| Myth |
|
Reality |
| Rape is committed by crazed strangers. |
|
Most women are raped by "normal" acquaintances. |
| A woman who gets raped deserves it, especially if she agreed
to go to the man's house or ride in his car. |
|
No one, male or female, deserves to be raped. Being in
a man's house or car does not mean a woman has agreed to have sex with him. |
| Women who don't fight back haven't been raped. |
|
You have been raped when you are forced to have sex against
your will, whether you fight back or not. |
| If there's no gun or knife, you haven't been raped. |
|
It's rape whether the rapist uses a weapon or his fists,
verbal threats, drugs or alcohol, physical isolation, your own diminished physical or
mental state, or simply the weight of his body to overcome you. |
| It's not really rape if the victim isn't a virgin. |
|
Rape is rape, even if the woman isn't a virgin, even if she
willingly had sex with the man before. |
| If a woman lets a man buy her dinner or pay for a movie or
drinks, she owes him sex. |
|
No one owes sex as a payment to anyone else, no matter how
expensive the date. |
| Agreeing to kiss or neck or pet with a man means that a
woman has agreed to have intercourse with him. |
|
Everyone has the right to say "no" to sexual
activity, regardless of what has preceded it, and to have that "no" respected. |
| When men are sexually aroused, they need to have sex or
they will get "blue balls." Also, once they get turned on, men can't help
themselves from forcing sex on a woman. |
|
Men don't physically need to have sex after becoming
aroused any more than women do. Moreover, men are still able to control themselves
even after becoming sexually excited. |
| Women lie about being raped, especially when they accuse men
they date or other acquaintances. |
|
Rape really happens -- to people you know, by people you
know. |
