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Path: utzoo!watmath!saquigley
From: saquigley@watmath.UUCP (Sophie Quigley)
Newsgroups: net.women,net.singles
Subject: Re: Rape: The Unresolved Trauma
Message-ID: <10353@watmath.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 12-Dec-84 13:10:38 EST
Article-I.D.: watmath.10353
Posted: Wed Dec 12 13:10:38 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 13-Dec-84 01:14:52 EST
References: <1855@sun.uucp> <938@abnjh.UUCP> <466@wlcrjs.UUCP>
Organization: U of Waterloo, Ontario
Lines: 29
Xref: watmath net.women:3762 net.singles:4831



>It is unfortunate, but the only real deterent to a would-be rapist
>is the certainty of immediate mutilation or death at the hands of
>the intended victim.  A public confrontation after the rape is not
>quite the same thing.  An ounce of prevention is still worth
>more than consoling the victim after the fact.  Since few
>of us can afford armed guard escorts, the only solution that
>I see, is women willing to be responsible for their own
>protection.  The martial arts classes have been a step in the
>right diection, but no rapist will argue with a .45 .

>Jon Kaplowitz

Ah, but the confrontation is not a means to prevent one's own rape it is
1/ a means to prevent the same man from raping someone else by making
people aware that he is dangerous 2/ a way to get revenge which does
not involve prison or mutilation. 3/ a way to warn the public at large that
people can no longer expect to rape and get away with it.

I don't know whether public confrontation is a very powerful way to get
the message across about points 1/ and 3/, but I am sure that it
does get some message across to some people, and that's always useful.
I do think that 2/ is the main reason for public confrontation, and if
this kind of retribution helps the victim heal, then it is a good enough
reason to do it (since it is not violent).

Sophie Quigley
...!{clyde,ihnp4,decvax}!watmath!saquigley