what's your opinion???

[mermayd]

I just heard that someone who lives nearby got raped within this last month. Now, she was walking down a dark street at 2a.m. in a neighborhood that is not known for its safety. There are homeless people, drug users, and some violence around here. Luckily, I live in a complex that is secure and pretty far away from this scene. But I ask you what your opinion is just out of curiosity...

On one hand, I never support the "blame-the-victim" theory. It is the perpetrators fault for committing the crime...however, I wonder what she thought in this neighborhood at 2a.m. on a dark street. This is when people find their victims...women should be careful if they roam the streets at night in a shady place, go with another person or something. We women know what to do to avoid these situations and she put herself right out there. I feel badly that she had to experience this, but arent we told all the time to NOT do what she did? I just wanted to know some of your feedback on this subject...

[WordYo231607306445]

 

 

It wasn't a good idea to walk through that area at night (it's a stereotypical death trap), but it certainly is not her fault. By saying that she was wrong that she did that implies that the rapists are an accepted fact of life, which they shouldn't be. It also implies a loose stance on rape (as in, the guy that raped her is not at fault; she is). The rapist is 100% at fault, since it was his action.

 

The "blame-the-victim" argument is, simply, sick.

[mermayd]

yes, I agree that the blam victim thoery is sick and that it is entirely the rapists fault. you have a great veiw, word. Thanx for the response!

[WordYo231607306445]

yes, I agree that the blam victim thoery is sick and that it is entirely the rapists fault. you have a great veiw, word. Thanx for the response!

 

No problem.

[Shy_Guy]

Hey Mermayd,

 

You're looking for opinions, so I thought I'd give my seven cents worth, if don't mind. I think in hindsight, the victim is guilty of nothing but poor judgement, or was just too naive. While I entirely agree that under no circumstances was it her 'fault', if she was of sound mind, and sufficient age to know right from wrong, you then almost have to ask her what in the world she was doing putting herself at such obvious risk.

 

In a very different situation, but another one of those 'grey' areas, in my local area, recently we had two police officers chasing an aleged 12 year old car thief. The boy crashed the car, and had taken off on foot. The two officers gave chase. When scaling a wall, one of the officers accidently shot himself. The other policeman, hearing the shot and seeing his partner fall, assumed the boy had shot him, and in turn, shot the boy, killing him. Did the boy deserve to die for stealing a car? Never! Now here's the question, should the officer be charged? Who's to blame for this? The boy, after all, caused the situation to occur in the first place by stealing the car. What are YOUR thoughts?

[mermayd]

Well, the officer that shot himself is to blame for not having his weapon correctly holstered and his weapon was not in safety mode which it should have been. The officer who shot the boy is also at fault for not realizing what events took place and ASSUMING a situation. The boy was not at fault in any way, he had nothing to do with the misunderstanding between the officers. Yes, it was his actions that caused the pursuit but not his stupidity that ended his life. His only punishment should have been juvi...not death. And now the officers will get off for murder when it was their own fault for overlooking important points involved...The officer who shot the boy is also at fault because his training tells him to shoot only under certain sever circumstances, and in such a circumstance, aim for the leg...DO NOT KILL THE SUSPECT!!!! it is stressed so much in their trianing....what an unfortunate situation, its horrible, I hate to hear that.

[WordYo231607306445]

 

 

The officer without the gun properly holstered is one of the participants at fault. He did not have the gun set to standard operating procedures, and it went off on him. The officer who shot the boy was under the impression that the boy had a gun, and thereforeeeeeee defended properly (by shooting at him), and although this was an incorrect decision, there's no practical way for the officer to know that the other one had shot himself. Although it sounds mean, the second officer was just doing his job by defending the peace (if a guy shoots a cop, of course another cop would shoot back)

 

The kid is also at fault, for stealing a car. Crime has consequences, as he so violently learned.

 

Hope this helps,

WordYo23

[chakka]

Hi.

Interesting posts guys!

 

I just wanted to clear a few things up regarding the logic of these arguments.

 

In the case of the officers and the boy, mermayd's argument seems to imply that the officer is a murderer because the boy certainly did not deserve to die.

You present it as though either the officer is to blame and he is a murderer, or the boy is to blame and he deserved to die.

You forget the possibility of an accident where no one is completely to blame for the horrible results.

 

Maybe you think the officer is a murderer - that's your opinion.

But, even if someone thinks the officer is NOT a murderer, that doesn't mean the BOY is to blame.

I don't see this officer as a murderer, because his INTENT was not to commit murder, but to defend his fellow officer from deadly danger.

He could still be held responsible for his negligence - both officers could - but it is not as bad as murder.

That's just my opinion though...

 

As for the rape case, again mermayd - I see that you are against blaming the victim and so am I.

I think what might clear this up for you is to look at it this way:

The rapist is clearly to blame because he INTENDED to rape a woman.

It's not as though the woman jumped into the street and a car ACCIDENTALLY ran her over, in which case it is at least partly her own fault.

And it's not as though this rapist may have had some question as to what this woman wanted. What, did he think she was looking for a date? Did he not notice her say no?

The rapist knew exactly what he was doing, and he is completely at fault.

 

The issue of blame is entirely separate from the issue of prudence - how prudent was it for this woman to be in this dangerous place? Not very.

But nobody deserves to get raped for that. She did something dangerous to herself, she did not do anything MORALLY wrong that would make us blame her for anything.

 

And by the way, sometimes people get stranded somewhere and have no choice but to walk home through a dangerous area... Maybe that's what happened to her. (Maybe not, I don't know.)

 

So, there is no conflict here. It is smarter not to be in dangerous places.

But nobody derserves to get raped - not the woman who gets raped in an alley, not the one who gets raped in her own home by an intruder, not the one who gets raped by her date for the evening, etc.

And nobody rapes a woman by accident, no matter where she is or how she's dressed. No means no. These people know exactly what they are doing. They get off on the force and the violence of it, and they deserve to be punished severely.

[mermayd]

Great post, chakka. I don't think I could have put it better. I know the girl isn't at fault and the rapist is. Rapists make me sick to my stomach. Period. I don't know the details of the situation either, if she were stranded or not. It is so unfortunate for her to have gone through this regardless of the details. thanx for your posts everyone!

[FinchRUs666]

she may have had allot on her mind, sometimes people just walk and zone out when they are depressed, trust me on this i ended up 5 miles away from my house one time in a place i had no idea where i was, so it may not have been her fault... she may have had a serious problem right before...

[FinchRUs666]

she may have had allot on her mind, sometimes people just walk and zone out when they are depressed, trust me on this i ended up 5 miles away from my house one time in a place i had no idea where i was, so it may not have been her fault... she may have had a serious problem right before...

[blackswan]

I believe everyone should be able to walk where they want & not having to worry about being attacked.

 

A woman would get raped, a man probably get bashed. It's the fault of the person committing the crime, not the person that happens to be at the wrong place.

 

I got sex violated just because I felt sorry & couldn't leave the sad friend out on his own hence invited him home & hoped to calm him down. I don't believe that it was my fault, otherwise does it mean that to be safe I shall never stay at a guy's place alone & never invite a guy home alone. Friends should be able to trust each other just as people should respect each other.

[blackswan]

I believe everyone should be able to walk where they want & not having to worry about being attacked.

 

A woman would get raped, a man probably get bashed. It's the fault of the person committing the crime, not the person that happens to be at the wrong place.

 

I got sex violated just because I felt sorry & couldn't leave the sad friend out on his own hence invited him home & hoped to calm him down. I don't believe that it was my fault, otherwise does it mean that to be safe I shall never stay at a guy's place alone & never invite a guy home alone. Friends should be able to trust each other just as people should respect each other.