Aw, crap. I killed another one. 
KGS: No, you didn’t (I haven’t had a chance to check out this thread till just now)… but my reply will almost certainly kill it.
Thanks for all the non-Japanese examples, but I really only wanted Japanese examples. I know women are still dominated around the world, and by the Taliban even.
Tsubaki: Pity my friend isn’t around to challenge the assertion that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about, or is still going by what was true 50 years ago. (he’s not in town now) But since you actually live there, perhaps he’ll take your word for it. (instead of someone who used to teach there: “he knows what he’s talking about,” my friend said to me) I believe you when you say that if it were that bad, you wouldn’t be living there.
F_X
I believe the non-Japanese examples were intended to illustrate the fact that the Japanese are not the only people who use rape as a subject of humor. It’s more universal - I’d say it’s human nature to laugh about people’s misfortunes of all kinds, from getting hit by a pie to dying.
I will, however, agree that the Japanese tend to be less sensitive about this subject. “Everyone knows” that the police often try to discourage victims of rape and sexual harassment from pressing charges. (I don’t know to what extent this is true.)