Women in miniskirts risk rape on buses

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2004-09-27 07:23pm

Women in miniskirts risk rape on buses
By David Blair, Africa Correspondent
(Filed: 27/09/2004)

Bus drivers in Swaziland have threatened to rape any female passenger seen wearing a miniskirt.

They have banned women from wearing revealing clothes on buses after three men were arrested for allegedly gang-raping an 18-year-old schoolgirl at a bus station in the town of Manzini.

Witnesses said the men - a bus driver and two conductors - shouted abuse at the girl for wearing a miniskirt.

When about 1,000 women demonstrated against the attack, drivers and conductors threatened to do the same again. One conductor said: "Women who wear miniskirts want to be raped, and we will give them what they want."

Police said they would arrest anyone suspected of sexual assault and women's groups in the deeply conservative kingdom are outraged.

"This is madness," said Nomhlanhla Dlamini, the director of the Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse. "This has no place in modern society."

.....

Only in Africa.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2004-09-27 07:27pm

Wait...let me get this straight. They are mad that women are getting raped by men on buses, so in response they are threatening to...rape women on buses?

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-09-27 07:30pm

The Kernel wrote:Wait...let me get this straight. They are mad that women are getting raped by men on buses, so in response they are threatening to...rape women on buses?

No, they're mad that the woman are wearing miniskirts. They claim that if you're wearing that, you must want to be raped. So they're doing that.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-09-27 07:31pm

The Kernel wrote:Wait...let me get this straight. They are mad that women are getting raped by men on buses, so in response they are threatening to...rape women on buses?

In Africa, that's filed under the "logic" section.

Stravo · Post by **Stravo** » 2004-09-27 07:34pm

Actually the rapists are mad at being accused because obviously women wearing miniskirts are looking to be raped. I swear I can think of no reason to keep that shitty continent in the community of nations. Its one of those situations where you wish you could wall off the whole place and forget about it.

Captain Cyran · Post by **Captain Cyran** » 2004-09-27 07:40pm

Africa makes my head hurt. I will go far enough to say that women wearing miniskirts loose their right to complain when guys stare at them. But asking to be raped? Someone give me a 2x4. I need a good beating stick...

Seggybop · Post by **Seggybop** » 2004-09-27 07:47pm

Swaziland... this is the same country whose king (yeah, king) has embezzled millions of dollars in aid money to build himself more palaces.

I bet if we airlifted a single gang from LA to there they could take out the entire place. Not sure if it would be a positive or negative effect, but it would be something...

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2004-09-27 08:30pm

It makes me so angry when people blame the victims of sexual assault for bringing it upon themselves. Like they had much a choice.

Furthermore, what sort of reasoning allows someone to go from "She's wearing a miniskirt" to "She must want to be raped?"

DPDarkPrimus · Post by **DPDarkPrimus** » 2004-09-27 08:36pm

Master of Ossus wrote: Furthermore, what sort of reasoning allows someone to go from "She's wearing a miniskirt" to "She must want to be raped?"

The same sort of reasoning that lets you believe that condoms spread AIDs and that the only sure way to get rid of it is to have sex with a virgin.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-27 08:56pm

Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it".

Another reason women need guns.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-09-27 08:59pm

[quote="Elfdart"]Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it". quote]

Shut up. They're not the norm, neither are they condoned.

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2004-09-27 09:05pm

StormtrooperOfDeath wrote:
Elfdart wrote:Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it".
Shut up. They're not the norm, neither are they condoned.

There's nothing in the article to suggest this behavior is being condoned in Swaziland, either, considering the police are promising to arrest anyone suspected of sexual assault. Africa might have MORE retrograde assholes than the west, but retorgrade assholery, and retrograde assholery apologism, is alive and well in the West.

sketerpot · Post by **sketerpot** » 2004-09-27 09:12pm

Elfdart wrote:Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it".

There was a sexual assault case here in Nebraska when a visiting professor from another country (it might have been India, I can't remember) started forcefully groping a female student in his office. His excuse was that he was overcome with lust induced by her immodest attire. The newspapers, of course, thought that this was a poor excuse. I'd say that's a fairly good meter of the public reaction, and though some people may feel different in private, they probably won't say so in public for fear that other people will scorn them.

Where do these assholes cluster? Are there any places with high enough concentrations of them that they aren't afraid to say "she was askin' for it" in public?

Another reason women need guns.

And you're the Anti-Shep?

I jokingly recommend an MP5K. Small enough to conceal, but fully automatic.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-09-27 09:23pm

sketerpot wrote:Where do these assholes cluster? Are there any places with high enough concentrations of them that they aren't afraid to say "she was askin' for it" in public?

Yes. These places are called "courtrooms".

Try asking a rape victim whether she feels like she was victimized a second time during the trial of her attacker.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-27 09:30pm

sketerpot wrote:Where do these assholes cluster? Are there any places with high enough concentrations of them that they aren't afraid to say "she was askin' for it" in public?

Another reason women need guns.
And you're the Anti-Shep?

I jokingly recommend an MP5K. Small enough to conceal, but fully automatic.

I was thinking of the compact Glock .45 (.45 being the only suitable cartridge). Holds four rapist-foundering hollowpoints and is stylish, to boot.

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-09-27 09:32pm

Seggybop wrote:Swaziland... this is the same country whose king (yeah, king) has embezzled millions of dollars in aid money to build himself more palaces.

Not for himself, for his wives. All twelve or thirteen of 'em (I forget what he's up to now). The king gets a new one every year, naturally with virginity checks, since in Swaziland 35-40% of the population has AIDS and he wouldn't want to get infected himself. Did I mention that the amount of money he wants for palaces is larger than that of the entire country's health budget?

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-27 09:35pm

Darth Wong wrote:
sketerpot wrote:Where do these assholes cluster? Are there any places with high enough concentrations of them that they aren't afraid to say "she was askin' for it" in public?
Yes. These places are called "courtrooms".

Try asking a rape victim whether she feels like she was victimized a second time during the trial of her attacker.

There was a case in Florida several years ago, when an accused rapist was let off because the victim was dresssed "provocatively". The case was notable because the goddamned jury was mostly made up of old yentas, instead of repressed old men. If I'm ever on a jury on a rape case and some shyster tries that line... GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!

Imperial Overlord · Post by **Imperial Overlord** » 2004-09-27 10:17pm

I read an article a while back (on the subject of rape) and a US prosecutor said she prefered to get men on juries. IIRC her reasons were men are more likely to see through the bullshit as some women will tend to demonize the victim so they can believe that "it can't happen to them." In other words if the victim was asking for it then good middle class women will be safe.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-27 11:10pm

Imperial Overlord wrote:I read an article a while back (on the subject of rape) and a US prosecutor said she prefered to get men on juries. IIRC her reasons were men are more likely to see through the bullshit as some women will tend to demonize the victim so they can believe that "it can't happen to them." In other words if the victim was asking for it then good middle class women will be safe.

I've heard the same thing about the attitudes of some female jurors towards other women from a friend of mine who is a criminal defense attorney. I also think the petty jealosy of a number of women against others is a factor -especially considering the kind of vicious old crones who make up a disproportionate number of jurors. As H.L. Mencken said, "A misogynist is a man who hates women as much as women hate one another."

Petrosjko · Post by **Petrosjko** » 2004-09-28 12:40am

Elfdart wrote:I was thinking of the compact Glock .45 (.45 being the only suitable cartridge). Holds four rapist-foundering hollowpoints and is stylish, to boot.

And there are people who don't really have the wrist for a .45, and with the proper ammo, a nine or a forty will work just fine.

Try the model 36, by the way. Six-plus-one in the .45 caliber and nicely compact as well. Goes well with a miniskirt. But Glocks are the perfect fashion accessory for any season, and the best way to say 'hands off' to any malignant little creature with nefarious designs.

This world needs more pistol-packin' mamas, as this sad story indicates.

Guardsman Bass · Post by **Guardsman Bass** » 2004-09-28 01:55pm

Christ, the first two times I read through that I thought I read "Switzerland," and thought WTF?

I suspect that if the bus drivers try this, a few of them will die quickly.

Bob the Gunslinger · Post by **Bob the Gunslinger** » 2004-09-28 02:34pm

Elfdart wrote:Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it".

Another reason women need guns.

While I disagree with you on the prevalence of rape-eager rapist apologizers in the US (at least in the parts I know), I do agree that women need guns. Failing that, they should be given some other useful tool for self-defense.

Elfdart · Post by **Elfdart** » 2004-09-28 05:05pm

Bob the Gunslinger wrote:
Elfdart wrote:Before we start tut-tutting about those backward Africans, let's keep in mind that there's no shortage of assholes in North America and Europe who also believe women who wear short skirts "were askin' for it".

Another reason women need guns.
While I disagree with you on the prevalence of rape-eager rapist apologizers in the US (at least in the parts I know), I do agree that women need guns. Failing that, they should be given some other useful tool for self-defense.

I don't know what percentage of jurors (or the population at large) has such an asshole outlook about women and rape. But there's a certain anonymity for jurors who have the savvy or good taste to not say such moronic things for public consumption, but won't hesitate to let rapists off because "she was askin' for it".