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From: linda@amdcad.UUCP (Linda Seltzer)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Rape (The nature of reality)
Message-ID: <4251@amdcad.UUCP>
Date: Sat, 21-Sep-85 15:17:02 EDT
Article-I.D.: amdcad.4251
Posted: Sat Sep 21 15:17:02 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Sep-85 06:28:54 EDT
References: <25100002@smu> <25100003@smu> <2569@sun.uucp> <761@masscomp.UUCP> <1652@watdcsu.UUCP>
Organization: AMDCAD, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 31
Summary: 82-year old woman raped in a CA nursing home could she have prevented it?

In article <1652@watdcsu.UUCP>, dmcanzi@watdcsu.UUCP (David Canzi) writes:
> In article <532@h-sc1.UUCP> desjardins@h-sc1.UUCP (marie desjardins) writes:
> >> Any statement to the effect that women can do something about rape is
> >> always automatically interpreted by somebody as "blaming the victim."
> >> Saying that women can do something about rape does in fact imply some
> >> responsibility on their part.  This is not the same as saying that
> >> when a woman who has made some effort to avoid rape gets raped anyway,
> >> that it's her fault.
> >
> Women as a class can only protect themselves as a class by acting as a
> class.  In the meantime, until this marvelous global consensus is
> reached, women can only protect themselves individually.  Those who do
> are less likely to be victims.  For your purposes, my conclusions are
> inadequate.  This doesn't make them false.  If the truth is inadequate,
> it is still the truth.
> 
> If you're talking about ending sexism, be aware that this is definitely
> not a weekend project.  While working towards this goal, shorter-term
> rape avoidance techniques will be necessary.
> 
It as reported last week that the state of California fined a nursing home
because an 82 year old woman was raped there.  She died several hours
later, and homicide charges were being considered as part of the
investigation.

Now, what could this woman have done to prevent rape?  Stayed home?
(That's where she was).  Stayed with others? (nursing homes are supposed to
have caretakers).  Worn less provocative clothing? (than the haute
couture of San Jose nursing homes).

					Linda Seltzer