[Reader-list] sources of violence

[Menso Heus]

On Mon, Apr 12, 2004 at 03:59:15PM -0700, aditya velivelli wrote:
> One thing you have missed out is - this kind of
> extreme sexual harassment was non-existent 30 and more
> years ago. Its rampant increase can only be attributed
> to exposure of the male to these tantalising movies,
> pictures which seem to offer them some kind of odious
> satisfaction, but in the end just leave them hanging -
> the resulting frustration is showing in the form of
> sexual misbehaviour.
> 
> the problem may be a lack of respect and the seeing of
> the female as a lesser person, but then why wasn't
> this kind of sexual harassment present in India in the
> 1960's for instance.

I can't comment on the situation in India specifically
since I'm not too familiar with it. But I do believe
that the treatment of women is something that has
fluctuated over the years.

It was good in 1960 you say, how was it in 1900? 1800? 
1500? How does India do when it comes to sexual assault
compared to other countries? I don't think movies have 
changed that much in Western Europe, but I might be 
completely wrong. 

I personally still strongly believe that the main issue
is a lack of a social structure that educates men on
gender equality. 

Living in Amsterdam, I am confronted daily with images
of women that most would likely refer to as 'lust 
objects'. I never, though, feel the urge to sexually 
assault women. Nor do any of the men I know. And that
includes men that 'aren't getting any'. 

I think blaming the movies is quite a simplistic answer
to a problem that is far more complex. It is the lack 
of a frame of reality that causes one man to simply enjoy
the view of a beautiful woman and causes another to go 
out and assault one because he thinks he has a right to
do so.


Menso

-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
The mark of a good party is that you wake up the next morning wanting to
change your name and start a new life in different city.
		-- Vance Bourjaily, "Esquire"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------