Why are people so irrational about sexual offenses? (gasoline, weapon, Canada)

[Jaggy001]

Originally Posted by cremebrulee

might be great for you, however, you were someone's son, and if your parents would have known, well, whole different ball game....
if your a five year old little girl and you are molested, it is a life changer to say the least....

It just demonstrates that there are a great many 'grey' areas when it comes to sexual offenses.

[steven_h]

Originally Posted by le roi

people project their views about gender onto others whenever this topic comes up. IMO it's rooted in the desire to have control over the opposite sex.

women who go hysterical over sexual assault are generally the ones who fear and/or hate men to begin with; same goes for men who trivialize sexual assault or blame the women. In both cases it is a lack of empathy for the opposite sex.

I can't believe this... le roi, I absolutely agree with you!

Average people have a defined scale (a barometer if you will) of reaction, while extremists at either end, have either a minimal or maximized reaction. Underlying motives are deceptive. Either way there is an unhealthy imbalance.

[tamajane]

Originally Posted by faeryedark

I totally agree!

If that makes you feel better, maybe it makes it seem it's not that bad if the rapist doesn't get punished enough. If he gets a slap on the wrist the same way a shoplifter does, the crimes must be equivalent and the victims don't have to feel so bad because society says the crime isn't so serious. And some people posting online think it's not so bad either and it's irrational to make a big deal.

[steven_h]

Originally Posted by Chemistry_Guy

The reproductive system is special. Everything associated with it is hyped. 35%+ of the internet is porn. Where is the corresponding interest in endocrine function? People don't strut around bragging about their respiratory fitness or their digestive prowess.

There are obviously reasons for this (propagating the species) but I would agree that there is a no man's land between sex and reproduction that exploits the parts of our brains hardwired for procreation.

Somehow sexual assault triggers something primal in our brains, possibly relating sexual desirability to fertility and the idea that the offspring from a previously "untouched" woman is sure to be our own.

Humans can become slaves to their urges. We might eat too much, drink to excess, drive too fast, become greedy, and crave endless sex...etc. The difference is the majority of people have self-control, while the minority give themselves up to them.

[tamajane]

Originally Posted by steven_h

I can't believe this... le roi, I absolutely agree with you!

Average people have a defined scale (a barometer if you will) of reaction, while extremists, at both ends, have either a minimal or maximized reaction. Underlying motives are deceptive. Either way there is an unhealthy imbalance.

So the guys whose lives were ruined after years of sexual abuse by priests are extremists? Are unbalanced for being affected?

[steven_h]

Originally Posted by tamajane

So the guys whose lives were ruined after years of sexual abuse by priests are extremists? Are unbalanced for being affected?

If you're looking for the perfect answer, you might as well stop. I never implied anything of the kind, but then you know that.

I like how you gravitated toward the priests, though. It's so original. Like I said "underlying motives are deceptive"... I'm sensing something...

[steven_h]

Originally Posted by tamajane

There we go again watering down rape. That is more hateful than anything. The most honorable people I know believe the punishment for rape should be the death penalty.

You need to meet a better class of people then. Rape is a horrible thing, but so are many other crimes.

[tamajane]

Originally Posted by steven_h

You need to meet a better class of people then. Rape is a horrible thing, but so are many other crimes.

Like murder, mutilation, which should also be punished in the most severe form. Rape is in that category, not that of assault. Rape is the ultimate violation and some victims can only survive by pretending it isn't and that it wasn't the rapist's fault because of his upbringing or mental state or some such crap. Or even worse, that it just isn't that bad of a crime.

You blew off my example of men's lives being ruined by sexual abuse and I can't imagine why. Women's lives can be ruined by sexual abuse too. There is a severe lack of sincere emotion and understanding of the level of violation that is frankly bizarre.

[kidkaos2]

Originally Posted by faeryedark

I'll give that more people have a basic knowledge of forensics than they used to..fibers, plant matter, bugs etc.

I think another thing that results from these shows is the perception that these techniques are used more often than they are. I don't believe law enforcement has the resources available to go over every crime scene with a magnifying glass and subject every piece of evidence to a microscopic and chemical analysis. There are simply too many crimes committed. For every crime that hits the TV there are a hundred more just like it around the nation.

However, if they think that District attorneys care at all about whether the accused is innocent or guilty, they can think again. Most only care about ticking off another win, and will do whatever is borderline legal to get it. The cops don't care either. they certainly aren't going to go out of their way to bring in proof of your innocence, if you 'look good" for a crime.
Most will say, that's what appeals are for, if you really are innocent.

Yep. What makes a DA's reputation if the conviction rate. Not how many of those convictions were later overturned. That sort of stuff is of course studied, but it receives a lot less attention. And the same with the cops - they want to close the case and then let the justice system figure it out. They just need to find someone who could have done it, not necessarily someone who did do it.

[kidkaos2]

Originally Posted by tamajane

So the guys whose lives were ruined after years of sexual abuse by priests are extremists? Are unbalanced for being affected?

There are guys whose lives are ruined by sexual abuse by abusers. Priests has nothing to do with it. Some abusers become priests. Priests aren't abusers. The actual rate of abuse by priests is exactly the same as the rate of abuse in the general population. It just makes for a juicier story for the media when the abuser is a priest.