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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!rayssd!hxe
From: hxe@rayssd.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Is this rape?
Message-ID: <532@rayssd.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 10-Oct-84 14:21:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: rayssd.532
Posted: Wed Oct 10 14:21:14 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 11-Oct-84 07:04:30 EDT
References: <10400011@acf4.UUCP>, <10400012@acf4.UUCP>
Organization: Raytheon Co., Portsmouth RI
Lines: 35

Excuse me, I know this discussion has gone on for a long time,
but I have to interject.

Re. all the talk about the woman in the New Bedford rape having
originally consented to intercourse and then changing her mind
'midstream', as it were: JUST WHERE DID YOU GET THIS INFORMATION?????

I live in the area and I followed this case quite closely and it was
*never* (and I repeat *never*) determined that she consented at any
time.  It was, in fact, *alleged* by the only defendant who actually
admitted to having sex of any kind with her, but his testimony was
questionable at best.

I think we're back to an age-old question, which has been answered
many times on this net and will be answered (again) by me:
"When does No not mean No?"  "Never."   This applies to more than
just sex, mind you, but it seems to garner the more emotional reactions
when it is applied to sex (more specifically, women/girls saying no to
sex with men/boys).

I know that men have a real fear of being falsely accused of rape, but,
seriously, how many of you have actually known the type of woman you
think may do that?  If so, did you end up in bed with her?  That sort
of situation happens a lot more often in "True Story" than it does in
real life.  However, misinterpreting what may seem to be conflicting
signals and then "forging on ahead" even when the woman has said no,
seems to be a pretty smug "I know what you mean even though you're
not saying it" solution to the confusion.  When in doubt, why not
actually believe the woman?

This discussion has gone on long enough, and I haven't added anything
that hasn't been said hundreds of times before, so I'll retreat back
to my private mailing lists, where we actually say *new* things.

--Heather Emanuel {allegra, linus, decvax!brunix} rayssd!hxe