she described how rapists often operate, saying: “He usually chooses a late hour (8 P.M. to 4 A.M. are the hours of highest incidence), or a lonely, deserted place—a shortcut, a vacant lot, a laundry room.”
Yet, despite the precautions you take, suppose one day you are confronted with a rapist. What should you do?
Resisting Strangers
In one word, resist! Don’t be intimidated. As policewoman Mary Keefe said: “Once the unsuspecting woman has been accosted, the potential rapist tests her to make sure she can be intimidated so that he will have little trouble having her comply with his demands.”
So make it clear that you positively will not submit. Right at the outset, let him know that it won’t be easy if he tries anything with you. This is what experts say. Psychologist James Selkin urges:
“It is important that a woman resist at the very beginning of the attack, when the assailant first makes his intentions known. At this point he has not committed a serious crime, and it’s easier for him to look for a more cooperative victim than to struggle to overcome one who has already shattered his hopes for a smooth sex-fantasy trip.”
Professor Gene G. Abel says:
“To prevent rape, a woman should convey in a firm, unequivocal manner using brisk, assertive language that under no circumstances will she permit intercourse and that unless the rapist leaves immediately he will be in trouble. The rapist must see her as a difficult, aggressive opponent, not a cowering, passive individual groping for a response to his threat of rape.”
Firm resistance at the outset really works. A woman had the following experience in New York city:
“I had been shopping and came home around 9 P.M. and was going into the building where I lived. As usual I checked out the elevator before entering. All was clear. But when I got to the 4th floor, the elevator door was pulled open. A man had run up the stairs to catch me on the 4th floor, and I hadn’t seen him. He got in and started to come toward me, saying that he wouldn’t hurt me if I would have relations with him.
“Before he could progress any further, I said to him without anger, ‘You must be crazy to ask me to do a thing like that. Don’t you know that I’m a Christian and that would be wrong for me to do? I don’t do things like that. And besides, I’m on my way home to my family because they are waiting for me.’
“He then answered, ‘OK, OK, OK, don’t be angry, and please don’t scream. I’m going.’ So he got off at the 5th floor and ran down the stairs to get away from me.”
But someone may ask: ‘What if the man has a knife or a gun? Isn’t it dangerous to resist?’ She is the one to decide what she will do. But Susan Brownmiller, a leading spokesperson on the subject of rape, observes in her book Against Our Will:
“Despite the popular myths of male violence and the alleged safety in submission, it has never been demonstrated that resistance on the part of a rape victim in an attempt to escape ‘provokes’ an assailant to commit an act of murder.”
On the other hand, resistance has time and again saved women from being raped, and even killed. The rapist-murderer Albert DeSalvo, known as the “Boston Strangler,” chose women he could intimidate. A waitress who resisted him, biting his finger to the bone, and keeping up a loud, sustained scream, was neither raped nor killed. He fled from her in anger and confusion.
Weapons to Use
To what extent may a woman resist? May she properly inflict damage on her assailant? Indeed she may, as did the waitress mentioned above. And if the attack continues, she may use any means at her disposal to resist intercourse. A woman may talk to her husband or father or a trusted friend to get advice on defensive measures. Some women have been able to incapacitate their attacker with a well-placed blow. Even if a woman is not a strong fighter, she has a powerful weapon that she can use.
This weapon is her voice. Screaming has proved to be an effective method of deterring a rapist. Interestingly, an Israelite girl in ancient times was obligated to scream if attacked.—Deut. 22:23-27.
The power of a scream was illustrated when a woman was called on in a radio script to scream. She had never done so before. When she finally cut loose with all her might, the stunned group reacted: “Please don’t ever do that again!” It had actually frightened them. Just for practice, try sometime screaming with all the energy you can muster. Keep in mind that you have available this powerful weapon, and use it if need be.
Relief at Hand
It is indeed sad that most women today, and even some men, face the threat of sexual assault. The violence in the world is like a spreading plague. Pretending that it doesn’t exist only increases the possibility of your being a victim. So, wisely, face the problem. Take precautions. And, if assaulted, do all in your power to resist.
Happily, the time is near at hand when such problems will no longer exist on earth. For this promise of God is soon to be fulfilled: “Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Ps. 37:10, 11.
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