# When/why/how did attitudes towards rape victims change?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-how-did-attitudes-towards-rape-victims-change/989906
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [September 11, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-how-did-attitudes-towards-rape-victims-change/989906 "2023-09-11T01:14:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 64

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### Author: ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [September 15, 2023, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-why-how-did-attitudes-towards-rape-victims-change/989906/64 "2023-09-15T20:32:36Z")

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> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> Having had to throw a guy out of a dance group for creeping on young women, it’s really hard. You kinda do need more evidence than “he makes me uncomfortable”.

Yeah. There was a post going around on FB that suggested that if there is “some guy looking at you in a creepy way” you do things like spraying him in the face with oven cleaner or using hair spray to create a mini-flamethrower. Now, I get being uncomfortable, or keeping an eye out, or even leaving, but going straight to Assault with a Deadly Weapon becuase a guy “looks creepy”  
is too damn much.

> [@Spice\_Weasel](#):
>
> It’s not an easy situation to address. There’s always the possibility that the alleged perpetrator is innocent.

Right. Like the guy who had the cops called upon him as he was sitting in his car watching kids in a playground. Turned out one of them was his kid, and he just liked to come buy and eat his lunch in his car while watching his kid. IIRC he was even arrested.

> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> And of course there are false accusations of rape, nobody should be considered guilty only based on an accusation, but neither should any conclusion be made without investigation,

Right, Believe her, treat her as a victim, but that doesnt mean the guy should automatically spend 20 years in prison either. Believe the woman, but of course evidence must be gathered, etc.

> [@puzzlegal](#):
>
> She said this was a recovered memory that she was unaware of until her 30s

You know of course that “recovered memories” are not only bogus, but often _implanted_ memories.

> [@Spice\_Weasel](#):
>
> But you are correct, your SIL probably genuinely believed that happened and suffered the same effects as if it had.

Which is why those people should be arrested for abuse. The person now has the trauma of something that didnt really happen, and the “recoverer” is the cause of the trauma.

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