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What language would you suggest be used instead of the word "rape"?



I'm not a native English speaker and I wouldn't bet on myself coming up with an appropriate description. However, using any word would be perfectly fine if the authors dedicate a short paragraph at the beginning explaining what they mean by the words they use, especially if they don't mean the same things most people are used to.

I keep getting down-voted, so, maybe it helps to repeat: I'm not saying that this isn't as bad as "violent rape", but we have to have a common understanding before people start coming up with useful solutions (I, for example, support systems for reporting such incidents being enforced for companies) and we do need useful solutions.

Disclaimer: I'm a guy who found someone he cares about, in such a situation. Going to police was the worst idea, ever.


I'm not among your downvotes, and I don't believe you're minimizing rape (of the obviously violent or not obviously violent sort), though I can see how some could see it that way; the fact that you're a non-native speaker may also be contributing to it, though I think your English is quite good, and I believe I understood you the first time.

I asked for suggestions for alternatives not as a challenge, but as a sincere question. I don't think it's the worst idea ever, but I think there is risk involved. The kind of person that would use a phrase like "real rape" s the kind of person that would use the new term to minimize the experience. And, there is also risk in saying that rape that does not include bruises, blood, kicking, screaming, etc. is not violent, which is probably the biggest problem with using terminology like "violent rape" and "not violent rape", because all rape is an act of violence.

And, just in case there is any thought that I am exaggerating about the existence of assholes who would claim rape without obvious violence isn't really ape. An American lawmaker used the term "legitimate rape" a couple of years ago when explaining why a woman shouldn't be able to get an abortion even in the event of rape, because if it was a "legitimate rape" she wouldn't have gotten pregnant. This is a pretty widespread opinion about rape; that a "legitimate rape" is an obviously violent one, with screaming and fighting, and anything else doesn't really deserve to be called rape or treated like rape.

Source on the "legitimate rape" comment: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/19/todd-akin-abortion-...


Wow, that's... I don't know what to say. I'm not sure if he has an evil agenda or plain ignorant. Now, looking at it from your perspective, it makes sense. I still wonder if people can be educated to see any kind of involuntary sex and sexual abuse as rape. I guess it's a matter of being pragmatic vs idealistic and I'm not sure which would work.




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