The historical record shows that over the past century and a half, at least some sexual assault complainants in the Anglophone world garnered both sympathy and belief.
It was during the Victorian Era that the term for rape, "a fate worse than death" was coined. This suggests a crime that is taken very seriously.
Also, I would note that the Salem Witch Trials featured extremely theatrical testimony by young female witnesses. Twenty people were executed based on the testimony of these girls.
It says a lot that sexual intercourse, an activity that most people engage in for pleasure, suddenly becomes a 'fate worse than death' simply because a woman doesn't consent to it.
Let's examine the common claim that women don't physically resist non-consensual sex out of fear. Fear of what? If a woman, even if not consenting, is compliant to unwanted sexual acts out of fear that a man might physically harm her in some other way then, clearly, the unwanted sex act is less objectionable to her than any of the other possible outcomes she is fearful of.
I believe that the real reason that rape is considered such a heinous crime is that most men are absolutely disgusted by the idea of taking a woman against her will.
Your comment is right on the money. Death is definitely a fate worse than unwanted sex. There's no support groups for survivors of death.
These days there are "survivors" of granting permission to a comedian's request they watch him pleasure himself - not even touching him!
Your comment inspired me to recall a Mark Twain passage I haven't been able to find, which I think was in Letters From The Earth. He was describing women liking sex as much as men, and said both sexes would take any opportunity to indulge, which certainly supports your take on Victorian women's experience of sex as enjoyable. If I find it, I'll post it later.
It was during the Victorian Era that the term for rape, "a fate worse than death" was coined. This suggests a crime that is taken very seriously.
Also, I would note that the Salem Witch Trials featured extremely theatrical testimony by young female witnesses. Twenty people were executed based on the testimony of these girls.
It says a lot that sexual intercourse, an activity that most people engage in for pleasure, suddenly becomes a 'fate worse than death' simply because a woman doesn't consent to it.
Let's examine the common claim that women don't physically resist non-consensual sex out of fear. Fear of what? If a woman, even if not consenting, is compliant to unwanted sexual acts out of fear that a man might physically harm her in some other way then, clearly, the unwanted sex act is less objectionable to her than any of the other possible outcomes she is fearful of.
I believe that the real reason that rape is considered such a heinous crime is that most men are absolutely disgusted by the idea of taking a woman against her will.
Your comment is right on the money. Death is definitely a fate worse than unwanted sex. There's no support groups for survivors of death.
These days there are "survivors" of granting permission to a comedian's request they watch him pleasure himself - not even touching him!
Your comment inspired me to recall a Mark Twain passage I haven't been able to find, which I think was in Letters From The Earth. He was describing women liking sex as much as men, and said both sexes would take any opportunity to indulge, which certainly supports your take on Victorian women's experience of sex as enjoyable. If I find it, I'll post it later.