Webster's New World Dictionary defines "rape" as: the crime of having sexual intercourse, usually forcibly, with a person who has not consented; specif., this crime committed by a man upon a woman or girl...
...usually forcibly ...by a man upon a woman or girl..
The term "rape" usually connotes the disgusting act Ÿ nay, the perversion of an act supposedly meant for the specific union of two persons. When we hear this word spoken, our first thoughts are exactly how Webster's defined it; usually ... committed by a man upon a woman or girl.
That is only the most common occurrence. In today's society others are beginning to step forward with stories of heinous variations of this act committed in even uglier ways.
We have become accustomed to thinking of rape in its usual form. We are only now seeing it for what it really is Ÿ a criminal act against another person..
This is not an effort to take this issue and make it politically correct. This is an effort to reveal that rape is not confined to the heterosexual alone. Rape, whether it's done by a man upon a woman, a man upon a man, a woman upon a woman, or a woman upon a man (yes, there have been incidents of that!) is still RAPE.
We need to be aware of the fact that rape can happen to anyone in any situation. We need to be aware that the person standing next to you in the Student Union, or sitting next to you in class, or teaching your class could be a victim of rape.
We also need to be aware that the person standing, or sitting, next to you is capable of committing rape. Given the influence and the timing, anyone, anywhere is susceptible to rape's siren call.
For instance, guys, did you know that when you meet someone in a bar, have a few drinks, then go back to either's place and have sex it's construed as rape.
Let us clarify: men, when a woman is under the influence of alcohol and you have sex with her, by law it is considered RAPE. There are of course the usual variations as discussed above, but when it comes down to it, sex with any inebriated person is considered rape in the eyes of the law. The consumption of alcohol removes the consentual argument when sex is involved Ÿ especially, if the other person decides the next morning they didn't mean to consent.
The only way to distinquish between rape and consent is plain as the difference between yes and no.
No still means no. We should be aware of that fact, even if we've heard it a thousand times. It will keep being said as long as there are those who keep committing rape against the unwilling.