# How much effort to remove a rapist's testicles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 25, 2009, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853 "2009-11-25T01:24:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/21 "2009-11-25T20:26:21Z")
If Keri has a scrotum, I’d rather not know. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/22 "2009-11-25T20:58:45Z")
Forgive me if this has been asked, but … is there a significant difference between the amount of effort it would take to remove a rapist’s testicles and the amount it would take to remove just any guy’s testicles? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/23 "2009-11-25T22:15:06Z")
If the rapist has removed his trousers, that would improve access, and thus make it easier. But there’s nothing about being a rapist that makes your scrotum more or less detachable. I assume you’re picking on the thread title. I think the rationale was that the situation was more justifiable as a defense for rape rather than just a random interaction with a stranger. “Hi,” _yank_". YMMV. **Kobal2** said: > [@](#): > > Nuts are a small target, really. Throwing random, panicked kicks or knees at a guy’s groin will more than likely hit the inner thigh or pelvis rather than the jewels themselves. Besides, it’s quite easy to block the only angle that works on them (i.e. vertical upwards), you only have to close your legs. And guys do that quite, quite instinctively While men do quickly react to block the nuts, I’m sure a review of the literature (i.e. America’s Funniest Home Videos) will demonstrate that the nuts are a vulnerable target and men aren’t always good at blocking. However, if they block the first one, you’re not likely to get a second or third strike to succeed. > [@](#): > > Your last suggestion is the one I’d go for, were I trying to defend myself for realz. It’s an easy, incapacitating target, and one that’s hard to protect. I’m not going to limit myself to one target. Yeah, the knee is a great target and can be an incapacitating shot, but if they have their knee bent into the kick or leg not braced, it can be ineffective. I’m going for a series of strikes to multiple targets on the theory that they can’t block everything at once and they can’t anticipate every move, so eventually something will get through. And I’m going to follow the first successful strike with 3 or 4 more to ensure the attacker has been properly persuaded/incapacitated to allow me to withdraw. Eyes, throat, groin, knee - and not necessarily in that order. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/24 "2009-11-25T23:19:25Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I’ve heard several of these “so and so lbs of pressure” claims in a martial arts setting. I find them questionable. > > The first thing that jumps out is the units. Pounds is a force unit, pressure is measured in pounds _per square inch_ (for example), i.e. psi. Pressure is a distributed load, force is a total load. > > So when they say 8 lbs of pressure, do they mean 8 lbs, or 8 psi? What force load is required to get 8 psi in the tissue around the testicles? This was something I struggled with when writing the OP. What IS the correct unit of measure for the force needed to rend away someone’s ballsack or ear? ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2009, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/25 "2009-11-27T22:20:57Z")
One can talk about tensile strength of components, and the appropriate units are pressure units (actually, stress units, but they are the same). One can also talk about average loads to accomplish the task on most humans, and talk about force units. Either can be an acceptable way to quantify the information, but one needs to be clear which set of units one is discussing and why. From the values I have heard, I doubt their veracity and wonder how they were measured. 7 to 9 lbs of pressure to break a rib, 9 to 12 lbs to break a knee, etc. I have had children sit on my chest weighing more than 10 lbs, so static loading to 10 lbs of _force_ didn’t break my ribs, but how does that translate to what they think they are communicating? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/26 "2009-11-28T00:10:23Z")
Well, that is distributed over multiple ribs, where presumably the figures you’re referring to are assuming the force is applied entirely to a single rib. Still, it seems like a 150-pound person’s weight would be distributed over less than 15 ribs, and that doesn’t break them, either. ---
**Author:** ![Add99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/977dab/32.png) [@Add99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Add99)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2009, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/27 "2009-11-28T00:40:57Z")
I never pursued martial arts very far, but I like the style of this move: A descending three punch move, bending the knees as you go down. A punch to the face. A punch to the gut. A punch to the nads. Now your opponent is bent forwards. Grab the back of his head with both hands and repeatedly knee him in the face until he falls over. ---
**Author:** ![freddiek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@freddiek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freddiek)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/28 "2014-12-18T08:56:56Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > This was something I struggled with when writing the OP. What IS the correct unit of measure for the force needed to rend away someone’s ballsack or ear? Tensile strength is measured in pascals ¶ and “the mean ultimate tensile strength (UTS) [of human skin] was 27.2±9.3MPa,” ([International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury › IRCOBI](http://www.ircobi.org/downloads/irc12/pdf_files/59.pdf)) ---
**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/29 "2014-12-18T12:14:14Z")
All of this assumes that the victim is capable of retaliating. My understanding is that rapists do not generally stand in front of their victims and say “I am going to rape you.” Of course that might happen, but it is not the normal approach. There are many kinds of rape, but I guess that we are mostly discussing the stranger-in-the-park kind, rather than non-consensual sex while drunk etc. The stranger will, first off, tend to pick a victim that he can dominate. He will approach from behind and try to take control and to not allow any kind of retaliation. The victim might get a chance to bite, drop to the ground (Isn’t this a recommended course of action?) or scream, but grabbing nuts or any other body part, or kicking effectively seems difficult or impossible. Of course, if the rapist is armed with a knife, that would make it even more risky. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/30 "2014-12-18T14:34:50Z")
When I took my self defense course it was reiterated to me over and over again - and this is borne out by experience - that going for the balls is a futile endeavor. Men have been hit in the balls by accident since they were children and the protective gestures they make are instinctive. The knee comes up to protect the jewels before their conscious mind even realizes it. No, the best thing to do, I was told, was stomp on the instep or go for the knee. Or the eyes, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/31 "2014-12-18T15:46:37Z")
Someone could argue that removing someone’s testicles exceeds self-defense. Like someone who amputates a robber’s arm or leg. I wonder about the legal ramifications. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/32 "2014-12-18T15:50:43Z")
> [@](#): > > How much effort to remove a rapist’s testicles? All depends on how fast that som’bitch can run. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/33 "2014-12-18T15:56:30Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > If it were possible he would be in so much pain as to not even be aware she is standing next to him. > > I would advise kicking or punching the general area rather than trying to grab anything. This is to increase the likelyhood of success. Once you’ve tagged him in the nuts you have a better chance of repeating the process. Personally, I think going for the balls is the dumbest move ever. All guys instinctively protect their balls. They know it might be the first thing a woman goes for. So any creepster (who deserves to have his balls ripped off) is going to be looking for a woman/his victim to make her move toward his balls. At which point, he will avoid and/or deflect and now he’s pissed off and she’s in real trouble. Besides balls are tricky to get to. Any time I’ve ever even play-fought, I was never allowed to get anywhere near the balls (not that I would have tried). It’s just such an obvious move, I think any potential assault/rape victim would be better served going for the eyes, solar plexus, instep, or a nice hearty throat punch. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/34 "2014-12-18T16:11:24Z")
> [@Kobal2](#): > > It’s an easy, incapacitating target, and one that’s hard to protect. Go for the knee. A good, solid kick to the side of the knee hurts like a motherfuck and might just break or twist the joint. Even if it doesn’t, the guy’s going to limp for a good long while. Kicking upwards just under the floating bone (patella ?) from the front works too. And the guy’s likely to instinctively protect his nuts rather than his knee, so you’d have a clear shot at clobbering his knee before he realized his mistake. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/35 "2014-12-18T16:49:18Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > I think any potential assault/rape victim would be better served going for the eyes, solar plexus, instep, or a nice hearty throat punch. IME people defend their eyes just as instinctively as they do their nuts. But that just means you have to set it up. Groin grabs in the context I think we are discussing work pretty well in ground work, mostly because [list=A][li]Even people experienced in ground fighting don’t expect it[/li][li]It is easier to hide your approach with one arm and sneak the other under and attack the groin[/li][li]the groin is one of the few targets that doesn’t need a lot of hip torque to generate enough force to hurt the guy.[/list][/li]One size never fits all, and there is obviously a lot more to self defense than “hit him in the nuts”, but FWIW. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/36 "2014-12-18T16:58:30Z")
I’d assume a zombie’s nuts are pretty easy to rip off, based on Hollywood depictions of zombies in general. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/37 "2014-12-18T17:00:37Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > IME people defend their eyes just as instinctively as they do their nuts. But that just means you have to set it up. > > Groin grabs in the context I think we are discussing work pretty well in ground work, mostly because [list=A][li]Even people experienced in ground fighting don’t expect it[/li][li]It is easier to hide your approach with one arm and sneak the other under and attack the groin[/li][li]the groin is one of the few targets that doesn’t need a lot of hip torque to generate enough force to hurt the guy.[/list][/li]One size never fits all, and there is obviously a lot more to self defense than “hit him in the nuts”, but FWIW. > > Regards, > Shodan Agreed. I was dating a Kung Fu sifu for a while, and one day, we got into a play fight – not physical. As he was getting into my car, he caught me eyeballing his nuts and he asked me, “Were you about to go for my balls?” And I said, “No, but I just made the observation that you left 'em open, but I didn’t really think I could reach through the car and give 'em a tap before I’d telegraph that move and you’d shut me down. So it was more like a passing thought, ‘Oh he left his balls open’ immediately followed by 'but I couldn’t reach ‘em anyway.’” He laughed and got in the car. I am not one to joke around about popping guys in the nuts; I think it’s playing dirty. But in a real-life self-defense situation, I say go for whatever you can. That includes a feint toward the nuts to get the guy to bend down a little bit, so I can step in and deliver an unexpected throat punch. 🆒 In theory. I have never actually had to deliver this throat punch, but this is my planned move. Which I’m sure will go all pear-shaped on me IRL, should this nightmare ever come to fruition. :o ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/38 "2014-12-18T17:15:13Z")
> [@Darth\_Panda](#): > > I’d assume a zombie’s nuts are pretty easy to rip off, based on Hollywood depictions of zombies in general. Thank you so much, Zombie Police, for pointing out that this was once a dead thread and is now live again. So kind of you to protect and serve. Keep on keeping on, man. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/39 "2014-12-18T19:27:52Z")
The issue isn’t tearing the scrotum off, but rather severing the testicles from the spermatic cords. Would that take more than 8 lb of force? ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853/40 "2014-12-18T20:20:17Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Someone could argue that removing someone’s testicles exceeds self-defense. Like someone who amputates a robber’s arm or leg. I wonder about the legal ramifications. She grabbed. He pushed her away. She did not let go. She won. > [@](#): > > Although the man suffered serious injury when his scrotum was torn from his testicles, following emergency surgery he made a full recovery. > … > She grabbed his genitals during the scuffle between them, but as her husband pulled away she held on and the man’s testicles were torn and ruptured, causing a considerably more serious injury than had been intended, the court heard. Not a rapist situation but rather [a domestic assault](http://www.caymannewsservice.com/crime/2014/03/10/no-jail-testicle-assault). She was found guilty but got no jail time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-effort-to-remove-a-rapists-testicles/518853.md?page=3)