Rape, and Men’s Conditioning
Rape and other sexual violence continue to happen in many conflicts and wars, even though they are forbidden in all societies and religions. They happen so regularly that there must be something systematic about it.
How is it possible that men capable of rape can always be found in war situations? If we do not believe that human males are inherently rapists, there must be something about the upbringing of boys in our societies that allows a certain number of men to be restimulated into acting out rape patterns when the oppressive situations allow or seem to require it.
A key component of men’s oppression is that men are brutalized to be able to kill and be killed. I think that men also are brutalized to be able to rape and tolerate rape. What do you think?
Anonymous
Reprinted from the RC e-mail discussion list for leaders of men