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In reply to the discussion: Stop Telling Women How to Not Get Raped [View all]Tansy_Gold
(17,851 posts)I probably should add the disclaimer that my undergrad degree is in Women's Studies, so I've probably done more reading on this topic than most, and I have a graduate degree in sociology with an emphasis on gender and women's studies. One of my undergrad honors projects involved surveying women incarcerated at the Maricopa County Jail -- yes, sheriff Joe's domain -- regarding life history. The survey did NOT include questions like "Have you ever been raped?" but went about eliciting that kind of information through much more subtle means. Most of the women I interviewed were charged -- and some convicted -- with drug-related crimes, including burglary, theft, and prostitution to fund drug habits. I don't recall a single one who didn't have some history of sexual abuse.
I've often wondered if the 1-in-4 statistic about women who have experienced rape or attempted rape isn't a bit low. Almost no woman I know doesn't have some tale of a husband who insisted or a boyfriend who was too aggressive or a boss who couldn't keep his hands to himself.
TG