Saturday 28 September 2013

The Sluts are Out and A Walking in Johannesburg, this day of September!

The Slut Walk movement aims at opposing dress and attire advice to women, if that advice is aimed at preventing women being raped. The movement started after a Canadian police official stated that dressing more modestly, might make a woman less of a target for rape. The movement also desires to legitimise the idea of a slut in a positive way, and to rid scantily attired women from being associated with shame.

This article seeks to combat some much promulgated misconceptions about rape, as well as to seek to combat the scourge which is rape. The author seeks to state that the Slut Walkers while well intentioned it would seem, are perhaps perpetuating the problem. Objectification of women is often associated with rape, as is pornography and prostitution use. This article seeks to find a better unifying solution, and to note the problems with the Slut Walk movement.

Latest studies suggest concerning trends

While the Slut Walkers and media tend to treat rape as a purely violent crime, the latest and still controversial studies on the terrible phenomenon, suggest that a large portion of the world's male population have raped and even gang raped women, and that this is often said to be for entertainment according to surveys of rapists. Other reasons include to prove the power the rapist has to his fellow men. The tendency of certain men to rape has also been correlated with the payment for sex and with use of pornography by rapists. Surveys suggest that many men believe it is not wrong for a woman to be raped if she dresses provocatively.

c.f. The Anatomy of a Rapist: Lancet study looks at the demographic indicators of men who rape.

Case examples from Italy show that women who dressed provocatively or stripped on Italian television found themselves subjected to sexual violence or stalking from viewers. A child who was dressed provocatively on the cover of Vogue also suddenly caught the eye of criminal men.

In his rape trial, His Excellency, Jacob G. Zuma, President of the Republic of South Africa stated that if a woman wears a short skirt she is asking for sex. His view, however unfortunate, is reflected by many other men in South Africa. A phenomenon known as corrective rape has emerged where women in short skirts are publicly raped as a punishment and where lesbians are also raped.

While nothing justifies rape, it is an unfortunate fact that many rapists seek to rape for entertainment or to boast. A person is unlikely to want to boast about raping a 90 year old woman or an ugly woman. Rapists often also solicit sex from prostitutes and also are known to gain a detached view of women as objects for their entertainment via pornography and other means, research has noted. The concept of operant conditioning might therefore apply to rapists also.

The Slut Walk has also adjoined a general opposition to rape and sexual violence to its primary mission in South Africa. Like Femen (founded and run by a man to 'get girls'), however, it engages in the use of women's bodies to promote its cause via sexualizing women.

Certainly, an opposition to rape is vital in South Africa where a third of girls and a quarter of boys are allegedly sexually abused. Reports that one in ten South Africa men have engaged in gang rape are also highly concerning.

However, a woman dressing in a provocative manner, especially in South Africa is endangered, given that many men have stated in surveys that a woman who does that is in their opinion: asking to be raped. Men are more likely to commit a horrid act if they feel entitled to.

Stating that certain behaviour creates the danger of making a victim a target is in no way taking away from the horror and violence of the act, nor does it make the victim guilty of her or his own rape. In fact, it is rather an insight into what actions can help a person be safer: in as much as advice that drinking alcohol can make a person more likely to be raped, is not saying that drunks deserve to be raped. The Slut Walk movement is essentially reactionary in that sense: stating that no matter how a woman acts that she is not guilty of assisting a culture of rape in its formation. The co-incidence of rape and pornography suggests otherwise: that objectifying women in pornography and sex trade might increase likelihood of rapes.

What is required is a national consciousness opposing rape, opposing the sexualization and objectification of women, which objectification hardens some men to the fact that women are their equals and deserve not to be hurt. As many rapists in any case watch pornography and solicit sex, seeing women dressed in a sexually provocative manner is unlikely to change their hearts. Combating the co-incidentals that are associated with rape, insuring proper forensics, fighting the violence in society which perpetuates via post traumatic stress and creates another generation of criminals, such efforts might be better placed to unite South Africa.

Rape is never acceptable, but sexualizing women, turning them into objects in the minds of misguided individuals, certainly is not the solution. If anything, the best solution would be to change the culture into opposing rape, but attacking the religions and morals and culture of South Africa to do so is hardly the correct route. A solution which is tailored to South Africa and can be championed by the moral figures of the nation, would more likely stop rape.

Saturday 21 September 2013

16 Gunmen storm Nairobi Kenya upmarket shopping centre in #WestgateAttack: 26 people dead; hostages taken; 50 injured!

The French Media caught it first.

'Shooting at Nairobi shopping centre in Kenya', quickly became 'shoot-out', if not 'mass killing'. Shortly, words such as massacre became appropriate. Witnesses described foreign gunmen who spoke a language they could not decipher. Commando and elite army units were called up, and helicopters circled the scene. Heinous images of dead civilians strewn in the car park hit the social networks such as Twitter. Cellular phone imagery from inside the shopping centre made it to media. People, white and black, lying alive on the floor, sometimes hidden from view. A haunting image of a woman, with blood and seeming death carrying her, in a vehicle with a shattered window, seemingly in an embrace with another, ghosted through media.

26 have died and the last count was 50 injured. Some say a journalist is among the dead. Police have taken cover from automatic fire according to sources. The army is said to have began to enter the shopping centre.

Police have used tear gas to disperse crowds according to local media. What the move against spectators means is uncertain.

The Kenyan Red Cross is processing hostages which have been released. It is recorded that there are at least 7 hostages, though photographs suggest more. Children were said to be among the original hostages taken.

It is said by a single witness, that gunmen said that Muslims could leave before they barraged the civilian target in what a Kenyan official is calling a terrorist attack. It is thought that the witnessed as 16 gunmen are Islamist Jihadis aiming to ethnic cleanse non-Muslim patrons of the shopping centre.

Campaigns of prayer and requests that blood donors contribute to saving lives have ignited on social networking sites.

People on the scene have claimed that the gunmen have AK 47 assault rifles, and have hand grenades: Both of which weapons, can easily and efficiently kill victims.

Update: it is the 9th of October. You will notice I have not changed the number of attackers, the article is as it was on or about time of publication. Not only do I like to leave my original story, but if there were mistakes which there are not, I prefer to correct them over erasing these. The number I first wrote about I have stuck to. At the time the government of Kenya said there were four attackers, my witness said 16. Then the government said 9-15 attackers, and up and down. Most recently it said +- 4 attackers, which would conveniently tie up loose ends if 11 or 12 happened to escape. I am noting the difference here because it is right to note the difference. However, I believe my witness over the Kenyan government given the size of the mall, and other factors. I also reported on the hostage takers being Islamists before Al Shabaab admitted to the attack, based on witness testimony on the scene. Al Shabaab taking responsibility is useful, but I prefer to be witness based than press release based. I will note the releases but do due diligence. I doubt the Kenyan government account. If you believe I am wrong in this analysis, you are welcome to present evidence otherwise to help me insure I report the truth always.

Vladimir Putin: There can be no patriotism or human dignity without religion guiding society

Vladimir Putin, the President of the great military, economic, and most importantly: diplomatic: world power: Russia, has faced his critics. In an increasingly secular world, one might have recently found oneself to be surprised by one of the world's most powerful men writing to the American people in their New York Times, that Obama is wrong, because God created all men equal. One might be even more surprised by a speech the great orator gave to representatives of the people of All Russia. Increasingly under Putin, Russia is resuming the role of the pre-communist Russia, which under the Tsars, considered itself as the upholder of the international law of the nations in Christendom.

The popular Russian leader spoke to the Valdai Club, as organised by Ria Novosti, under the theme of what could be seen as the Russian identity. The meeting was a coming together of analysts, political figures, and society representatives from Russia and from the planet.

Humankind will lose 'lose their human dignity without the values ​​of Christianity and the other religions of the world, without those moral parameters that took thousands of years to be defined' His Excellency of Russia is quoted by Vatican Linked AsiaNews.

We believe that it is natural and appropriate to defend those values'​ President Vladimir Putin is relayed to us, 'every minority deserves respect for its distinctive identity, but the rights of the majority should not be put into question'

'Global events present a serious challenge to Russian identity' AsiaNews quotes the great leader, 'in both moral issues and foreign policy. We have seen many euro -Atlantic countries embark on the path of renunciation of their roots, including the Christian values ​​which are the foundation of Western civilization.'

 Putin remorsefully retained that: 'this involves the denial of the principles and morals of every traditional national, cultural, religious and even sexual identity.'

Putin then took to criticising the Western approach of Democracy which is for its own end and not for the propagation of good nor even for the patriotism which promotes the designs of God Almighty:

'We are pursuing policies that put families and same-sex relationships in the same category, faith in God and that of Satan' Putin continued to lash the relative morality of Western institutions 'the excesses of political correctness has gotten to the point where there are now serious discussions about whether to officially register parties who have the propaganda of paedophilia among their objectives'

Of his often at arms European Neighbours, Putin presents the sackcloth of their cause of impending death to state that they:

'are ashamed and afraid to talk about their religion, holy days have been abolished or are renamed with names that hide the nature of these same festivities, while aggressive attempts are made to impose this model on the rest of the world.'

Of Western attempts to force Russia to allow homosexual sex acts to be praised and packaged and propagated to children in Russia, of such freedom which comes from imposing imperialist ideologies upon children, Putin let out his considered views upon his critics:

'This is a direct path to degradation and primitiveness, to the deepening of the moral and demographic crisis,' The Russian leader stated of such homosexualist attempts against Russia and the world.

The demographic crisis is often called the aging population problem. It is easier to call it that in the West, than to admit that statistically the entire planet, including the Arab World, is being pillaged and decimated by a radical and unquestionable crashing of populations into population decline. To call it what it is, no doubt would hurt western efforts, yet the Russian leader has been direct in his speech, unlike the West.

'What could be a better indicator of the moral crisis of a society than the loss of its capacity for self- reproduction?' Is Putin's statement of note.

And in this statement of crisis, he mimics the words of a religious leader, of the Patriarch of Moscow, of the Orthodox Church.


Source:

AsiaNews.it 'Putin : Defending national identity, based on religious values' on the 21st day of September 2013, accessed at 21 September 12: 00 http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Putin-:-Defending-national-identity,-based-on-religious-values-29072.html

Friday 20 September 2013

Brilliant: Sarah Palin on Vladimir Putin schooling US's Obama


Tuesday 10 September 2013

The Anatomy of a Rapist: Lancet study looks at the demographic indicators of men who rape.

He has a penchant for significant bed hopping, he solicits prostitutes, and has a history of violence. He maybe was abused himself as a child. He belongs to a gang or other group. He feels a need to prove himself as a man, by very ungentlemanly behaviour, yes, ladies and gentlemen, this seems to be the anatomy of a rapist.

This article
I will firstly note summaries of the Lancet articles with quotes of contributing doctors, then give a cautionary note, and finally note the factors related to partner and non-partner rape. The study claims that about 25% of men in Asia Pacific have had sex with a woman against her will. How accurate the claim is is uncertain given the lack of data largely on the subject.

Summary

Euornews expresses that 'According to [Rachel] Jewkes’ study in The Lancet, men who had paid for sex, had a significant number of sexual partners, or had a history of physical violence were more prone to committing rape. The study also discovered that men who had suffered childhood abuse were more likely to commit rape. Jewkes spoke of the importance of promoting a culture of prevention where rape is concerned:

“In view of the high prevalence of rape worldwide, our findings clearly show that prevention strategies need to show increased focus on the structural and social risk factors for rape. We now need to move towards a culture of preventing the perpetration of rape from ever occurring, rather than relying on prevention through responses,” she said.'

See the article in Lancet:

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X%2813%2970069-X/fulltext

Another study appearing in lancet said, as relayed by EuroNews:

'A second study   looked specifically for unique patterns of behaviour between the different types of IPV, including physical abuse, sexual violence, emotional abuse (insults or verbal threats) and economic abuse (throwing a partner out of the house, or prohibiting them from working). Study leader Dr Emma Fulu of Partners for Prevention, discussed the ‘surprising’ nature of the results:

“Surprisingly, our results show that although some overlap exists, physical and sexual violence do not always appear to be committed together, or for the same reasons, in different regions,” she said. “This is likely to have profound implications for the way that interventions to prevent IPV are designed and carried out, because until now, it has very often been assumed that physical and sexual violence are part of the same pattern of behaviour, whereas our results show that isn’t necessarily the case.”

In total, 46 percent of men reported committing IPV. The highest results – 80 percent – were seen in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea.

Both reports were funded by several United Nations agencies as part of the UN’s ‘Multi-country Cross-sectional Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific’.'

See the article in Lancet:

http://www.thelancet.com/journals/langlo/article/PIIS2214-109X%2813%2970074-3/fulltext

Some caution: The doctor quoted on the first study tends to be quite a left wing feminist. She has made similar shocking claims of percentages, in the past relating to rape in South Africa, which have not been disproved but have been questioned.

The studies also tend to be funded and represented by a more left wing view, which could explain the bias against heterosexual males so far as masculinity is seen as a problem, rather than pointing out behaviour which I would say: displays a low self esteem and disconnected desire by some men who don't feel truly masculine in and of their selves: to be 'masculine'. If anything, the lack of true masculinity in the strange behaviour of the rapists, the lack of true manliness as would however be found in real gentlemen is a possible cause of the foolishness of the rapists, which I would identify as significant, from the data. Rape is wrong and horrendous, but it is not masculinity or traditional norms which are responsible for rape, but rather a misunderstanding of what it is to be a man. Real adult men don't rape or act in an inappropriate or violent manner. I tend to think that making manhood separate from simply being male, could be a large cause of this terrible scourge upon humankind. Often rape tends to relate to male proving rituals, or punishment rituals against women. Rather, men should seek to prove they are gentlemen, cultured, and respectful, if you ask me. As the study will note below, most of the rapist men think they are entitled to rape a woman, yet a real man, or gentleman would rather feel the need to protect a woman, respect her and be a gentleman: certainly a real man would not rape or abuse a woman. A strong person has no great need for violence or need to feel entitled to harm others. It is a lack of masculinity and not its presence which sees weak men feel they want to rape. The authors should be less quick to point to male culture as a problem, and more swift in utilising the good in male culture to fight rape. Men want to be noble, and good, and honourable. Shaming men over the deplorable acts of some monsters is counter-productive, shame the perpetrators of these acts, not masculinity.



Many of the findings none the less are fascinating. They also tend to be similar to previous thought by the first doctor quoted.

Other studies have linked pornography, violent upbringing, sexual abuse of rapists when they were younger, and other factors to rape. In Forensic Medicine class (which I have completed successfully with a good pass as a law elective), a pathologist with the Forensic Service once told me and the other students who took the subject, that 1/4 South African boys and 1/3 young girls, suffer sexual abuse in childhood.

The most important two paragraphs of the first study are:

'All men who had raped were asked about the reasons for the most recent rape. Of those who had raped a non-partner woman (but not a man or a partner), the most common reason for the most recent rape expressed sexual entitlement (statements endorsed by 73% of men across the region; table 2), followed by entertainment seeking (59%), anger or punishment (38%), and alcohol or substance use (27%; table 2). When asked about what consequences they had ever experienced after rape, only 55% of men had felt guilty, and 23% had been sent to prison for rape of a partner or non-partner woman, or man (table 2), but this proportion varied from 2% (Sri Lanka) to 52% (Papua New Guinea), where traditional rape punishments are used, with short-term detention by the police in prison until traditional preparations have been made.

Table 3 shows the prevalence of possible factors associated with non-partner rape (see appendix p 2 for breakdown by country). Table 4 shows a multinomial model of factors associated with single and multiple perpetrator rape across the dataset, and that for each country is presented in appendix p 3. Men who had ever been married or cohabited were more likely to have engaged in single perpetrator non-partner rape than were those who had not been married, and men who were poor (indicated by present food insecurity), or had no high school education (compared with any high school or higher education) were more likely to have raped with multiple perpetrators. Men with a history of victimisation, especially child sexual abuse and having been raped or otherwise sexually coerced themselves, were more likely than were those without such a past to have perpetrated either type of rape. Exposure to childhood physical abuse was associated with a greater likelihood of single perpetrator rape, and a history of experience of homophobic violence with multiple perpetrator rape. Emotional abuse and neglect were associated with both types of rape, as were heavy alcohol consumption and low levels of empathy. To have been physically violent toward a partner, to have ever had sex with a sex worker or engaged in transactional sex, and to have had more lifetime sexual partners were associated with both types of rape—the latter association strengthened with increasing numbers of lifetime partners. Involvement in fights with weapons was associated with both types of rape, and multiple perpetrator rape was associated with gang memberships and drug use within the past year.'


Overall the results are of interest, and hopefully will assist in the fight against sexual violence.

Saturday 7 September 2013

New York Times' Reuters Article says USA cannot link Assad to chemical attack!

The New York Times has hosted a Reuters article, which I determined to peruse on account of its being linked to by the Small Wars Journal.

Many of the facts in it would largely be a rehash of my own arguments when I said a while ago that Mr 'Obama and Hollande have 'no doubt' and no proof that Syrian government used chemical weapons!'. Though it is thoroughly worth continuing your investigation below, into what the Reuters News agency stated and the New York Times published upon their website.

Background

The Russians claim that the shell used to dispense the gas resembles the improvised shells of a specific rebel group by the name of Bashayer Al Nasr, which it says is operating in the North of Syria, and not the industrially fabricated Syrian government munition type. As Reuters notes and the New York Times publishes, all early American theories have fallen to dust, and early suspects of the West, who they were certain aucun doute ordered the strike, are not culpable by any means of such a war crime. The Vatican also has questioned American claims: Syria: 'Between East and West, misunderstanding seems now total' Vatican slam Western 'biased view', 'its misjudgement'. Arguments that the strike is legal under new ideas of Responsibility to Protect, have been ruled out by International Law experts, whose view I also hold of the illegality of the strike even if R2P were hard law. Similarities with the mistaken entry into Vietnam by US troops are also quite parallel according to experts. Meanwhile Cafod, Red Cross, Islamic Relief and Christian Aid warn of 'catastrophe' of western military intervention in Syria. For a background on the crisis see: 'The world eyes Syria at G20, divided over the destiny of the itself cleaved in two nation, which is in state of ruin.'

Direct Link Between Assad and Gas Attack Elusive for U.S.- Reuters and New York Times

The New York Times publish the Reuters article 'Direct Link Between Assad and Gas Attack Elusive for U.S.', edited by Alistair Bell and Ken Wills, on the 'September 7, 2013 at 12:51 AM ET'.

'The United States has also not named any Syrian commanders it thinks gave the green light to fire gas-laden rockets into Ghouta.' Reuters states.

'Much of the U.S. claim that Assad is responsible was initially based on reports from witnesses, non-governmental groups and hours of YouTube videos.' Reuters unveiled, 'U.S. officials have not presented any evidence to the public of scientific samples or intelligence information proving that sarin gas was used or that the Syrian government used it.'

'As more information has been collected and analyzed, early theories about the attack have largely been dismissed, U.S. and allied security sources said.' Reuters makes clear.

'U.S. and allied security sources say they believe that Syrian military units responsible for the areas that were attacked were under heavy pressure from top commanders to wipe out a stubborn rebel presence there so government troops could redeploy to other trouble spots, including the city of Aleppo.' Reuters makes known, yet the problem as I have noted before is that the government forces were visibly making good progress, and attacking civilian targets does not make strategic sense, especially given US rhetoric.

' U.S. and allied intelligence services are still trying to work out who ordered the poison gas attack on rebel-held neighborhoods near Damascus.' Reuters forewarns, 'No direct link to President Bashar al-Assad or his inner circle has been publicly demonstrated, and some U.S. sources say intelligence experts are not sure whether the Syrian leader knew of the attack before it was launched or was only informed about it afterward.'

'The Syrian government, backed by Russia, blames Sunni rebels for the gas attack.' Reuters notes. Russia has identified a specific rebel brigade, Bashayer Al Nasr, as I noted above.

'Identifying Syrian commanders or leaders as those who gave an order to fire rockets into the Sunni Muslim areas could help Obama convince a war-weary American public and skeptical members of Congress to back limited strikes against Assad.' Reuters, 'the evidence of who ordered it was not watertight, the [Congressional Research Service] analysis [of the USA Library of Congress] said.'

'The findings were partly based on intercepted communications "involving a senior official intimately familiar with the offensive" which "confirmed that chemical weapons were used by the regime," it said.' Reuters sniffs out, yet the problem here is that the interception seems to be of Hezbolla communications as claimed by seemingly German intelligence faculties, yet Hezbolla has its own secure telephone network and no need to communicate under insecure means, such important information. Again, the details of these allegations are quite sketchy in the least.

'Reports that Assad's brother, Maher, a general who commands an elite Republican Guard unit and a crack Syrian army armored division, gave the order to use chemicals have not been substantiated, U.S. sources said.' Reuters sketches forth, and pens further that claimed oddity that: 'Some U.S. sources now believe Maher Assad did not order the attack and was not directly involved.'








Friday 6 September 2013

The world eyes Syria at G20, divided over the destiny of the itself cleaved in two nation, which is in state of ruin.

This article contains a work of art, and with it, its explanation by myself, the artist, which I believe describes current puzzles occuring at the G20 as the world fights and jests and blames itself, divided by a war-dissected state, in the state of civil war.



The first glance, might conjure images of a crying eye and a black eye. Then of a watering eye and an angry eye. Yet, it is the glasses upon the eyes which are so. Perhaps the S means that the world is divided, the planet making up many worlds, yet it is also the direction of the compus, a compus where South is true North and North is True South, where East is West, and West is East.

Syria is at the bottom left, almost unnoticed, covered in a red stream, a red smudge.

The smudge, is a river of blood, and between the river of blood and the clock is a red cross, symbolising humanitarianism, the mass massacre of Christians, and the mass grave of a hundred thousand people of all creeds and ethnicities. The cross, is also a symbol of the punishment of offenders against the once Roman state, the great empire of imperialism. And the cross shows the central role of religion in the Middle East. The Syrian Civil War is between Sunni Islamists who believe in a Sharia state, and secular Shia, and Christians who desire a diversity of minorities, and oppose the Sunni concept of a a central Sharia. The west, strangely, is on the side of those who desire a Sharia state, while the east support the secular forces. The pocket watch or stop watch demonstrates another meaning to the world watching. The clock is bleeding blood, Syria, faces time running out. And Bleeding into the chronograph is the West, which causes it to bleed all the more, forming a red line drawn over blood and using blood. The letters also, are not one colour, but many hues, and the splodges about are divisions. Closest to Syria are the East and the North, its geographic position in relation to global powers. Further afield are the South and the West.

All the compass indicators are reversed. And most affected, it seems are those furthest away from Syria. West and North are drawn in red, for blood. East and South are drawn in water. Blood is thicker than water, yet blood which is life is also death. This represents the geo-political landscape. One where America has strong bonds with opposition fighters, most of which belong to the Al Qaeda ('The Base') movement of alliances, the same groupings which bombed America in 2001. South and East traditionally ally, as do North and West.

Finally, it is as though the watcher watches from a mirror, hanging upside down.

The fog of the battlefield obscures fragile emotions.






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