May 2013 Awake suggests screaming to thwart sexual assault

by ParadiseCircus 50 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Lady Lee

  Vidiot

  Taken a step further, it could be argued (correctly, IMO) that it therefore lends a measure of support to the conclusions of evolutionary behaviorists, and by extension, evolutionary biologists.

  We have natural instincts to falling, and being hit for example. Being assaulted is no different. We might shrink back, we might curl up, we might reach out to grab something or duck. The "play dead" response is no different. Ask any person who has been traumatically abused. We are mammals whether we choose to acknowlege it or not. We have the physical responses to danger that all mammals have.

  Blaming a rape victim because he or she froze is inexcusable. It adds what is called the secondary assault to a person who is already traumatized.

  Elders need to get the person to the police if she or he has not already gone and then need butt eh f*uck out and shut the f*uck up

  Yes mrsjones. Your response was normal and never ever let anyone tell you different.

  Pickler I hope this was not an experience you had but if it was then know that "playing dead" sometimes is the only way to stay alive.
• 

  Lady Lee

  Splash

  Thank you for that list. Even they can't decide what they are doing but then that is the case for more of what they do.
• 

  Cold Steel

  Yes, by all means scream...then shoot him with your concealed .357 revolver!

  Okay, here's one for the magazines: In 1976, a TV show starring Paul Sorvino looked at the question of what would happen if a woman raped a man. Actually, the woman does it for a lark. She kidnaps a guy, goes to a quiet spot, pulls a gun on him and has him strip. Then she motions him into the back of her Cadillac, has her way with him, then puts him out on the deserted road buck naked. He subsequently reports the incident, but when they get a look at this beautiful woman, they dismiss it. But then the woman accuses him of raping her. He loses his friends and family and is made a laughing stock. When the jury comes back with a guilty verdict, but before sentencing, the woman approaches the bench, fesses up and Sorvino's character is vindicated.

  Now how would the JW magazines handle that?

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns3RLdXXCH4
• 

  steve2

  Splash, while I have no brief to "defend" the organization, attitudes to rape have changed significantly in the plast few decades. Thus, you can dip into practically any religious literature from, say the 1950s and 1960s and find pretty damning advice on what females "should" do to prevent and/or reduce likelihood of rape.

  'It wasn't until the emerging feminist movement of the early 1970s that more general attitudes - as distinct from "religious" attitudes - towards rape began to change for the better - and even then, the change was extremely slow, with some myths still persisting.

  Yes, the organization should be held to account for its more recent and current literature on rape, but to go digging further back in time, all you end up doing is getting a veritable snap shot of the shocking rape myths that were highly prevalent at the time even in the general population. Given the Mosaic law codes laws on rape, and the culpability of women, it is no surprise that religious groups such as JWs have languished way behind general society in their victim-baiting teachings on rape.
• 

  perfect1

  irregardless is not a word. regardless is.

  those guys are idiots.
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  Aunt Fancy

  This is disgusting! 45 years ago I was walking by myself and was approached by a man in his car. He asked me for directions and i gave them to him and then he got out of his car and pulled a large knife on me and told me to get in the car or he would kill me. It was a small town with no crime and we were never instructed back then on how to handle these situations but I took off and ran to the nearest house. Thank heavens my instincts told me to run! I never screamed because I was so scared. When I saw he got in his car and left I then ran the rest of the way home. When I came into the house my Mom said I was so white and they knew I wasn't telling a story because I nearly collapsed. This nonsense about screaming drives me nuts!! It does work in some situations but you do whatever will save your life! I was angry when I read all the flip flopping about their views on rape and women screaming and the fact that years ago women were disfellowshipped for not screaming during a rape. These men who make up these barbaric rules are disgusting and I can't even say what should be done with them!! Needless to say, I have NO respect for them!
• 

  Balaamsass

  Obviously they are running out of material to print since they cut the mags in half. Why don't they do some simple research and actually accomplish some good for members?

  Pepper spray is under $10 dollars and is VERY effective in SOME circumstances...including DOG attacks. I have used it myself with EXCELLENT results.

  The Mrs was with another sister years ago, who pulled a .38 special from her purse and stopped a carjacker in his tracks...he had a "come to Jesus" moment 2cd and 3rd thoughts. 3rd gen is alive today to recount the story.

  WTBTS writing staff are buffoons.
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  Splash

  steve2 Splash, while I have no brief to "defend" the organization, attitudes to rape have changed significantly in the plast few decades. Thus, you can dip into practically any religious literature from, say the 1950s and 1960s and find pretty damning advice on what females "should" do to prevent and/or reduce likelihood of rape.

  Hi steve2,

  I take your point about attitudes changing through time but you overlook some very important implications.

  1. The quotes show that up until the 2000's the advice was to scream. The 2000's are not 'digging further back in time'.

  2. The victim is told to scream, not for self defence, but so the woman is not guilty of fornication. This has less to do with protecting the person and more to do with following the Hebrew code for judging wrongdoing within the congregation.

  3. What is written in the WT are not suggestions, they are instructions that must be adhered to at risk of punishment - strict isolation from friends and family at a time when you need support the most, having just been sexually assaulted or raped.

  4. We have no way of knowing if these instructions are personal opinion or written by someone qualified to give this advice, based on solid evidence. The fact they change so often is a clue though.

  5. If the WT is Gods Channel of Communication, the instructions should not change 10 times in 50 years (within one persons lifetime). That's a flip-flop every five years, how are you meant to keep up with what's most recent?

  6. Most important of all: Looking at the last 50 years of enforcing the severest punishment for the mistaken and shifting opinions of unqualified men, what does this teach us about the dependability of what is written in the WT?

  Lots of words to say what Jesus said in just seven: "By their fruits you will recognise them".

  Splash
• 

  Splash

  Balaamsass Obviously they are running out of material to print since they cut the mags in half.

  Don't forget they halved the frequency as well - no longer a public WT/Awake! every two weeks, only one of each per month now.

  So WT and Awake! used to each print 32 pages x 24 issues = 1536 pages per year for both.

  Now there are 16 pages x 12 issues x 2 magazines = 384 pages per year.

  Both the WT and Awake! have a front cover and inside front page which has the contents on, so four pages per month are not used for teaching. That's 48 pages per year.

  Then between them there's a Watching the World page, a children's section with colouring or dot-to-dot, or a back page advert, let's say two pages per month - another 24 pages per year.

  384 pages - 48 pages - 24 pages = 312 pages of public WT/Awake! info each year.

  Works out to exactly 1 wide margined, large fonted page every day of the week except Sundays, for the year.

  I think I've just worked out my new reading schedule.

  Splash
• 

  perfect1

  Aunt Fancy, I relate to your story, as a similar thing happened to me- and I just ran. There was no thought in my head about if I should scream, my instinct was just to run. In fight, flight, or freeze situations there is no thought or procedure- there is just a visceral physical response, and a lot of adrenaline in the belly for hours afterwards.

  Splash, thanks for drawing the comparison to the Hebrew law - didnt see the parallel so clearly but that makes sense.