Further proof we live in a Rape Culture>

[jimlup]

10. I would disagree with you generalization of title for the thread

And I will state my position carefully and accurately least it be misunderstood. I think sexual violence and yes rape are a very serious problem in our culture. I do not believe that we live a "rape culture".

The idea that we live in a "rape culture" in my opinion deludes the rather significant point that we need to put an end to sexual violence. It is absolutely not OK. Nevertheless to generalize to our whole "culture" is naive at best.

As a student of anthropology I believe that our culture is in a very unstable non-equilibrium state. Evolutionarily speaking we have just barely stopped being an agrarian culture and even that was hardly adapted from our hunter-gatherer true evolutionary heritage. We have entered an age where sexual roles are changing faster than our psychologies can adapt to them. This point is not intended to forgive "rape" in any way. I am only pointing out that sex roles in our society are very badly adapted to our positions and structures.

Some men are evil and use sex as a weapon of power. This is wrong. But it isn't a defining aspect of our culture. There are many serious problems with our culture - this is one of many.

You may have an argument that many male power structures are illegitimate - in fact I would agree with this. But to characterize our culture as "rape culture" undermines credibility and alienates people like me who feel that men are also very seriously oppressed in our society.