Let it sink.

[Ms. Toad]

92. You have just articulated the reason for most rape

Most men are turned on by dominance. They aren't out for sexual gratification, per se - which is the reason the chatter about skimpy clothing being responsible for rape is nonsense. Most rapists get a sexual kick from domination, so the motivation is domination (degradation, etc.) - and pornography (as well as the domination images from pornography which have filtered down into the rest of media) reinforce the rationalization that it is just part of how men and women interact.

And I have never suggested banning pornography, by the way. But I do think people need to be educated about the themes in pornography - about how they have filtered into mainstream media - because the rape imagery we are constantly exposed to (more explicit in porn) it is just background noise to most people. The focus of the work I have done is on giving a recognizable voice to the noise. An explicit message that is recognized and can be rejected is much less dangerous than the steady drone that just becomes part of the fabric of who you are - and increases the risk that the line between fantasy and reality is no longer recognizable.