What explains the widespread violence against women?

[malaise]

Thank you MeToo - why do powerful and not so powerful men believe they can get away with sexual harassment let alone the fucking physical abuse?

Don't worry Don the Con - you too are going down.

[BigmanPigman]

1. Thousands of years.....

they have been allowed to do it and not only get away with it but encouraged to do so in many cultures, societies, religions, etc. With that history you cannot expect a tiny little movement to make much of a change, especially overnight.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

2. Evolution. Human society needs to be more advanced than what worked surviving very rough conditions.

Surviving and propagating and evolving, one way or another.

We are now in a phase where human evolution is becoming more directed: Creeps have less chance of reproducing in modern (progressive) society.

[malaise]

9. Interesting

given the Incel men. Thanks

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. It's because they've always done it, and gotten away with it.

Now they're in the public eye.

Maybe they're scared and are lashing out. I dunno.

White male privilege at its finest.

[malaise]

10. I'm not sorry for one of them

They've always lashed out but now women refuse to take it

[oberliner]

15. Why would you bring race into this?

One of the most prominent and prolific abusers is not white.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

4. They believe they can get away with it because the majority of the time, they do get away with it.

[dlk]

5. Toxic Masculinity

I heard a former NFL player talk about how toxic masculinity that teaches that women are less than fully human, and so mistreatment in it's many forms, is justified.

[BannonsLiver]

6. Eh, I'll believe it when I see it on Don the Con

[dlk]

7. Toxic Masculinity

I heard a former NFL player talk about how toxic masculinity that teaches that women are less than fully human, and so mistreatment in it's many forms, is acceptable.

[Garrett78]

8. That and religion.

As I recently wrote about what led up to the Me Too movement:

Democrats and all people of conscience need to keep talking about the systemic nature of what led to the Me Too movement. These are not isolated incidents carried out by a few bad apples. This is a systemic, cultural problem that requires us to ask questions such as, "How do we need to change the way we raise boys in this society, so as to best address toxic masculinity and objectification?"

[malaise]

12. Very well said

It is systemic and yes how we raise our boys and girls must change. Religion is probably the most patriarchal of institutions. It maintains and reinforces power for men. One need only listen to the BS spewed by priests as they 'advise' couples who are getting married.

[tblue37]

18. The popular culture also encourages that attitude, and kids are raised now more

by the popular culture and by their peer group, who all manifest attitudes formed by the popular culture, than by their parents, who often are at work all the time or otherwise unavailable.

[Initech]

46. This is a problem going back decades if not centuries.

Me Too was definitely a step in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go. This battle was won but the war is far from over. Religion is a huge part of the problem. Look at India. Look at the Catholic Church. I'm sure there's thousands of stories that have not been heard yet.

[betsuni]

13. I saw a comment somewhere saying the Kardashians have a personal matriarchal society,

and realized it was true. Men come and go, but the women of the family have the power and money and goods and children. This is very good.

Another horrible story in the news last night about violence agains girls/women. This one was girls in Japanese foster care facilities being raped by older boys in the facility, how they have to have private rooms with locks on the doors, how one victim years later won't leave the house and won't wear any revealing clothing no matter how hot it is, my husband said he can't imagine being a girl or woman treated like a thing to use and throw away. Don't even want to see the ones about girls in India...

[malaise]

14. Rape is much more pervasive than we admit

and boys and it is not taken seriously by lots of men (and indeed some women). That's horrific - that poor girl was damaged for life.

[mythology]

22. I would hope we could do better than mimicking the Kardashians

[betsuni]

23. You have something against matriarchy?

[IluvPitties]

28. Is it good for both genders?

[betsuni]

32. Yes.

Monogamy and marriage isn't a big deal as women aren't financially dependent on men, leaving relationships up to choice and not obligation. I remember an article decades ago about the women in relationships with members of the Rolling Stones: Jerry Hall said, have your own money and your own friends and family.

[BannonsLiver]

48. The Kardashians are fucking dolts

Vacant, self involved materialistic imbeciles. Surely we can find better examples.

[Scurrilous]

50. Surely.

[raccoon]

16. This is nothing new. It's just now coming out from under the rug.

It's gone on for centuries, no, millennia, we're just now talking about it.
In the past, men who were physically abusive of women or sexually harassed them got away with it. And to a large extent, they still do.

[NCTraveler]

17. Power.

And we are seeing a serious push to turn the tables.

[GoCubsGo]

19. A patriarchal system of society.

Give all the power to a few old men, and eventually, this is what you wind up with.

[DrDan]

20. women are finally feeling safer coming out with their stories - and asking their abusers to be

held accountable

and that is a very good thing

[BlueTsunami2018]

21. People in powerful positions are often sociopaths.

And even psychopaths. Normal people do not behave this way.

[ansible]

24. There are still many places in this world today where women aren't even considered human beings

It's going to take a very, very long time to change that.

[Freddie]

31. Many places here in the USA

Look at abortion laws that value clumps of cells over human beings

[Kirk Lover]

25. This is a question for the ages. I say covertly inject men with estrogen...time to stop this

madness.

[malaise]

26. But that would be violence against men

I pass

[panader0]

27. I think many men fear the innate sexual power of women.

They feel inadequate and unable to "measure up".
This insecurity breeds fear and fear breeds violence.

[IluvPitties]

29. It's our social education. Look at popular music throughout the decades, for example.

Both men and women are constantly bombarded with representations and messages that do have a social effect. Same thing with other popular art forms. In a way, I find myself horrified from time to time at the values they promote. Look at masculinity and femininity represented in everything, from sports to porn, and think about the stereotypes and messages that are reinforced.

We have long way to go...

[malaise]

30. So why do the powerful among them believe that their violence

will be kept secret?
I think it takes a lot of balls to be judging others when you know you're committing the same crime.
Sadly I think there has long been a code among men that allows them to get away with crimes against women.

[IluvPitties]

33. Power is the key.

An average Joe gets arrested for assault or fired from work for sexual harassment.These guys we are talking about have the power to ruin lives if denounced, and they have been effective in silencing many victims who don't wanna deal with the whole situation.

[malaise]

35. That's why MeToo is so powerful

Women are no longer ashamed to expose rape, sexual harassment or violence. The days of 'it's our fault' are over. Man Up or you will be exposed.

[panader0]

34. I hope there is a wave of women elected in the midterms,

and again in 2020. I hope the US can elect a female POTUS in 2020.
I am positive that they will do a better job than what we have seen in the past.

[malaise]

37. Well we can hope although I haven't seen much change

in countries where we have or have had female PMs or Presidents.
I think more women in the legislative and judicial branches will make a difference

[Tipperary]

36. I find it odd there are no ops on du about this horrible N.Y. AG.

Wonder why?

[Orsino]

38. Male hormones.

Men evolved to compete for territory/property/mating opportunities in pretechnical cultures. Aggression is no longer as valuable as it was to our uncivilized ancestors, but we are as Nature forged us, and our outliers are especially prone to break modern laws and norms. The majority of us manage to keep it between the ditches most of the time, but statistics don't lie; most men have some problems dealing with their insecurities, and their partners are convenient stand-ins for an incompatible world.

[malaise]

39. I accept this but it is also true that female animals are just as aggressive when

their young are attacked or threatened. Society does not give us a pass in the way that men get a pass so religion and patriarchy are clearly powerful factors.

[Orsino]

42. Protecting the young needs no pass.

Yeah, some women take it too far, I presume, but this impulse in women is not as dangerous to grown men, and doesn't seem to lead women into criminal offenses--not as men are led by their worst natures.

[malaise]

43. I get your point but judges aren't exactly sympathetic to the

'I killed him because he was sexually assaulting my child' defense.

[Orsino]

44. Just saying that women's worst impulses are statistically less dangerous than men's. n/t

[MineralMan]

40. Systemic Misogyny.

I think that's it.

[malaise]

41. Perfect

[jcgoldie]

45. correct

Same reason we have a moron for president.

[sweetroxie]

47. The "boys will be boys" mentality

[crazycatlady]

49. Many women who report abuse aren't taken seriously

Or they're considered sluts with something to gain by accusing powerful men. And remember a women who accuses a powerful man of inappropriate behavior is only credible if she gives her identity.

This was very prevalent on DU.

[malaise]

56. I don't think the word slut scares women today

We're way past that.

[mr_lebowski]

58. Personally, I'm a bit of a fan ... always have been, really ... never judged ...

Last edited Wed May 9, 2018, 05:29 AM - Edit history (1)

In my younger days, in fact, I was one myself, but a male version.

And given I had no problem with it in myself, it'd be pretty lame if I judged anyone ELSE, male or female ... for wanting to experience the joys of the ... uh ... human touch ... in a variety of ways

Not that I know this particular person in any way, they just came up on the googles as a 'male version' ... so this is just as a 'for example' ... I know they're out there ...

[malaise]

59. Sadly it is often the male 'slut'

who wants a 'pure' wife and has nothing good to say about women who simply want the same freedom to experience the joys of the human touch... nicely put by the way Bravo!

[MicaelS]

51. For one, because men are physically larger and stronger than women.

So they can dominate on sheer size, not just women, but smaller men.

Second, females are much more verbal from a young age than males. And this gap gets larger and larger as both sexes age. It results in females being able to use words as weapons, and males being unable to retaliate verbally, so they fall back on using their fists, as they do with other males when they are criticized or disrespected.

[mr_lebowski]

52. Same thing that explains widespread violence against men (usually by other men), and war ...

It's all part of the same basket ... the male of the species has a genetic proclivity towards attempting to dominate others. It comes from our evolution, we're all animals after all. Mostly the violent males are the ones who ancestors weren't as evolved ... they're still stuck with a big dose o' me-me-me lizard brain, and not enough all-in-it-together/bee-hive/community brain, which evolved much much later in the history of the animal kingdom.

Though I abhor it and am probably the least violent person you'd ever meet, I find little bewildering about this proclivity among some whatsoever. I think at the heart of the matter, such men instinctively feel as though they're still part of a 'tournament' species, which our immediate ancestors most likely were (and many of our cousins like gorillas, still are). This way of thinking also leads many to Ayn Rand-like (based in selfishness) philosophies, though it's not only those types who exhibit violence.

I'm not excusing it away, nor proclaiming it as inevitable in any individual's particular case, only explaining the broader phenomenon.

Also, we all learn much of right/wrong from our parents, so this sort of thing has to be properly 'socialized' out of some people, and parents very often fail to properly do so ...

[malaise]

53. Interesting

Thanks

[Squinch]

54. They believe they can get away with it because they always HAVE gotten away with it.

And for most of history, they set up society to ensure they would.

The difference now is that physical might is not the source of power. Control of information is. So women are able to compete and some have attained positions of power. So there is a structure now that can assist women who speak out against abuse.

[malaise]

55. Technology facilitates great strides forward

Excellent point.

I also think words like slut don't scare us anymore. Imagine a careless, loose skeevy like the Con calling a woman a slut.

[TNLib]

57. Sociopaths and men with personality disorders

My ex was pre-screened with Narcissistic Personality Disorder and acted with similar abusive behavior. I also suspected he had a co-condition of bipolar disorder.

I generally don't like talking about this because it may promote a stigma against individuals with mental health problems. But I personally believe that those with specific kinds of personality disorders can be very abusive emotionally and even physically.

Unfortunately there is little education for the general public and very few resources for family members to get help.