Beth Benoit wrote:
If there ARE things we can teach women to do to help them
avoid date rape, should we opt NOT to
teach them, so that we don't tread on
the hallowed ground of victim-blaming?
This seems to be sophistic, at best.
The problem with the Plotnik text as presented was not that it provided
some practical advice on situations that can put individuals at risk for
date rape. Rather, the problem with the text was that this was all
that was presented. It did not include any statements or advice or
research related to the rapist's behavior and responsibilities.
Additionally, some of the conclusions were hypotheses at best. This information needs to be presented appropriately considering the number of studies cited and the nature of the design strategies underlying the cited studies (as pointed out by Diana Kyle). Otherwise, someone having studied this text and then becomes the victim of date rape may assume it was their fault - "If I had only behaved differently. Maybe, I didn't say "no" often or assertively enough. I should have seen some sort of sign. My psychology text says that date rape is avoidable - this must have been my fault." Perhaps, there might be some truth to these self recriminations . . . perhaps, there is absolutely no truth to the self recriminations. Ultimately, the individual who was raped is the victim and the person who rapes is the perpetrator and this should determine responsibility. Women (and men) who have been raped often blame themselves and as written, the text in question appears to add to this misattribution of responsibility. Unfortunately, this may impact whether a rape victim reports the crime (non-reporting places others at future risk) and whether the individual receives the treatment/support that they need.
Finally, we could develop a list additional risks factors related to rape. For example, living alone, opening first floor windows, living in a first floor apartment, going out at night (also potentially early evening and early morning), taking a walk in the park, driving with your car windows down, going to large parties, drinking, living in a "high risk" neighborhood, going to bars alone, parking in a parking garage, going to the mall alone at night, hiking or biking alone, letting repairmen into your home when alone, teaching night classes, etc. etc. etc.
Obviously, even if an individual avoids every possible risk, they may still be raped. Thus, women (and men) do need to learn to take steps to insure their safety. But, ultimately if an individual is raped, the rapist is the one who is responsible for the crime.
Looking forward to an interesting
discussion, without too much venom.
Well, I haven't seen the venom yet but I did see a snake earlier in the park! I hope that you are not getting any venom backchannel.
Warm regards,
linda (who had a great time in the park today with a friend but regrets
that she can never go hiking alone in the Missouri backwoods because the
risk is too great - sigh.)
--
linda m. woolf, ph.d.
associate professor - psychology
webster university
main webpage: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/
Holocaust and genocide studies pages: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/holocaust.html
womens' pages: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/women.html
gerontology pages: http://www.webster.edu/~woolflm/gero.html
