To me, rape means someone violently assaulted someone sexually, forcing them to participate despite their clear unwillingness.
To me, sexual assault connotes the attempt, regardless of success.
Having said that, I have encountered definitions of rape that I don't agree with. I don't agree with the entire concept of "date rape" -- if someone drugs you without your knowledge or against your will, that's rape. If you both get drunk and your date takes advantage of you, that's reprehensible, but *not* the same thing -- because rape is an inherent act of violence, whereas the other may well be people acting on their lusts without inhibitions. Rape needs deliberate coercion or violence or threat. "Date rape" needs only poor judgement. And while it's always wrong to take advantage of someone that way, it's not the same thing, just as stealing a video from Wal-mart is not the same as stealing money from your dying gran. It's a degree thing, i guess. Neither is right; one is clearly much worse.
It seems far more likely to me that a lot of women (and men) have had regrettable sex or been groped than have actually been raped, but to some folks there is no difference between them.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2008-12-18 03:43 am (UTC)To me, sexual assault connotes the attempt, regardless of success.
Having said that, I have encountered definitions of rape that I don't agree with. I don't agree with the entire concept of "date rape" -- if someone drugs you without your knowledge or against your will, that's rape. If you both get drunk and your date takes advantage of you, that's reprehensible, but *not* the same thing -- because rape is an inherent act of violence, whereas the other may well be people acting on their lusts without inhibitions. Rape needs deliberate coercion or violence or threat. "Date rape" needs only poor judgement. And while it's always wrong to take advantage of someone that way, it's not the same thing, just as stealing a video from Wal-mart is not the same as stealing money from your dying gran. It's a degree thing, i guess. Neither is right; one is clearly much worse.
It seems far more likely to me that a lot of women (and men) have had regrettable sex or been groped than have actually been raped, but to some folks there is no difference between them.