Teaching women to avoid rapey men, situations, massively reduces chances of rape

[Locutus]

a new study...excuse me, a landmark study... says, so there ya go:

A landmark Canadian study instructed participants on how to confront the risk of sexual assault on campus, reports Erin Anderssen. While it’s a partial solution – and an imperfect one – research shows resistance tactics work

In the debate over how to reduce sexual assault on university campuses, proposing self-defence classes for women is controversial. Women aren’t the problem, the reasoning goes, so why is changing their behaviour the solution? Putting the onus on women to drop-kick rapists, map out safe walks home, or geo-track their drinks at parties, writes the rules in the wrong direction. And it swerves too easily into victim-blaming.

But, according to new landmark Canadian research, it works. The study, published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the Canadian-designed intervention, which focuses on teaching women how to detect risk in situations that could lead to sexual assault and defend themselves when necessary, reduced the rate of rape among participants by nearly 50 per cent. At a time when universities are facing harsh criticism for mishandling sexual assault, when the White House has called for action to reduce sexual violence on campus, when it’s estimated that as many as one in four female university students may be assaulted before they finish their degree, is it responsible to deny young women access to a tried-and-tested program?


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Teaching women self-defence still the best way to reduce sexual assaults: study - The Globe and Mail

 

[SLM]

Well, of course it does. It's no different than advising people on how to protect against fraud or theft, that isn't seen as victim blaming. And, in reality, neither is this kind of information, be it active self defence strategies or more passive strategies like going out in groups, avoiding isolated parking spots, etc.

The problem is you end up getting douchebags who'll talk about all these wonderful strategies and tips and end with "so stop being a **** and everything will be fine." Or words to that effect.

Bottom line is, there is an attempt to sell a message here. Nobody will ever sell anything to someone by insulting them. (Unless that kind of humiliation is what you're buying, but that's a whole different conversation.) Imagine the encyclopaedia sales person that opens with "Hey, you look stupid. I can help with that." Is he going to make a sale? Unlikely.

A woman taking steps and measures to protect herself against sexual violence is not a victim, this is an empowered woman.

 

[Sal]

The study, published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the Canadian-designed intervention, which focuses on teaching women how to detect risk in situations that could lead to sexual assault and defend themselves when necessary, reduced the rate of rape among participants by nearly 50 per cent.

very significant