In a 2005 report commissioned by [National Institute of Justice, a U.S. Department of Justice agency], researchers examined a variety of sexual assaults and other physical assaults against women. The study did not focus specifically on college students. The researchers found that potential rape victims who resisted their attackers physically and verbally significantly reduced the probability that a rape would be completed and did not significantly increase the risk of serious injury.
Most self-protective actions significantly reduce the risk that a rape will be completed. In particular, certain actions reduce the risk of rape more than 80 percent compared to nonresistance. The most effective actions, according to victims, are attacking or struggling against their attacker, running away, and verbally warning the attacker.
In assaults against women, most self-protective tactics reduced the risk of injury compared to nonresistance. According to the researchers, the only self-protective tactics that appear to increase the risk of injury significantly were those that are ambiguous and not forceful. These included stalling, cooperating and screaming from pain or fear.
A separate study found that even when a rape was completed, women who used some form of resistance had better mental health outcomes than those who did not resist.
From a 2005 report, that Certain Self-Defense Actions Can Decrease Risk. (h/t Michael Z. Williamson)
So sure. It’s important to teach people not to commit crimes; to not violate the property, rights, and dignity of others. It’s also important to realize that while civilized society has worked towards this end for thousands of years, there are still those who chose to deviate and not do what you or society-at-large desires and deems appropriate and acceptable. We haven’t yet been able to eliminate from society bad people doing bad things.
Given these bad people still exist and likely will continue to exist for some time (if thousands of years of history are any indication), it’s prudent you take additional steps towards your own self-protection and self-preservation.
And yes, if the above report is any fair indication (along with thousands of years of recorded history), sometimes violence is the most effective solution.
Remember, violence isn’t bad, it just is what it is. While often violence is used – and most often reported – in a negative manner, certainly violence can be and is used in a positive manner. Do not overlook the fact that a woman fighting back against her rapist, that she is using violence as a tool to preserve her dignity and life. And apparently, a violent response is demonstrated to be the most effective means of avoiding assault, sexual assault, and rape.
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From this and from many other websites the message is that while total nonresistance greatly increases the likelihood of the rape being completed, it not only does not “significantly” increase the likelihood of physical injury; it decreases the likelihood of physical injury.
Rape without force is not a physical injury, for the genitals are used for what they are made. If the victim is spiritually prepared for affronts to dignity, and not nonresistant merely to being paralyzed by fear, she (for herein I address male rapist – female victim only, penis-vagina intercourse) has an attitude of sacrifice and martyrdom. This has carried many victims of rape and other personal crimes through and past the crisis into spiritual advancement – “offer it up to Jesus.”
While I understand what you’re saying, the realities of violence just don’t play well in that realm. But in the end, everyone is free to choose their own personal strategy for dealing with and responding to violent attacks. So if that’s the advice you wish to give to your female friends, daughters, nieces, etc., well… you’re free to do so.
Depends on the circumstances. If the rapist suddenly overpowers his victim, she may not be able to mount a significant defense and have no recourse but to plead for mercy. Many victims are inebriated and unable to defend themselves. Small women attacked by large men may be overpowered with ease. Weak women attacked by strong men, same. Some women are “power-raped” by men who are in positions of authority: police, employers, judges, prosecutors, prison guards.
Some women are “freezers”: paralyzed by fear. It’s impossible to be physically and mentally prepared for all possible circumstances.
Some claim that determined resistance, from warning to following-up by struggling or even fighting, will deter 80-95% of intending rapists from completing a rape.
I’m not sure what different authors mean by “completing” so I’ll assume that a “completed” rape involves not merely touching a woman’s vaginal opening with his penis, which qualifies as rape in many statutes, but fully inserting his penis into her vagina and emitting semen therein, which was rape under the ancient common law.
What of the 5-20% of raped women whose resistance is futile, and angers the rapist into severely injuring or murdering his victim? If they had the ability to read the rapist’s mind, no more resistance than verbal objection or moderate struggling may mean the difference between being raped without brutality and being raped with a severe beating, broken jaw, teeth broken or knocked out, ribs broken, vagina and vulva battered or torn, cut, stabbed, strangled, even murdered.
Whether or not to resist, and how, or to submit, has to be left up to the individual. Advice from others, no matter how qualified, cannot possibly accurately predict an individual incident. Many men who are seeing what they can get away with will back off with the slightest show of objection or resistance. Others will brutalize until they get what they are after, maybe more brutality following.