Coersion and Rape
co-erce ko-ers vb co-erced; co-ercing 1: RESTRAIN, REPRESS 2: COMPEL 3:
ENFORCE
--co-er-sion -er-zhen,shen n --co-er-cive -er-siv adj rape ^r`ap n 1:
a carrying away by force 2: sexual intercourse by a man with a woman without
her consent and chiefly by force or deception; also : unlawful sexual
intercourse of any kind by force or threat
As if the line between normal and acceptable consensual sex and rape
wasn't thin enough already, there are those out there that wish to make it an
even narrower, less defined and more twisting line to stay on the right side of.
It seems as though somehow, somewhere, someone decided that the two terms
defined above are in some way related. However, in the manner of logic which I
possess, they are not. The debate now is rape, and what constitutes that once
horridly thought of crime. In the opinion of some, rape is no longer just a
physical act of violence that accompanies uninvited sex. Rape, as defined by
some, can occur even when the two parties involved agree verbally or otherwise
to have sex. This to me, seems absurd. In the most basic terms, and with the
simplest definitions, no means no, and okay, yeah, yes and please, all mean yes.
The term "NO" is not very complicated, and is probably the word that was
repeated to us the most as children, so we should all get that one right. But
still, how can yes mean no? Apparently through a term known as "verbal
coersion," which allows a large grey area to form between these simple answers
to sometimes complicated questions.
"Verbal Coersion" is not a term you will find in the dictionary, at
least not in any of the ones I own. In an article by David R. Carlin, Jr., he
states that as he interprets this term "rape [can] occur even when consent is
given, provided this consent is influenced by external pressures and is not
simply the result of internal desire.(12; par.3)." I find this to be an
acceptable definition of coersion as it relates to sexual situations, although I
feel strongly that under no circumstance can coersion constitute rape, once the
coerced has consented to full physical acceptance of sexual advances.
Although coersion can be exercised through many different approaches, I
contend that the entire idea that verbal coersion can constitute rape is
inadequate on one main principle. In order to coerce s...
... middle of paper ...
... vessels
(Rophie 647, par. 7)." I think that this is due to the fact that it is finally
acceptable for women to want sex. No longer are women treated as outcasts for
wanting to have sexual relations on a first or second date. Women can now
initiate sexual contact without being nearly as embarrassed as they feel like
they should be. Also, women are now allowed to participate in the coercing.
Although they don't as much, it's always fun when the roles are reversed and
the man gets to try to hold off.
The preconceived notion that we all carry which implies that for men,
the goal of dating is sexual conquest is true, and I'm sure always will be. The
way that most men attempt to achieve these conquests is through coersion. As
Susan Jacoby says in her essay, "Real men don't rape(644, par.19)." In my
opinion, though, there's nothing wrong with trying to change someone else's
opinion of you, or how that person feels about you. And that is coersion. And,
often times, it is sexually oriented. And, if it does lead to sex, that's fine.
It should also be fine if it doesn't. But either way, I think that it's
unrealistic to consider coersion of any type to be a form of rape.
What is it that makes up our identities? I mean us, not only Americans but other cultures as well, the entire world. When tracing back my family tree I learned that I am of half-German descent with a quarter French and another quarter Irish in me. I also think it is safe to say that a majority of the population reading this is of European lineage. I don’t say this to discriminate, only to be specific in the telling of my story. The story I am about to recite is about humans and about one of our basic needs for survival. Some will argue, saying that sex is not at all a basic need but let’s face it, without sex you wouldn’t be reading this intriguing article right now, and the world would be less fulfilled without the human reproduction process.
The myth that men who rape women are sexually pathological has begun to be dispelled and replaced with an understanding that rape is an act of anger, power and control rather than lust. When people think about rape, they usually think of a stranger with a knife hiding in the bushes. He waits for a woman to walk by and then attacks. But that is not the only kind of rape. The majority of victims are raped by individuals they know or acquaintances.
It was once acceptable for men to have full control over women, declaring when they will marry and when they will have children. However, over the past centuries, women have established a place in society, proving themselves much more than someone's property. This is why the word “rape” today is not taken lightly. According to findlaw.com, “Rape generally refers to non-consensual sexual intercourse that is committed by physical force, threat of injury, or other duress.” When one does not give consent to sex, it is considered a felony, possibly putting the rapist in jail. Contrary to sexual assault, “Sex is reified as penile-vaginal intercourse while an extremely diverse group of pleasurable and sexually stimulating activities are dismissively relegated to the category of foreplay...” (Reinholtz, Muehlenhard, Phelps, & Satterfield, 1995.) Although consented sexual intercourse is much more out in the open and accepted in society, the problem of rape is still very relevant behind the scenes.
...is morally degrading and perpetuates the idea that women are mere sexual objects,” (BBC News.) This shows the awful things they go through in order to get what they truly
The Merriam Webster dictionary Defines rape as “unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent because of mental illness, mental deficiency, intoxication, unconsciousness, or deception”. Rape seems like an act that an individual would never think of committing. However, rape happens every day in many different instances, and what's worse, the excuse for certain rape cases. In my paper I'll be breaking down the social issue of rape through the structural functionalism theory, the conflict theory, and the symbolic interactionism theory. With the conflict theory I'll be examining
Looking at our past, there have been dramatic changes in the way humans view sex. Long before the 1900s individuals framed their views based on the religious institution. Due to the fact that they strongly centered their idea of sexual thought on religion, they believed that the only purpose of having sex was to procreate. As the 1920’s approached, there were various factors that changed the way individuals viewed sex. The “new women” known, as flappers were women who were confident in who they were. They changed their attire as well as their social attitude. In the 1920s, the flappers redefined sex; customs and traditions were broken and new norms were created by society.
Rape is the unlawful compelling of a woman through physical force or duress to have sexual intercourse. According to the Sexual Assault Statistics “,only 16% of rapes and sexual assaults are reported to the police department per year.” Women who are a victim of rape suffer a lifetime of fear, emotional stress and depression, but their rapist is sentenced to a maximum of 20 years in prison, depending on the severity of the case. After 25 years, Crista Stephens out of Houston, Texas can now speak about the night she was attacked and raped, but still, trembles every time she speaks her rapist name. Educating yourself, family, friends and peers can decrease your chances of being a victim of rape. Are 20 years long enough for a rapist to be behind
Rape has long been considered as one of the worst of crimes, but for centuries it was handled without much care for the victim. It used to be thought of as more of a harm against the man, husband or father, instead of something against the woman. In the past, some rapists were punished severely while others were not. This typically depended a great deal on the social status of both the victim and the aggressor (Karmen, 2010). For example, in biblical times, a man could be sentenced to death for the rape of a virgin, but a married woman who was raped could be sentenced to death for enticing the rape. In medieval times, a man might steal a young woman from a wealthy family in order to force her to marry him and thus give him better status, and during the time of feudalism, only the rape of a noble woman was a crime (Karmen).
I would like to live in a world where not wanting to do anything (or anyone ;) ) is accepted. A common belief about Asexuality is "Asexuality means your 're a sex-less virgin." Which is not true it is the the lack of sexual attraction to anyone, having the same emotional needs and are capable of forming intimate relationships. "Asexuality is a myth." Komodo Dragon, Whiptail Lizards, Hammerhead Sharks, Parasitic Wasps are all types of Asexual animals. A real myth is Asexuality is a disorder that can be fixed by preforming the act of sex (even doing research I found a man telling people who are Asexual to get raped, or masturbate O.O) I blame the children of this generation, where young girls are
Rape is considered any sexual act that is forced upon a person. Every year there are more than 100,000 rapes reported in the United States. Victims of rape often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and rape trauma syndrome. The effects of being raped impact the lives of the victims and their families forever.
made to sex in every part of our life. Work, school, sports, and recreation are all forums
In today’s society marital rape, acquaintance rape, and stranger rape, is a huge crime all around the world. There is a difference between marital rape, acquaintance rape, and stranger rape. Martial rape is when a spouse forces you to have sexual intercourse without ones consent, and it is expected that the wife does her “duty” as a wife to have sex with her husband. An acquaintance rape is with someone that you just met, or dated in the past, or even a fiancé. Stranger rape occurs when someone that you’ve never met forces sexual intercourse upon someone without consent. Because of our patriarchal society, marital rape has become an accepted and overlooked part of society. Whether rape is a crime of sex, sexism or dominance, it is a serious crime and must not be taken lightly. The effects that it has on the individual getting assaulted are not only physical, but mentally damaging.
The reason that many students find casual sex appealing is the fact that it is wrong. We as human beings find the danger of doing some thing wrong intriguing. We are animals and are always testing our limits. Sex is an explored subject that is hushed as we are children growing up. We are taught that is not to be talked about and that we should always have boundaries before we practice this interesting, yet provocative action. As college students we are free from all authority and we tend to explore these new actions. Our animal instincts kick in and we are soon experiencing new emotions and feelings that we end up succumbing to under different circumstances. We explore all the different things that we are shunned away from as children and are able to do so without any authority telling us other wise. Our boundaries are set free and then we are dealt with the choice of emotional sex or casual sex. Most people do not see the emotional side of sex until they become older. As college s...
Is anyone truly a stranger to nightmares? Has anyone not woken up in a feverish sweat with a racing pulse or pounding heart? Whose eyes have never wildly searched their room for the phantoms of a dream? Now, what if the familiar consolation of learning it was all in your head never came? How do you wake up from a nightmare that is, in fact, a reality? I think I’m getting ahead of myself. What I mean to say is, I was raped, and rape is a nightmare.