Some of you have doubtless been following the politically correct brouhaha over defense against rape, sparked by Miss Nevada’s comments about self-defense for women. Most of the liberal/progressive/feminist wing insisted that this was a terrible idea, and that the “rape culture” was to blame, and what was needed was “education for rapists” so that they wouldn’t do it any more. (YGTBSM!!!)
Needless to say, such a ridiculous suggestion attracted multiple fiskings from the usual suspects. Blog buddy and best-selling author Larry Correia wrote one of his brilliant debunkings of the loony left, which attracted sturm und drang from them and hysterical laughter from those of us on his side. He was then attacked for being all sorts of things that he isn’t, and responded in his usual delicate, shy, retiring manner (NOT!). Most recently, Michael Z. Williamson, another author buddy, has weighed in with some sound common sense on the subject.
My main problem with those who talk about a “rape culture” and blather on about the need for “education for rapists” (by which they mean any man, because in their eyes we’re all at least potential – if not incipient – rapists by definition) is that they have no idea what they’re talking about. Their world view isn’t grounded in reality, but in some kooky moonbattish perspective that appears to stem from the same universe where unicorn farts generate power. The real world simply isn’t the way they want to see it – but they can’t and won’t accept that. If you try to point out to them that this is the case, they scream blue murder and accuse you of sexism, political incorrectness and anything else they can think of.
To my great sorrow, I know far more about rape than most people. I’ve written about certain aspects of that experience in my memoir, on this blog, and elsewhere. Let me cite a few instances. First, from my book ‘Walls, Wire, Bars and Souls‘, a memoir of my time as a prison chaplain:
What else but evil personified can explain the actions of some of the hard-core criminals inside prison walls? Take, for example, the Central American drug lord who silenced a prospective witness by ordering the kidnapping, rape, torture and murder of his six-year-old daughter. He then had her broken, bloody, naked body nailed to the front door of the witness’s home, with a note thrust into her mouth promising the same treatment to his wife and their other three children unless he ‘forgot’ what he knew.
That’s just one of the rapists to whom I had to try to minister inside prison walls. There must have been well over a hundred of them – probably several hundred. None of them would be interested in the slightest in any form of ‘education’ to make them less likely to rape.
Then there’s the wholesale ‘rape culture’ encountered in Africa. Women there are widely regarded as chattels and possessions, first of their fathers, then of their husbands. They exist for the convenience of men, and have little opportunity to assert anything like their own rights or humanity. Even youth is no defense – child rape as a supposed ‘cure for AIDS’ is rampant throughout the continent. Do your own Internet search on the topic to find dozens of references.
I encountered that problem at first hand while working in South Africa’s townships (which I described in general terms in several previous blog posts, including here and here), and in various African countries where I’ve worked. During my military service I came across a particularly egregious example of it, in the context of a greater atrocity. From an earlier article:
A village in an African nation was tucked out of the way in the bush. There were probably a hundred or more people living there – no-one knows for sure. The inhabitants wanted only to tend their crops and herds, eking out a subsistence existence in the harsh terrain of Africa. Unfortunately, their country became one of the many battlegrounds of the Cold War. The Soviet Union and its surrogates trained and equipped guerrilla movements, and in response the United States and its allies did the same. These movements fought one another in bloody conflicts across the face of that nation.
The village was visited one day by representatives of a pro-Western guerrilla movement. They paraded the residents, forced them to listen to hours of propaganda, stole food and other supplies they needed, and ‘conscripted’ several of the young men to join their ranks as porters for the stolen supplies. Those selected had no choice in the matter, of course; it was obey, or die. They duly trekked off into the bush with their new masters.
A week or so later, troops from another guerrilla movement arrived. This was a pro-Communist movement, now ruling the country (with substantial assistance from Soviet surrogate forces) after the withdrawal of the former colonial power. They were enraged to find that the villagers had ‘given supplies’ and ‘provided recruits’ to their enemy (even though both had been taken at the point of a gun). They decided to punish the entire village.
The result was an atrocity of the grossest kind. Many of the villagers – particularly the men – were shot out of hand, or beaten to death. The women and children must have wished for such a fate before they died. They were raped, beaten and abused. After over 24 hours of this treatment, the government troops took the survivors – mostly women and children – and impaled them on sharpened stakes, set into the thorn boma rigged up as a perimeter fence around the village. They drove off, leaving their still-living victims to die, perched in the extremity of agony atop the sticks driven deep into their entrails.
An Army patrol from another nation arrived at the village a day later. They wouldn’t normally have gone there, but they’d seen the smoke of burning huts the day before, and cautiously came to investigate. They were in the area because their country had become involved in the conflict, supporting pro-Western forces (as did the United States, during those years). The patrol was aghast beyond speech at what they found. Those villagers still alive were hanging on their stakes, moaning, crying out, begging for help. All around them lay the bodies of those fortunate enough to have been killed before they could be impaled. Women, adolescents, even small children wriggled, screamed and begged for mercy atop their stakes. Right next to them, the vultures and jackals feasted on the dead – even, sometimes, on those still alive, who were too weak to defend themselves.
The patrol was helpless. They had only basic first-aid-type medications available; the nearest hospital was hundreds of miles away; there were no ambulances or other vehicles to take the injured there; and even if there had been, how does one remove a stake driven up through the rectum and anus into someone’s bowels and internal organs? How could anything be done without causing such unspeakable agony that it would torture the victim beyond endurance? And even if one managed to do so, how could the victim then be moved? They had no anesthetics to numb the pain of being bounced around in the back of a truck, or antibiotics to control the infections that had already set in.
There was only one gift that patrol could give the suffering victims . . . and they gave it. Shots rang out, one by one, as those impaled on the stakes were given the final mercy of a swift, painless death. This was no atrocity – it was the kindest, the only, thing that could be done under the circumstances. Strong men wept bitterly as they struggled against their emotions, lined up their sights on a woman or child, and pulled the trigger. When the last victim was still and silent, they gathered up the bodies, deepened an existing hollow in the ground, and buried them. One of the patrol read from a dirty, worn, pocket-size New Testament and intoned a brief prayer over the grave as the others stood around silently.
They never knew the names of a single one of those they buried. They left behind them a heap of earth, surmounted by a roughly-fastened wooden cross, in the midst of the burned thatch huts of the village. Nature would ensure that within a year or two, all traces of the village would have disappeared. The bush would take over again. The cross would be eaten by termites before long, and the earth would flatten out over time. In two or three years it would become just another low mound in the African bush, with no hint as to what lay beneath it. Today, it’s doubtless long forgotten by everyone except the members of that patrol – and, perhaps (if any survived the civil war in that country), those few youths who were conscripted to carry the stolen supplies, at the start of this whole affair.
(Those who committed this atrocity aren’t in a position to speak of their actions. That patrol, by common consent, suffered a ‘communications breakdown’ for a few days – just long enough to track the perpetrators, hunt them down, and deal with them. There were no survivors. When they got back to base, superior officers were quietly, verbally, informed of what had transpired, and all concerned agreed to let matters lie. After all, what would be achieved by anything else? No-one would care. This was just another village, in just another conflict in Africa – and life’s always been very, very cheap in most of Africa. It still is, to this day.)
So, you see, I know a lot more about rape than those liberal/progressive/feminist idiots who’ve never experienced anything like it, and who think that even impaired consent (as in, being drunk) amounts to rape. They have no idea. Frankly, I hope and pray that they never will have any idea . . . but their bloviating stupidity is just too much. Education is the last thing that will stop this crime. If I run into one of those feminazis (of either sex) I know I’m going to find it very difficult not to get in their face and tell them to shut up and get the **** out of my way. Christ’s remarks about the Pharisees are the mildest condemnation I can think of for them – and I can think of some a whole lot stronger than that.
The truth is not in them.
Peter
A brilliant and powerful post Peter. Thank you.
One of the best things you can do is to rid your community of porn (more difficult than ever these days). It goes hand in hand with rates of rape and sexual assault.
I had a moment of brilliance and want to share it: "instead of teaching guys to not fucking rape people, we should just arm the women!" and I'm wondering just how in Ra's holy fuck they reconcile it with "women lie about rape! Lie with their glittery hoo haa!"
I want to give a few shoutouts. First, no, Phantom, it's not narcissism to expect men to keep their dick in their pants, maybe they could talk to women and take an interest in their personality instead of thinking of them as mobile incubators, maybe they could have a good wank now and then.
Secondly, no, Shadowdancer, rape victims are not irresponsible morons with glitterdust on the brain thinking that nothing will ever happen to them.
Do you have any links for that? It runs counter to what I've previously read (although that was several years ago).
Porn has nothing to do with rape. This is the other side of the coin–moralistic bloviating. There was rape before there was porn, just as there were murders before there were guns.
And of course, that tricky free speech thing most modern nations have.
You'll find significantly more porn with lower rape rates in Japan, and more with higher rates in India, and more with lower rates in Scandinavian countries.
Thank you.
Sounds like somebody (Anonymous @2:08 pm) dragged their strawmen and pyro over here from Correia's blog. "Moment of brilliance?" Really?
Personally, I can't see "what in Ra's holy f**k" any of that blather has to do with the horrific things Peter just recounted in his article. That second viginette is pure, high-octane nightmare fuel, and I have only the deepest sympathy for those who witnessed and experienced it.
Clearly Anonymous @2:08 has no concept of what rape actually is, and sees the word as just another catch-all term for behavior liberals don't like…
…unless, of course, liberals are the one actually doing it.
Oh well: At least he's not treating us to another round of pearl clutching over what LC called Scalzi.
— Wes S.
Very good stuff. I came here via Larry Correia's blog, FYI. I've linked to this, quoted some, and made a graphic quote from it here:
"Rape culture" again — One of the silliest, most self-destructive and counterproductive notions that liberals have come up with.
And, I'm adding you to my blogroll. Great stuff!
to answer the silly Anon @ 2:08 comment.. women who lie about rape either lie after the consensual act (no reason to kill the "rapist" then, is there? She's trying to get him in trouble or getting revenge after the fact, hard to do when he is reaching ambient, unless she is taking up killing as a hobby … but then if one goes ahead and kills someone and uses rape as an excuse, we have a word for that, and it is called murder.) or make up the event from whole cloth, so the accused is not even in range to be shot.
Take your torches and straw-men elsewhere … and be careful, there are droughts in some places.
Not that such a person is likely to be around getting any answers or free advice
Perspective.
It's a hard thing to wrap your brain around, and the more comfortable your life is, and the longer it stays comfy, the more distorted it becomes.
It's like a pressure gauge that constantly recalibrates to what's happened recently. No shocks, jolts, or pressure spikes for a while, and it becomes hypersensitive to small things, insignificant things. Perhaps even easily broken by a return to the savage ups and downs of history.
Thanks, in a lop-sided sort of way.
Peter, all I can think to say is may the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
The frivolity on display leaves me (for once) speechless.
Ah, yes, THAT Progressive Paradise and the heroic Russians and their Cuban lackeys. Shortly after that, Reader's Digest did a profile of the puppet-ruler they installed in that territory.
AND in Portugal, meanwhile, they made us study the deep "Poetry" of said puppet ruler.
*Spits.*
The idiots on the left here sound just like the idiots on the left that I had to deal with back then — defending this sort of regime because "people's power." (Russian people's, mostly. Never mind.)
I PRAY very hard and every day that they NEVER get to find out where their ideas lead.
Sarah Hoyt
Well done Peter, you're right (as usual), those who have not seen the horrors perpetrated in other countries/continents will never understand the truth of man's inhumanity to man/woman. The best cure for a rapist is a .45 between the eyes, preferably delivered by the woman BEFORE he can commit the act. Too many here hide behind the anonymity of the internet and PCism to denigrate any who would question or oppose them.
This is a sad post.
And then along comes the long-lost audio of Hillary, about to destroy a 12 year old rape victim.
Hillary wants to be President.
Thank you.
One of the best things you can do is to rid your community of porn (more difficult than ever these days). It goes hand in hand with rates of rape and sexual assault.
Not pro-porn but the evidence I've seen suggests that porn usage is negatively correlated with rape. See, rape *is* about sex and men who are getting off are less likely to rape. Pretty simple.
@ Anonymous
it's not narcissism to expect men to keep their dick in their pants
A man who rapes is not just an everyday man but a particular type of man. Probably, he was mostly born that way. Yes, it is narcissism to expect that particular type of man to keep it in his pants.
It really is.
rape victims are not irresponsible morons with glitterdust on the brain thinking that nothing will ever happen to them.
I have a sister who like to party and has been raped three times. The last time she me three men at a bar and proceeded to get drunk and go home with them. There, she proceeded to do drugs and climb naked in a hot tub because she didn't have her bathing suit.
Yeah, she will tell you she was irresponsible.
More likely he's raping because there's so much implicit support of rape out there and when he does rape, it's the girl's fault for being a "slut" or whatever.
So, no, it isn't narcissism.
@Anonymous at 4:04 PM: If you really believe that crap, then you're part of the problem, not part of the solution.
🙁
I was being sarcastic when I said it was the girl's fault.
I hope you didn't realize that.
The alternative is so much worse.
"Implicit support"? What implicit support? Of course, you'll say that since it's "Implicit" you can't really point it out, huh?
RLRapp
What I am saying is that there are people out there who think rape is going to happen no matter what and it's narcissistic to expect rapists to hold back.
also, saying that rape victims are sluts and "flaming irrational psychobitches."
@Anonymous7:45: Say, wha??? Who is saying that? Yeah, you can find a tiny, tiny percentage of people who think that, but a tiny percentage isn't "so much implicit support of rape"in any but a Looney Tunes character's mind. I do happen to know a couple guys that do think somewhat along those lines (they also happen to be Muslim immigrants, NTTAWWT, just a fact about the culture/country they're coming from, which is very much NOT American or Western. That's also out of a couple hundred of guys, and they also think rape is a terrible crime that should be punishable by death.
Your statement is about as moronic as claiming that because people accept that some robberies and murders are going to happen (they are) because there are some bad people out there (there are), and that to some extent you can avoid being a victim by avoiding certain places and situations (you can), that the culture implicitly supports robbery and murder — even though such crimes are vigorously prosecuted. That's just a total, "WTF are you smoking?" type of daft statement that I have to ask, "WTF are you smoking? And for God's sake, 'Why are you destroying your brain like that?'"
Shadowdancer Duskstar is saying it. Vox Day is saying it.
Friends, please remember the wisdom of Robert A. Heinlein:
“Never try to teach a pig to sing; it wastes your time and it annoys the pig.”
In other words – don't feed the troll. He/she/it isn't worth it.
Did Heinlein think in aphorisms or merely talk in them?
That's honestly why I can't stand to read Heinlein, by the way.
Quote them, anonymous@9:58. If they are saying it, you will no doubt have no lack of quotes.
He came up with two "names", one of which I've seen mentioned and never read, and the other is just, "Huh? Who??" Seems kind of fringy for something that's supposed to be culture-wide. Especially considering volume of attacks Vox Day apparenrly's getting. At least some of it seemingly well deserved from just a quick skim. No, there's certainly no implicit support of rape in American culture, but there may be certain specific sub-cultures where that's not true. One might be the gang subculture (which certainly isn't representative of America at large), and the other is prison. That's one place it should not be happening, and yet is seemingly given a blind eye. I don't think that's what Anonymous Coward had in mind, though.
Hi Peter. I just wandered over from Larry Correia's place and found my name being taken in vain.
Brave anonymous coward said: "I want to give a few shoutouts. First, no, Phantom, it's not narcissism to expect men to keep their dick in their pants, maybe they could talk to women and take an interest in their personality instead of thinking of them as mobile incubators, maybe they could have a good wank now and then."
Interesting take. And by "interesting" I mean I'm interested in the neural malfunction that lead to this outburst, because it has nothing whatsoever to do with anything I've said on my blog or on Larry's.
Peter has made my point a lot more mercilessly than I have. Some men are rapists. They aren't going to back off. You need to be ready, because they are out there. Wishing otherwise is identical to wishing for a million dollars.
I believe I also said that as "rape cultures" go, America and the other Western nations are as good as it has ever gotten in the entire length of Human history.
While I respect you for your work,and am a fan of LC's despite the fact I'm probably a liberal social justice warrior or whatever the label is, I feel like there is some sort of disconnect going on here, and I am trying to understand it.
First off, I agree teaching people self defense is not victim blaming, and have just as much trouble understanding that argument as yours.
First, I think there is a big differece between "teaching rapist not to rape" and "teaching young men to understand what rape and sexual assault is, and how it's never acceptable." I don't think that there is anything wrong with teaching men that unless a woman is fully capable of consent, you should avoid any sexual behavior.
Yes, there are horrible unrepentant predator rapist for whom no form of education will ever work and many cultures are worst than ours, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a rape culture in America where judges have justified or lessened rape due to fake science and beliefs that she "was asking for it."
When it comes rape culture, I respect authors like Andrew Vachss who have worked tirelessly to combat it, as well as sexual violence against women.
I think this link to his rape culture resource is helpful: http://www.vachss.com/help_text/rape_culture.html
It seems that both sides are coloring it extremes and not fully looking at the full spectrum of the problem. If I am wrong about you or LC's argument, I would love to know.
Bob, thank you for the nuanced view. I'm probably opposite you on the political spectrum, but agree that both sides of this seem to be attacking strawman on the opposing side. Rape culture is a wrong-headed label, and self defense or arms won't stop every instance of rape, not that I think Larry, Peter, Mike or any of the others being lambasted implied it would. Self defense and concealed arms are good things to have in your pocket for a variety and for reasons, violent rape being only one of them. To stop the other, date-type, or diminished capacity rapes, it takes presence of mind, being careful of whom you might get into a potentially alone or intimate situation with, watching your drinks and or controlling your drinking, and pre-established escapes or ways to extricate yourself such as remaining with friends. For marital rape, you gotta just get yourself out of your shitty marriage and or establish boundaries in your relationship. And here too, knowing how to defend yourself doesn't hurt. Is the fact that a lot of this is upon the individual potential victim a firm of victim blaming? Of course not, that's just stupid. It's not your fault if you're caught in an earthquake, but it makes a lot of sense to have an emergency kit, know first aid, buy a sturdy house, prepare for disaster, etc. On defending part of the lib side, yes, we need to teach our youth to not completely objective the objects of their desire, to understand that positive consent is necessary (and that it's a lot better for you if your partner is into it too), and that only an asshole tries to take advantage of a too drunk girl — and that doing so makes you a criminal to boot. There are sub-cultures that venerate being a cad besides prison or gang culture, frat, bro, or MRA culture being a few (potentially, there are good guys in those cultures as well). But the presence of those cultures within our overall culture does not make this a rape culture, nor does it make all men potential rapists. I'd love it if someone with a strong bully pulpit would preach this middle road, recognizing that the strawman attacks and misrepresentations aren't accomplishing anything and both "sides" have elements of truth and wisdom.