Rape Is Never Okay. Ever.

Al over at Synaptic Blue asked his readers to re-post this if they find it to be an important topic. Al spends a lot more time discussing social justice on his blog than I do, but this subject is something that has always boggled my mind. Those that somehow find an excuse and/or justification for rape.

Here's a great list that Al came up with that bears repeating. I have taken the liberty to make his list gender neutral as men/boys are also raped albeit at a much lower rate:

Enough with the silly deconstructions around issues we know all too well! It's not exactly demonstrative of thinking outside the box, when I suggest we take "the direct approach". Allow me to demonstrate, in several simplistic sentences, how to permanently end rape, once and for all. And to those proponents of silly, circuitous debate around this "complicated dynamic"; you need to listen up!

• If a person is drunk, don't rape them.
• If a person is walking alone at night, don't rape them.
• If a person is drugged and unconscious, don't rape them.
• If a person is wearing a provocative clothes, don't rape them.
• If a person is jogging in a park at 5 am, don't rape them.
• If a person looks like the ex you're still hung up on, don't rape them.
• If a person is asleep in their bed, don't rape them.
• If a person is asleep in your bed, don't rape them.
• If a person is doing their laundry, don't rape them.
• If a person is in a coma, don't rape them.
• If a person changes their mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don't rape them.
• If a person has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don't rape them.
• If a person is not yet an adult, but a child, don't rape them.
• If your significant other is not in the mood, don't rape them.
• If your step-child is watching TV, don't rape them.
• If you break into a house and find a person there, don't rape them.
• If your friend thinks it's okay to rape someone, say it's not, and end the friendship.
• If your "friend" tells you they raped someone, report them to the police.
• If a frat-brother or another guy at a party tells you there's an unconscious person upstairs and it's your turn, don't rape them, call the police, and tell the guy he's a rapist.
• Tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it's not okay to rape anyone, ever. Period.
• Don't tell your friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
• Don't imply that someone could have avoided it if they had only done/not done x.
• Don't imply that it's in any way their fault. Don't let silence imply agreement when someone tells you they "got some" with the drunk person.
• Don't perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can. Help yourself.

Rape is never okay. Ever.