Against Our Will: Men, Women and Rape
brownmiller, s (1975) Against Our Will:Men, Women and Rape; Bantam Books; New York
1. Mass Psychology of Rape
-one of the most important discoveries of pre historic times alongside stone axe and fire, penis as weapon to creat fear (p5)
2. In The Beginning Was The Law
- Women choose mate so not to have unwanted dependants (p6)
- Men protect “title”, women, by threatening to rape “their”, potential threats, women (p7)
- A crime commited againsther body was a crime against his estate (p7) no female victim just male
-“Marrage is institutionalised by farcable abduction and rape of the female”. up tp the 15th century
-”Mans extension of boundries fo his mate and offspring was beginning of his concept of owership” (p8)
- “Conceot of hierachy, slavery and private property flow from the initial subjection of women”
- Law developmed slowly – rape of virgins – fine of damaging another mans property – assult on female 50 coins – disemberment – William the Conqueror castration and removal of both eyes if victim didn’t marry rapist.
3. War
WWI
- Rape became about “the scientific use of propaganda” p34
- Germans raped their way through Belgium, rape then beyonett while husbands were away at war.
- All this was before “modernisation” of war in late 1914. P36. Rape and Terror dropped at this point.
- “A handy rule for arousing hate is, it at 1st they do not enrage, use an atrocity” Harold d lasswell “a young woman ravished by the enemy, yields a secret satisfaction to a host of vicarious ravishers on the other side of the border”.
WWII
- Hitler – psychic rape – “he didn’t convince his audience; he conquered them” p44
- P45-46 Sophie Glushkina’s account of torture and rape. Murdered husband and rape of wife.
- P47 race defilement – Germans were prohibited by law not to have sex with Jews
- Jewish girls were hunted in the ghettos
- Mass disrobement was a popular weapon to shame the Jews.
- Japan- Media blanket was placed over trials
- Rape of Nonkin – played down
- Yound girls –> old women without discrimination
- “Continuous rape without protest was held as a possible chance for survival” from the concentration camps, p61
- Book to read “House of Dolls” by KA-TZETNIK – novel about Jewish brothels
- “Some women of Berlin committed suicide, either in fear of rape or in shame after” p66
- Russian soldier said “Ya Bolshoi svinya” “ I am a big pig” after raping women – testimony of Klause Küster of the Hitler youth
- De Sica Movie “Two Women” – characters survived war only to be gang raped by Moroccan soldiers, p73. Considered racist as showed Africans in poor light.
- When the enemy rape its “exquisite proof of the bestiality of the enemy” when its our side it’s “bad politics” p73
- “The Difference between prostitution and rape in war is real, for there are always those men who choose, or prefer rape” p75
- During occupation rape stats are higher because soldiers have “more time on their hands”.
- During occupation army and local law enforcement have to work together if soldiers are raping and teaching law enforcement who can punish them?
- P75 – American GI’s in Rome; “the liberators” are often presented with the bodies of women, from a sense of “just reward”
- “Italian women would perform any service for a can of food”
- Danilo Dolci (Sociologist) writes: “husbands brought their wives to them (GI’s), and took the money. As soon as one man came out another went in; they waited in line. “ol rait, god foc, uon dollar”
- Rape/prostitute line blurred – think back to how HISstory is written – victor decides how war is recorded. Look at how they are referred to. Compare Moroccan black/Negros to GI/Americans.
