THe Rape of Men the darknest secret of War rape culture. TRIGGER WARNING UPSETTING

Lou.m · 08-03-2014 06:47AM #1

TRIGGER WARNING THE STORIES IN THIS ARTICLE BELOW MAY BE UPSETTING AND ARE DETAILED

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2011/jul/17/the-rape-of-men?CMP=twt_gu

Remember those pictures of US soldiers of both genders humiliating male prisoners in Iraq?

It struck me then this is part of a wider culture.

Rape is used as a means of social control a lot. It was said that systematic rape of young men and boys was part of the regime in Syria.

In El Salvador, 76% of male political prisoners surveyed in the 1980s described at least one incidence of sexual torture. A study of 6,000 concentration-camp inmates in Sarajevo found that 80% of men reported having been raped.

I think rape being used systematically needs to be brought out into the open and authorities need to hold their hands up to it.

It also happens to children.

We know it happens to women too.

And in a way it was easy to say it was about sexual desire. And now we see they still want to stick to this idea of rape even with men and using it to blame the victims.

In Uganda, survivors are at risk of arrest by police, as they are likely to assume that they're gay – a crime in this country and in 38 of the 53 African nations. They will probably be ostracised by friends, rejected by family and turned away by the UN and the myriad international NGOs that are equipped, trained and ready to help women. They are wounded, isolated and in danger. In the words of Owiny: "They are despised."

It is further complicated by their disgusting homophobia. So perversely their homophobia allows their authorities to get away with rape.

Because there has been so little research into the rape of men during war, it's not possible to say with any certainty why it happens or even how common it is – although a rare 2010 survey, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that 22% of men and 30% of women in Eastern Congo reported conflict-related sexual violence. As for Atim, she says: "Our staff are overwhelmed by the cases we've got, but in terms of actual numbers? This is the tip of the iceberg."

Later on I speak with Dr Angella Ntinda, who treats referrals from the RLP. She tells me: "Eight out of 10 patients from RLP will be talking about some sort of sexual abuse."

"Eight out of 10 men?" I clarify.

"No. Men and women," she says.

"What about men?"

"I think all the men."

I am aghast.

"All of them?" I say.

"Yes," she says. "All the men."

It is time for international action on systematic sexual violence.

Perhaps there needs to be a specific campaign for men as it appears society needs to admit to this. Also they need to realize male victims should feel no shame etc.

MyPeopleDrankTheSoup · 08-03-2014 06:53AM

is this what you read when you come home after a Friday night session?!

Smithwicks Man · 08-03-2014 06:54AM

georgiecasey wrote: »

is this what you read when you come home after a Friday night session?!

Honestly was thinking the same. Too much at 6am

Lou.m · 08-03-2014 07:49AM

Smithwicks Man wrote: »

Honestly was thinking the same. Too much at 6am

It will keep till monday so.

Menas · 08-03-2014 08:48AM

Why am i getting warned ?

jellyboy · 08-03-2014 08:58AM

Hi op
Thanks for posting this ,i read this a few weeks ago on the guardian website and was trying to find it to repost it on the gentlemen's club forum..

The whole debate about the effects of male rape and sexual abuse in Ireland has to begin,we are silenced by ignorance…

I personally believe its the last great taboo..

Allthough AH is probably the worst place to post this ..

Watch how this is ripped apart, instead of being viewed as a helpful post to men have being abused..

Voglio · 08-03-2014 08:59AM

Lou you have issues.

telekon · 08-03-2014 09:04AM

It's the weekend!!!! Wahoooo....

....aww.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar · 08-03-2014 09:09AM

mother of god don't bring that trigger warning bull**** to boards, please

Autonomous Cowherd · 08-03-2014 09:34AM

I remember years and years ago when the Internet was a mere infant posting a comment about rape (can't even remember where) and I received a PM from a man in Cork who had been gang-raped on his way home from a club. He described the utter lack of public awareness about the effects of this heinous assault on men, and how he felt he had to remain quiet. He had such a wise nobility to him, this anonymous man, and wrote so movingly of the distress of having been so randomly and greviously violated, that ever since then whenever the word rape is mentioned I never considered it a gender-specific crime.

Lou.m · 08-03-2014 09:44AM

Voglio wrote: »

Lou you have issues.

I actually think people balking at this topic or laughing have issues.

I don't mean to be overly solemn but there.

Lou.m · 08-03-2014 09:49AM

Autonomous Cowherd wrote: »

I remember years and years ago when the Internet was a mere infant posting a comment about rape (can't even remember where) and I received a PM from a man in Cork who had been gang-raped on his way home from a club. He described the utter lack of public awareness about the effects of this heinous assault on men, and how he felt he had to remain quiet. He had such a wise nobility to him, this anonymous man, and wrote so movingly of the distress of having been so randomly and greviously violated, that ever since then whenever the word rape is mentioned I never considered it a gender-specific crime.

In a way though it is gender specific society tends to react differently to each gender and it is used differently against each gender. Obviously the emotional damage is equally awful.

I fear a lot of men feel there are expectations placed upon them.

You can be more dismissive of male rape in conversation. I think even men do it. I think they would be reluctant to do so with female rape victims as they know the bollocking they would get.

There should be equal space for this topic and the people affected by it.

Lou.m · 08-03-2014 09:55AM

jellyboy wrote: »

Hi op
Thanks for posting this ,i read this a few weeks ago on the guardian website and was trying to find it to repost it on the gentlemen's club forum..

The whole debate about the effects of male rape and sexual abuse in Ireland has to begin,we are silenced by ignorance…

I personally believe its the last great taboo..

Allthough AH is probably the worst place to post this ..

Watch how this is ripped apart, instead of being viewed as a helpful post to men have being abused..

Yeah go ahead and maybe we can ask the mods to move this thread there would it be better there?

I just didn't want to push it into the sideline.

It is an issue that all of society should be against women too.

I have often seen threads on sexual harassment etc about women here.

And you know women have experience in dealing with the laid back derision some have towards the issue. We have a a low level of tolerance for it. Sometimes it is that reaction and attitude that informs men they cannot talk about it.

This issue belongs in the mainstream.

Voglio · 08-03-2014 09:58AM

Lou.m wrote: »

I actually think people balking at this topic or laughing have issues.

I don't mean to be overly solemn but there.

k

MS.ing · 08-03-2014 10:48AM

weapon of war? come on, more a "an easy way for soldiers in the field to get their hole" nothing new here rape an pillage has always how it been during warfare.

even In berlin during the 2nd world war almost everyone/female was raped by the liberators after the city finally fell to the allies in 1945

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2002/may/01/news.features11

Stavros Murphy · 08-03-2014 11:27AM

What's a trigger warning? I was half expecting a lad with an old brush to wander in. Also wars shyte. It's shyte on loads and loads of levels OP. People even get killed. The only people who think war isn't are psychos or idiots. Rape is just another expression of the wholehearted shyteness of war. Chopping off someones hands isn't too nice either. Burning them into a pile of ash or shooting them in the stomach? Why fixate on Rape? It's one turd in a tank of turds that is war.

Muise... · 08-03-2014 11:58AM

Stavros Murphy wrote: »

What's a trigger warning? I was half expecting a lad with an old brush to wander in.

Apparently, it's bold and red and shouty. I think the TRIGGER WARNING in the thread title is warning about the eye-upsetting TRIGGER WARNING in the OP, which is there to warn people that rape is not nice.

Chazz Michael Michaels · 08-03-2014 12:02PM

The op really got shafted, here.

thegreatgonzo · 08-03-2014 12:37PM

Lou.m wrote: »

I think rape being used systematically needs to be brought out into the open and authorities need to hold their hands up to it.

It also happens to children.

.

This isn't exactly news. I think since the time of the crusades rape of soldiers by other soldiers was used as a form of humiliation and domination. Child soldiers in Africa are subjected to it and it is an issue that Amnesty International has highlighted. And then you have prison systems in many countries that turn a blind eye to it.
I agree that there should be more support for male victims though.

Baze · 08-03-2014 12:39PM

Alright Dave.

tritium · 08-03-2014 12:44PM

There's been quite a bit of discussion around the use of rape as a weapon of war in the last while. Unfortunately the shame associated with it makes it very difficult, especially for male victims who have been less commented by by the various humanitarian organisations. Stories like the abuse of prisoners in Iraq still surprise us unfortunately both in terms of the gender of the vittims and also the profile (and sometimes gender) of the perpetrators. It shouldnt be surprising given the level of sexual abuse reported within military training for example

There's also a tendency to ignore male victims of sexual violence in a number of the most prominent studies on the subject unfortunately

spurious · 08-03-2014 12:47PM

Autonomous Cowherd wrote: »

I remember years and years ago when the Internet was a mere infant posting a comment about rape (can't even remember where) and I received a PM from a man in Cork who had been gang-raped on his way home from a club. He described the utter lack of public awareness about the effects of this heinous assault on men, and how he felt he had to remain quiet. He had such a wise nobility to him, this anonymous man, and wrote so movingly of the distress of having been so randomly and greviously violated, that ever since then whenever the word rape is mentioned I never considered it a gender-specific crime.

I taught at least one young lad who had been raped and as is the case with many women, not by a stranger. He absolutely refused any outside help and tried to cope with it on his own. I think it's much more common than people think.

El Guapo! · 08-03-2014 12:52PM

Chazz Michael Michaels wrote: »

Gee, what a bummer.

Chazz Michael Michaels wrote: »

The op really got shafted, here.

"Jokes" about rape are not welcome here. Do not post in this thread again.

Hedge11 · 08-03-2014 12:53PM

In the 1st War of the Worlds, some guy name Larry O'Rabia got hiself raped by a big-ass alien Turkey.

mad muffin · 08-03-2014 12:54PM

War is OK but rape is bad? We need to bring rape to the forefront but ignore it's cause?

Rape is a symptom. War is the cause. Eradicate war and there will be no war rape.

thegreatgonzo · 08-03-2014 12:55PM

mad muffin wrote: »

War is OK but rape is bad? We need to bring rape to the forefront but ignore it's cause?

Rape is a symptom. War is the cause. Eradicate war and there will be no war rape.

Well that would be great but what about other situations outside of war?

mad muffin · 08-03-2014 12:59PM

thegreatgonzo wrote: »

Well that would be great but what about other situations outside of war?

Yes rape is horrible disgusting behaviour but, OP talks about rape as a weapon of war.

thegreatgonzo · 08-03-2014 01:00PM

mad muffin wrote: »

Yes rape is horrible disgusting behaviour but, OP talks about rape as a weapon of war.

Fair enough she is

tritium · 08-03-2014 01:05PM

mad muffin wrote: »

Yes rape is horrible disgusting behaviour but, OP talks about rape as a weapon of war.

Granted but the issue of make rape extend well beyond war and is heavily underreported. The reasons for it - control power, humiliation of the victim are also fairly transferrable to a non war situation . getting rid of war, noble an aspiration as it is, wouldn't eliminate male rape or rape in general

Czarcasm · 08-03-2014 01:32PM

I'm genuinely lost as to what the OP was trying to achieve here with their opening post. One term I absolutely detest is this idea of "rape culture", and thank christ I'm on the touch site so I'm not seeing the size 4 "TRIGGER WARNING" nonsense.

I'm trying to figure out is the OP talking about

- male on male rape
- war
- the war in Syria
- rape committed against women and children
- homophobia
- systematic sexual violence in Ireland
- calling for action from the International community
- society's attitude towards rape (Is that western society, Irish society? Rape committed against women and children, rape committed against men, by men?)
- equality? (a campaign directed specifically at men to tell them it's not ok to rape other men? No, not even during war time!)

And then the throwaway comment at the end - "men need to realise male victims should feel no shame etc.". In other words "I really couldn't give a toss".

The opening post is so full of it's own strawmans and whataboutery that it's no surprise it fell in on itself and couldn't be taken seriously, by anyone!

MonstaMash · 08-03-2014 02:29PM

Male rape has been a control/intimidation/humiliation method used throughout worldwide penal systems for eons, that it should be perpetrated in times of war is unfortunately not surprising at all.

THe Rape of Men the darknest secret of War rape culture. TRIGGER WARNING UPSETTING

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