This morning, the results of a red C poll on people’s attitude to rape in Ireland were revealed and they make for very bad reading. Very bad reading indeed.
For instance, 25% of people that were questioned believed that the victim was in some way responsible for the attack.
I just cannot believe this. If a woman is drunk or stoned or flirtatious or has had multiple sexual partners, then there is a strong chance that the Irish public feel she was just looking for it.
This is sad, sad, sad.
People need to be under no illusions. There is NO, repeat NO, justification for rape. It is an awful thing to do to another person. It is something that can leave a woman traumatised for the rest of her life. It is a crime of violence and the perpetrator should be taken out and castrated at the very least.
How on earth can people feel that a woman is sometimes asking for it or that her behaviour means that it is not such a bad auld thing to give her an auld rape.
Is that where we are in 2008? How did we get here? How did we get to the stage where the Irish public holds this opinion? Where was this attitude picked up?
I think it is somewhere to be found in the subjugation of women in Ireland’s recent past - you know, when women had to give up their jobs when they got married and when they had to mind the children and do what the husband said (love cherish and obey him, you know).
What is the attitude of the Irish people to the rape of a man? If he is drunk or stoned is he asking to be ass-raped by a bunch of other men? Does the Irish public think that this is OK?
Almost 33% of those surveyed thought a victim was in some way responsible for being raped if she flirted with a man or failed to say ‘no’ clearly.
One in three respondents holds this opinion. Well, those people are a disgrace and it is making my blood boil to read this survey.
Comments welcome.
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Follow-up comment rss or Leave a Trackback“Is that where we are in 2008? How did we get here? How did we get to the stage where the Irish public holds this opinion? Where was this attitude picked up?”
You seem to suggest that this survey represents a worsening situation? I’d be inclined to disagree - looking at more conservative societies, they seem to have a pretty routine habit of blaming rape victims for their experience. Given that Ireland used to be a far more conservative society than it is now, I’d speculate that if anything, these figures are lower than they would have been say, 40 or 50 years ago.
Some relatives of mine from North Kerry disgracefully defended a neighbour that had been convicted of rape by saying “sure it was only a touch of rape”!?!?!?!?!?
‘A touch of rape’? Would that be like a soupçon of death? My god, it’s like something my mother would say.
Look, it’s very simple, body autonomy. This is my body you don’t get to stick your dick in it if I”m wearing nipple clamps and nothing else, or if I’m drunk or if I’m stoned or if I’m married to you.
It’s no by default, not maybe. And unless I say yes, it stays no. Really what could be more simple? Same should apply a man or a child. If someone perpetrates a crime that person is the perpetrator, end of.
The truth is rapists don’t give a fuck for autonomy or rights, they couldn’t care less about feminism or the right to be able to move about freely and unmolested. They look for weakness and if they find it they will seize it.
You could be raped in your own home by a relative or you could be raped leaving a club and stumbling home three sheets to the wind-like we’ve all done- the act is the same, the violation is the same.
I wish folk would understand that.
Dave - you are probably right. still, it makes for disturbing reading.
Not as disturbing as your story Sliabh. That’s a horrible story. I guess it is how many people are seeing this - the survey just confirms what people are clearly thinking.
Couldn’t agree more fmc.
I don’t think Ireland is alone in this. I would wager the stats are comparable here in Canada as well.
I don’t trust those ’stats’ at all…