From World O’ Crap via Pandagon we learn that, somehow, college student Ben Shapiro is getting entirely too much press for poo-poo-ing porn. Apparently, like most ‘nuts, he’s decided all of the problems of the world boil down to whatever irks him most.
The Family Forum quotes his reference to a Details magazine survey about sex as “proof” that porn prevalance promotes prurience:
According to a survey of college students conducted by Details magazine and Random House, 46 percent had had a one-night stand, 43 percent had cheated on a steady partner, 21 percent had tried to get someone drunk or high to get them into bed, and 32 percent had slept with somebody knowing they would never call again. … 36 percent of respondents had had sex with someone they didn’t like, and 28 percent had used pot during sex.
Perhaps once we lose Net Neutrality and telecom giants decide to restrict access to porn sites for good PR, there will be fewer one nights stands, less pot available, and a drop in cheating and hate-sex, I don’t know. But one thing I do know: these ‘nutjobs just confirmed something other ‘nutjobs have been working overtime to marginalize: 1 in 5 people taking this survey admitted to trying to use alcohol or the mary jane to coerce someone into fucking.
Nobody talks about the issue of rape statistics better than Ampersand at Alas, and yesterday he had a fantastic post continuing his defense of Mary Koss’ findings. The National Review tried to hate on her determination that 27% of women were victims of rape or attempted rape by picking on one of her 3 questions used in the survey — “Have you had sexual intercourse when you didn’t want to because a man gave you alcohol or drugs?” In the article, IWF ignoramus Carrie Lukas remarks:
While alcohol surely plays a part in many rape cases, the survey’s wording invites the label of rape victim to be applied to anyone who has ever drank too much, had a sexual encounter, and then regretted it later.
Ampersand demolishes Lukas’ ill-conceived musing better than I ever could, but now we also have help from Details Magazine, the Family Forum, and Ben Shapiro.
Nothing in the survey asks about other forms of rape, nor does it inquire as to the success rate of these attempted rapists. But 1 in 5 students admit to trying to knock someone out or impair their judgment specifically to obtain sex. This is an admission of attempted rape, no matter how often these assholes “scored.”
Lukas implies that most people drink for fun and then just kinda happen to fuck someone they later wish they hadn’t. Thanks to the Family Forum, I now have strong evidence that many of those who answered “yes” to Mary Koss’ supposedly-controversial question were in fact the victim of a conscious effort to coerce sex. After all, if 20% of college kids try to rape someone, that means 20% of college kids have been a victim of said efforts. If the right isn’t careful, it’ll prove that 27% is too conservative of a number.
Nothing makes me giddier than watching wingnuts shoot themselves in one foot to advance the other. I’m sure lots of people refuse to believe the right wing is making a concerted movement to dehumanize women; after all, maybe they just care a little more about zygote thingys and home-cooked meals than they do about women-folk. But their repeated public attempts to dismiss rape as an exaggerated myth accomplish nothing other than the maintainance of an environment for it to continue. What other motivations could these people have? Why else would an educated person look the other way or, worse, try to refute educational efforts intended to reduce and prevent it?
I won’t argue that porn has no ill effects on society or an individual, but people like Carrie Lukas are equally sinister, if not worse. Can somebody get Ben Shapiro on this?
28% used pot during sex? Not before, not after, but during?
They’re more daring than I am. I’m too vanilla to potentially combine oil-based lube, writhing around, sheets, and a smoldering paper tube. Maybe I should have attended one of those colleges that are guaranteed to turn you into a crazy, uninhibited slut. Sounds like I could have learned some interesting stuff.
At Purdue, most of the people at the bars are of such a caliber you have to drink / smoke / roofie *yourself* into a state where sleeping with them is a good idea.
And holy shit, is that AJAX that does the posting animation? That is lick-o-licious hot.
Kyso,
There’s uninhibited and then there’s irresponsible.
Whenever I’m faced with a tough decision in the sack, I always think, “what would Smokey the Bear do?”
Usually clears the matter right up.
OMG! I can’t believe people actually admitted to trying to rape someone!
Oh wait.
They probably did not classify their actions as rape. Nevermind then.
But still!!!! OMG I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS!
(I’m feeling a bit too inapropriately gleeful about it, but that just might have to do with the fact that – can it be – the truth is starting to come out, rather than the sad nature of the truth.)
Chuck,
Thanks man! That is indeed AJAX, as far as I know. The K2 template in WordPress is definitely my friend.
elfinity,
i know, right? although if some sleazy details magazine rep was hanging out at the ol’ frat house, he could probably make it seem cool to fess up to attempted rape.
“another pabst blue ribbon, steve-o? great. just one last question — when you want to get a girl ready to roll, what kind of beer or liquor do you use? Or do you use pot? I mean, just to be clear, I should probably back up and ask: you _do_ use drugs or booze to make it easier on yourself, right? high five!”
sorry, details. no fans here.
After all, if 20% of college kids try to rape someone, that means 20% of college kids have been a victim of said efforts.
That’s assuming that the rapists only do it once, there could be way more victims. Of course it’s also assuming that those who have been raped are only raped once, so it could be lower too.
Totally true, atrazine. I shouldn’t have presented that so factually.
At some level, I figure some people tried it on more than one person, others were targeted multiple times, and that it probably evens back out to 20%.
Even if it doesn’t, though, the number still blows big holes in Lukas’s implied assumption that no one is plying potential victims with alcohol/drugs expressly to take advantage of them.