Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83 SMI; site sun.uucp Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!akgua!mcnc!decvax!decwrl!sunny From: sunny@sun.uucp (Sunny Kirsten) Newsgroups: net.women Subject: rape Message-ID: <1711@sun.uucp> Date: Wed, 26-Sep-84 11:18:00 EDT Article-I.D.: sun.1711 Posted: Wed Sep 26 11:18:00 1984 Date-Received: Sun, 30-Sep-84 01:05:33 EDT Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. Lines: 19 Re: psychological rape: Since the difference between sex and rape is consent, and presumably in many rapes the woman is still protesting the rape as sex is forced on her, in the situation where the man so intimidates the woman that she fears grave bodily injury or death by protesting, she may verbally consent to sex in reply to psychological rape (mental coercion) to prevent that bodily harm. Thus the entire experience remains rape in her mind, even though after some threshold she has verbally acquiesced to sex in order to prevent harm. Imagine, e.g. a 5'2" 100lb woman up against a 250lb 6'6" hunk. Sheer terror. No conceivable way for her to physically resist. If he seems intent despite protest, it can be safer to acquiese than to fight. There doesn't have to be ANY physical struggle involved at all...she knows it won't work to resist. Therefore the "violence" of the rape is conducted on a psychological level. Many seem to have indicated that physical violence is required to constitute rape. Sunny -- {ucbvax,decvax,ihnp4}!sun!sunny (Sunny :-> Kirsten of Sun Microsystems Inc.)