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Thursday, July 2, 2009

No more Absolutes?

In the United States, 1.3 women are raped every minute.

That results in 78 rapes each hour,
1872 rapes each day,
56160 rapes ech month and
683,280 rapes each year.

1 out of every 3 American women will be sexually assulted in her lifetime.
The United States has the world's highest rape rate of the countries that publish such statistics. It's 4 times higher than Germany, 13 times higher than England, and 20 times higher than Japan.

from Cease at http://oak.cats.ohiou.edu/~ad361896/anne/cease.html

Is there a direct correlation between our violent culture in America? I love America and am very blessed to have been born here. I have travelled extensively around the globe ( except the East). I have always felt safe in foreign cities, unlike in some of the US. I know it is unpopular to speak out against guns or violent images, videos that objectify women, numbing young men to the effects of their actions with weapons. Even grown men see no problem playing a game that helps you score if you run over a hooker after you have sex with her.

There have been rapes and brutalizations in many cultures over millenia. I am not saying we have it worse than 1000 years ago. And life here is far less brutal than in many Third World countries, but considering we are a "civilised" society with many advatages and much more wealth than other countries, I believe that we are sorely lacking in educating our children about the culture that is swirling around the drain.... and taking our kids with them. Parents do not always supervise or interact with their children/teens, instilling a core belief system of right and wrong. There are no more absolutes it seems.

When I saw my guy drooling over some commercial with a beautiful young woman, rubbing whip cream over her thighs and moaning, I asked him what he would think if men were thinking that way over his daughter. He said he would kill them. I pointed out that woman was someone's daughter.

Why do women have to educate their men on what is acceptable? He is a grown man with two parents who raised him. Why did no one tell him that it was not cool to be "one of the guys", laughing at smutty jokes, playing with their guns, denigrating women? We have been together 5 years now, and he has grown through many of the conversations we had in those early years.

I have a daughter who should not have to walk in fear or educate men on how to treat another human being. Fortunately, she is not a doormat. I learn much from this sweet child!

2 comments:

  1. Your courage and honesty are truly a gift to so many women . . . . . don't ever let anyone silence your voice. There are so many women, even in "Christian" homes who are not given the respect they deserve. We must teach our daughters to respect themselves, and to demand that others treat them respectfully. Great message - thanks for sharing!

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  2. Thanks Mamasliltreasures... too true.

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