NEWS: Don't Get Raped

Agreed. One of the best definitions I've heard is that rape is "a crime of violence, in which sex is the weapon."

You mean, a lot of people hear "rape" and they think "stranger attack in a dark alleyway," and thus they don't think that a date-rape victim's story or actions fit with their idea of what a "true rape victim" would do--meaning someone who was attacked by a stranger in a dark alleyway? Because you're right: the reactions and behaviors and thought patterns of victims in the two types of situations do tend to be different. No one should feel at fault for being grabbed off the street and raped--and I don't think most people would feel at fault for that. It's random. No one should feel at fault for going out with someone, having some drinks maybe, having a good time, but then being taken advantage of and raped--but people often do feel at fault for that, or at least feel confused about how it happened or less confident that their story will be believed if they tell it, and they tend to act differently afterward because of that. If the attacker is someone with whom they had some rapport or relationship, it complicates the reaction even further. Jurors who have the mindset that a rape victim would respond in a clear, pre-conceived way that's similar or equal to the way that a stranger-rape victim would more often respond could definitely be prone to disbelieving a date-rape victim because he or she did not respond that same way.

That's what I got out of it. I'm a little perturbed that so many people are blowing their tops over what you said--unless I'm misunderstanding you, of course.

You know, I stopped caring about the point you were making right there. And in a post that was assumedly dealing with mistaken preconceptions! Huh.

Do people really have to play the "I hate rape the most" game every time the subject comes up?

People get upset because there are a lot of people that can't think rationally when they hear the word rape. They immediately cast off logic and get into mob vengeance mode. This is why I think it's not such a ridiculous idea to keep the word out of the courtroom.

Really, I think it should be replaced with sexual assault, which pretty much means the same exact thing, without being bogged down in emotion.

http://www.slate.com/id/2168758/nav/tap2/

"Cheuvront granted a motion by defense attorneys barring the use of the words rape, sexual assault, victim, assailant, and sexual assault kit from the trial of Pamir Safi%u2014accused of raping Tory Bowen in October 2004."