a beaten woman, eye blackened and lip swelling, wrapped in a bathrobe. "Last night I was raped...Where were the police?" she asks.*He further quotes from the ad:
The days when you tought you'd never be the victim of a rape--that it "can't happen to me"--are over....You might be the next victim.Then Josh writes:
Contrary to these images, rape primarily happens between people who know each other. The National Victim Center's 1992 study, Rape in America: A Report to the Nation, revealed that only 22 percent of rape victims were assaulted by someone they had never seen before or did not know well. Furthermore, the majority of rapes occur during childhood and adolescence. More than six out of every 10 rapes occur to children and adolescents under the age of 18. Recognizing that under the Gun Control Act of 1968, persons must be at least 18 years of age to purchase a long gun and 21 years of age to buy a handgun, the gun lobby's arguments ring particularly hollow.Disturbing.
Read it again.
The implication behind those words is this: "Rape happens. Deal with it. Furthermore, it's okay--even morally superior--to be raped. Just as long as you don't have a gun."
*from Every Handgun is Aimed at You, New Press, 2001, p.90 (hardcover edition)
3 comments:
First off, I will not bother with reading his sources to confirm his data. From his supporters I have read numerous lies and statistics that were made up out of thin air. They've destroyed all credibility, so I will not waste my time.
However, for the sake of argument, let's accept his basic statistics.
Namely, that rape happens more to young girls and via acquaintances.
This sounds a lot like incest, or statutory rape situations (where it's two kids having sex with at least the girl under the age of 18).
It's true that a firearm is not likely to be of much use in these situations. The young women in question may just be too young to be able to use a gun, or may not want to, such as against a family member or in the two young kids scenario where it's still a rape, even if both want it to happen.
So, the take away is that a gun is not going to help much in twisted situations where the girl is under 18 such as in incest cases, and in the technical rape category of two kids going wild (the laws usually state that a girl under the age of 18 cannot legally consent, so it's considered a rape).
So, Josh Sugarmann gets this whole under 18 area wrong. The pro-gun advocates certainly do not condone rape and recognize circumstances in this age range. He cannot think this through to see it is not an indictment of our position.
Meanwhile, Josh Sugarmann, fails to see that he makes a compelling argument for the reduction of the eligible age range for handguns. If what he says is true about the younger women being raped most often, then the 18-21 year old range is certainly being denied their civil right of self-defense with the silly age restriction. If at 18 you can marry, vote, and be drafted, then you sure as hell should be able to own a handgun.
The fact that firearms do protect women in other age brackets is not disputable and he should linger on that for a while. Their benefit, while not universally applied to all age groups, is substantial.
Finally, just because we cannot use firearms to solve ALL of the social ills caused by criminals; doesn't mean we should ban them.
Regards from Donaghey ;)
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