On Rape

On Series (Little Books, Big Ideas)

by Germaine Greer

‘Sexual assault does not diminish; relations between the sexes do not improve. There has to be a better way.’ Germaine Greer

"It’s time to rethink rape. Centuries of different approaches to rape—as inflicted by men on women—have got us nowhere.

Rape statistics remain intractable: one woman in five will experience sexual violence. Very few rapes find their way into court. The crucial issue is consent, thought by some to be easy to establish and by others impossible.
Sexual assault does not diminish; relations between the sexes do not improve; litigation balloons.

In On Rape Germaine Greer argues there has to be a better way."

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Essays, Audiobook, Politics, History, Sociology

42 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 1, 2010

About the author

Germaine Greer is an Australian born writer, journalist and scholar of early modern English literature, widely regarded as one of the most significant feminist voices of the later 20th century.

Greer's ideas have created controversy ever since her ground-breaking The Female Eunuch became an international best-seller in 1970, turning her overnight into a household name and bringing her both adulation and criticism. She is also the author of Sex and Destiny: The Politics of Human Fertility (1984), The Change: Women, Ageing and the Menopause (1991), and most recently Shakespeare's Wife (2007).

Reviews

[Patricija || book.duo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5

Dviprasmiškas skaitinys. Viena vertus – sužinojau daug įdomios statistinės, mokslinės informacijos, susijusios su tyrimais apie išprievartavimus. Pavyzdžiui, kad apie grėsmę būti išprievartautai mergaitės ima galvoti jau 2-12 metų tarpsnyje. Visgi, autorė serviruoja ir tokių minčių, kad mažai nepasirodo – ji iš pat pradžių išprievartavimą kategorizuoja sakydama, kad tai tik „priverstinis penio į vaginą“ veiksmas, taip atmesdama n kitų būdų seksualiai priekabiauti ir prievartauti. Keisčiausia, kad aptariamose bylose ji pati įvardija tuos kitus būdus. Keista ir tai, kad jau įžangoje, kalbėdama apie seksualinę prievartą santuokoje, Greer savo draugės santykius, kuriuose sekso reikalaujama fiziniu ir emociniu smurtu, apibūdina kaip „stormy but loving“. Panašiai jaučiuos, kai žmoną nužudęs vyras apibūdinamas kaip „įsimylėjėlis“ ar tokia žmogžudystė vadinama „šeimos drama“.

Greer vis kartoja, kad jei jau buvai išprievartauta (kalba tik apie prievartaujamas moteris, todėl renkuosi mot.giminę), tai neturi vadinti savęs auka, nes niekas iš tavęs šiaip nebuvo atimta. Mano manymu, ne jai aiškinti, kas atimta buvo ar nebuvo ar kaip save vadinti. Ypač, kai vėliau pati remiasi statistika – nuo PTSD kenčia 10-20 proc. veteranų ir iki 70 proc. seksualinės prievartos aukų. Tačiau galutinai mane sužlugdė autorės mintis, kad jei dvi merginos nebūtų atsiėmę kaltinimų išprievartavimu, jų prievartautojas vėliau nebūtų nužudęs kelių moterų. Yra n priežasčių atsiimti kaltinimus ir vietoje aukų smerkimo verčiau būtų gilintis kodėl taip nutinka, o ne užsiimti ateities spėliojimu. Todėl sakykim, kad paskaityti galima, bet vertinant kritiškai, burnoje lieka labai nekoks skonis.

[zed · Rating 3 out of 5]

How I came to read this essay. I am a subscriber to the excellent ANZ LitLovers LitBlog.
Blogger Lisa wrote her as usual compelling review and while reading I made comment as to the subchapter from Steven Pinker’s The Angels Nature of Our Nature that covered “Women’s Rights and the Decline of Rape and Battering." We both decided to read each other’s suggestion on the interrelated subject.

https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/11/09/o...

Pinker discussed the issue from a historical point of view and he came to the conclusion that from the statistics available that rape has declined over the last 30 years. He writes tellingly that the decline has “…gone virtually unremarked” and that”…. anti-rape organisations convey the impression that women are in more danger than ever…….” Pinker praises the Feminist movement for the trend downwards.
With my recent reading of Pinker and the ANZ LitLovers LitBlog’s review of Greer I realised that other than my reading of the use of rape in war and a month spent on a rape case jury about 20 years ago this was a subject I had really been shielded from.
This is the first time I recall reading Germaine Greer so I really have no opinion as to her past writings on feminism. On this subject I also don’t particularly feel qualified to pass judgement on the essay itself. I tend to write my reviews without looking at other points of view but in this case I have made a rare exception. I have tended to need guidance I suppose. There are many both praising and attacking on Goodreads and the same applies in the world of professional reviews and the blogosphere. I am none the wiser.

With that this essay, as Lisa from ANZ LitLovers LitBlog writes “…has created quite a furore.” And I have to wonder why because in a sense I was offered as reader little in the way of solutions to the subject and more or less commentary as to what constituted Rape through to comment on the various legal issues. The thing that I found of interest was one of her few solutions and that was to actually cut back on the sentencing time for those found guilty. It is interesting that in some jurisdictions rape receives a larger punishment than murder. This was covered by Pinker and I have come to the conclusion that just maybe male lawmakers over the years have been not only influenced by the outcry of the women’s movements, rightfully so, but may have been persuaded (subconsciously?) by the fact that historically women were property of men.

In the end though I am glad to have read this essay. It is a subject that I do not feel comfortable with and have to leave the debate to the far more knowledgeable than me. As to this hamfisted attempt at a review of an appalling subject my apologies.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot packed into its 40 or so pages, some of which I'm still processing. Ultimately she's beating the drum for women to have more control, more support to put their narrative at the front of all considerations about rape, from the violent through to that acquiesced to by tired women who want intimacy and get unsatisfying sex in its place. I love Greer for always putting women's needs and desires first and encouraging us to demand more, not accept less. She's controversial, and I don't always agree, but she always gets me thinking.

[Kesaria (Kesso) Abuladze · Rating 1 out of 5]

girl shut up

[Lushr · Rating 4 out of 5]

reading the whole thing, i am glad Germaine has written this piece. the media keep looking for nasty sensationalism to make her look crazy. but Greer knows this topic inside out and she explores the many many angles. because rape is NOT one thing. and without discourse about all aspects of this difficult subject it will continue to be a nightmare for our daughters into the future. yes there were incendiary moments where i thought “wait, what ?!” but when you put the statement back into the context of the chapter, she is making a good point.

some quotes i highlighted in my copy were:
[in a chapter exploring the reality rape comes in different shades including the least discussed, but most common, where husbands cajole wives into capitulation, which does not equal consent]
“non-consensual sex is banal and deeply ordinary, but that is not to say that it is not an evil, with damaging consequences”

[in a chapter looking at seeking justice for survivors of the more prosecutable, violent rapes, and the potential failure of “restorative justice” letting the survivor face her perpetrator]
“there is nothing restorative justice can achieve if the perpetrator does not accept some responsibility, does not admit that he or she is guilty, and does not repent”

[a surprising admission from a perpetrator in a private phone call from the survivor of gang rape]
“you’re not crazy. i was there. i remember. it happened.”


each of these quotes i have tried to provide the whole chapters context for, but it is difficult, you should read the whole thing, as a whole, and not just the reactionary moments. because it’s an important issue for ALL of us, and an important essay.

[Poppy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Greer not only misses the point where it comes to the conversation on rape & consent, but actually contributes her own harmful, victim blaming, internalised misogynistic opinions - culminating into this horribly defeating essay. How can a woman call herself a feminist and also laugh at the situation of her married friend being repeatedly raped by her husband for years on end?

[Zora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh Germs, what a scattergun shocker of an essay. One star out of respect for Greer’s intelligence and influence, another for continuing to critique heterosex in feminist terms. But this book adds very little to urgent ongoing discussions about rape, sexual harassment, consent and the law. I suspect she bashed this out on deadline, so many half formed arguments and the research is flimsy. Shame.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a such a little book it has created quite a furore: it’s only 92 pages, of which four are endnotes. Greer has been vilified and mocked for it, which she must have known was going to happen, but she has always been courageous. She has been quoted as saying things which in the book are quotations from someone with whom she disagrees. She is condemned for writing words and having opinions and making statements that are nowhere to be found in the book. Greer seems to have a thick skin, but I wonder if she ever gets tired of the way her efforts to raise serious issues are treated in the media. And now she’s got social media to contend with as well.
FWIW Greer is not, in this book, suggesting solutions. She is raising issues for discussion because non-consensual sex, with or without violence, is a very serious problem.
Chapter one: ‘What is rape?’ shows that even defining what it is and what it isn’t, is contentious. Chapter two: ‘Creating confusion’ is an analysis of the ways in which sincere efforts at law reform since the 70s haven’t helped. Chapter three: ‘The conundrum of consent’ is a clear-eyed look at the intractable problem of proving lack of consent (he said/she said) in a court of law. Chapter four is called ‘Sex as a bloodsport’ and raises the problem of serial offenders in places like universities and how they get away with it.
Chapter five, ‘Victim or exhibit’ suggests that the legal system itself makes things more difficult, but solutions are not easy to come by since the accused —like any other person accused of a crime—has civil rights. A woman who accuses a man of rape is not a plaintiff, still less a prosecutor. She is evidence. An exhibit. The whole process is a long, drawn out and horrendous ordeal for the woman, and so far, attempts at reform haven’t helped.
The chapters ‘Joystick or weapon’ and ‘Healing the victim’ are the ones that have generated the most anger against Greer. I’ll just quote this bit:

As usual we are confronted by unanswerable questions. Most rape is not accompanied by physical injury or carried out by men unknown to the victim, nor is it followed by flashbacks or is it ever identified as a crime. In the case of a woman who chooses to report the event, we have no idea how much of her distress is caused by the work-up itself, by the compilation of the forensic evidence, by her having to tell her story over and over and in public and then to defend it both in the committal stage and later in the courtroom. The most catastrophic shock must surely come when, as far too often happens, the jury does not convict. Nothing in the literature of PTSD after rape deals with these experiences. For all the intellectual effort and energy that has gone into getting the law of rape to make sense, conviction rates are falling. Meanwhile the true extent of non-consensual sex remains unimaginable. (p.62)

To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/11/09/o...

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greer's essay is organised into neat little chapters where she firstly defines rape for the purpose of the essay, then goes on to give an overview of the way rape has been viewed by the courts and judiciary, politicians, the media, and society in general over the past fifty years. She spends time examining some of the key questions surrounding rape – the types of perpetrators and their psychology; the difficult issue of consent; the way rape has been punished or dealt with both by organisations (universities, businesses) and the justice system (in a range of countries) over time; and the view of victims of the crime. She raises some thought provoking questions: Is a random attack and rape by a stranger worse than rape or sexual abuse experienced within a marriage or partnership that may go on for years? Is it the rape itself that is most harmful to the victim or is it the medical examination, interviews with police, and court case that follows that creates more damage? Is this in fact what prevents women from healing more easily after a rape? What do you do about cases where men genuinely feel they did have consent? How do you best punish rape? Considering “rape is not a sex crime, but a hate crime” (p.69), is the judicial system approaching it in the right way in terms of custodial sentences? Are the length of sentences for rape creating more problems than they are solving, such as making men more likely to kill their victim or making juries less likely to convict if there is any doubt whatsoever? How do we change a legal system that is misogynistic at it’s core and is so pitted against women it’s almost impossible to win?

Whilst I didn’t agree with all the ideas Greer put forward in relation to this topic and the above questions, I loved that it forced me to consider another view point and contemplate the deeper issues at the heart of this crime. Challenging your thinking is what good writing should do and in my mind Greer is expert at that.

[Briar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I read this essay and a lot resonated with me, but I do have a few complaints:

1. I really don't like the implication that Greer makes after two women drop their rape allegations against a man who, years later, went on to murder two other women. She basically states that these women (who dropped their cases) are at fault for the other women's murders because they dropped their cases. As someone who has researched rape and sexual assault so extensively, I feel like Greer knows the myriad of reasons why people drop their cases against another. And that the only person at fault for those women's murders is the murderer.

2. I really don't like the implication Greer makes time and time again that there's only one right way to be a rape victim: be someone strong and wiling to take your rapist to court, but also to get over it in time and don't label yourself a "victim" because the rapist can't actually steal anything from you. That's a good position to promote but it was clear to me that Greer seems to dismiss or even dislike any other victim's narrative that is not like this: what about victims who don't lay charges or go to court? What about victims who just want an apology and nothing more? What about victims who do feel like something has been taken from them, and can't "get over it"?

I know it's only an essay and Greer can't be expected to answer all of these questions, but she sure as hell made a lot of implications ! So...

[jason · Rating 2 out of 5]

it feels very muddled and surface level. there are instances of victim blaming that rubbed me the wrong way, there's a lot of "this is what a real victim is" bullshit too, that i loathe. i don't think greer has ever been assaulted by a family member, or she wouldn't be so adamant on victims exposing those who have hurt them.
i did enjoy some of it, it had good observations here and there: "Once upon a time everyone knew what rape was; it was the stealing of a woman from the man or men who owned her", "If a man punches you in the eye, you are not expected to have pleaded with him not to for the crime to be accepted as an assault. If you are sitting at your cash register and someone demands the cash in it, you will not be accused of consent if you simply hand it over.", and "Rape is not a sex crime, but a hate crime." specifically.
however, this particular part made me extremely uncomfortable and upset with it: "If the women who complained in 2002 and 2003 had stuck to their guns these two women might still be alive."
how poor of a feminist you have to be to imply it is their fault that two women were killed. only to talk about how men hate women so much after. they did not kill them by retracting their statement, the killer did by taking their lives. shameful shit.

[Patri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Al olvidarme en el momento de terminar el libro de reseñar por qué uno que trata el tema de la violación me ha disgustado tanto ahora apenas me acuerdo. Esto a su vez me parece significativo, aunque es indudable el recuerdo del regusto amargo que me dejó. En ocasiones, al leerlo sentí que justificaba a los violadores queriendo, a su vez, minimizar el impacto que las violaciones tienen sobre las víctimas. Algo así como: las violaciones son tan terribles porque nosotras (como sociedad) permitimos que tenga tanta importancia y significado. Y obviamente tiene razón en que las violaciones tienen la importancia que como sociedad le adjudicamos, evidentemente, pero aligerando el peso de las violaciones no se solucionará ningún problema, como tampoco lo hará soltarle a las víctimas que lo superen ya o que es preferible vivir en un matrimonio con violaciones recurrentes porque en el fondo la quiere aunque la víctima no es capaz de definirlo así debido a su normalización. Este último ejemplo, que me parece una auténtica atrocidad, aparece tal cual al inicio del libro, lo cual por razones obvias condicionó mi manera de aproximarme a lo que me quedaba de lectura.

[Struan Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m conflicted. Whilst on one hand there is some interesting and relevant points here, they feel almost undermined and belittled by the rampant victim blaming. I don’t know, a lot of it made me feel, for lack of a better word, yucky and uneasy.

[Jen Jewel Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Melbourne University Press' Little Books on Big Themes.

Arresting for a variety of reasons, On Rage is an essay, referring to academic records and references but remaining accessible. The basic premise is that Aboriginal men (especially) are freaking p'd off bigtime because of the invasion, the exploitation, the unpaid slavery and the taking of themselves/their children, the attempted genocide, the banning of indigenous languages leading to their loss or near loss in many cases, the ongoing bigotry, the mass enforced removal from homelands and scrambling of sophistocated social inter-tribal and tribal relationships, a culture of substance abuse including alcoholism and the associated violence and disease, the shocking degeneration of their country following white control and associated collateral damage. She's right although she isn't afraid to offend all and sundry. Constant reference to 'hunter-gatherer peoples' gives a rather maternalistic, colonial, standing on-one-leg-in-a-museum kind of sense of Aboriginality to people like me, who've known urban/suburban blacks as part of their genral friendship and professional surroundings for decades. Nevertheless the above toxic mess is real alright. There are oddly sexist moments, ironically, and I reckon Aboriginal - and also Torres Strait Islander - women must be carrying a wild amount oif grief and rage too. Nevertheless this is urgent reading.

[Cami L. González · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me gustó, estuvo bien. Es un ensayo corto que recoge distintos conceptos y analiza las definiciones que se dan según país o según ciertos autores. Por ejemplo, el tema del consentimiento, dónde empieza, dónde termina, hasta dónde puede haber un consentimiento no explícito. Menciona varios datos, sobre todo juicios ya que se centra en ese enfoque, en cómo se puede probar ciertas cosas en juicios y muchos ejemplos de casos que fueron desestimados por distintos motivos.
No me dijo algo que no supiera de forma general, sí datos y ejemplos de casos que desconocía. Aun así me gustó, plantea un buen debate sobre un tema importante que no todos toman el peso.

[Hannah Wattangeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little book which packs a huge punch. Greer has no answers but her information on rape not only shows us the extent of it but the inadequacies of a legal and social system that does little to help women or prevent men from raping. Greer highlights that the extent of rape in our patriarchal and capitalist society reflects the very real oppressive relationships between men and women.

[Hannah Wattangeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those short essay books. Germaine Greer once again is forthright in her short examination of the horrors inflicted on our Indigenous people and the rage that this invokes.

[Rain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important and thought-provoking.

[Ellidh · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a brutal but informative read.
I was struck by her comments around the real or perceived damage that rape does to a victim. In some senses, it was a helpful note to strike: rape is bad, but it's not everything. And yet, there's an obvious issue surrounding the ultimate value and importance of sex. If sex is (as our culture seems to suggest) not that big a deal, then rape shouldn't be either.
Perhaps the fact that we have such an abhorrence for rape suggests that sex is a bigger deal than we're willing to acknowledge?

[A Markos · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, the mania surrounding Germaine Greer's books is disproportionate from the text. The essay is a really good starting place to understand why rape laws are inadequate, how they let down rape victims and the dilemmas we are going to have to face if we agree with the Istanbul convention definition of rape 'all non consensual sex is rape'. Greer does this by highlighting how common non consensual sex is and that it is seldom reported/convicted. The essay doesn't explore much in the way of solutions, other than to explore some alternatives to criminal prosecution, however it is clear from her text (as it is clear from all her texts) that she does not believe there is a suitable path forward within the current systems and hierarchal structures.

[Esther · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jamás esperé leer a la autora de La Mujer Eunuco decir que no condenaba la repetitiva violación de una amiga suya por parte de su pareja. Lo trata de manera banal este problema, y con una mirada que es de todo menos feminista. Amarga decepción.

[BigKenOfShropshire · Rating 1 out of 5]

Greer somehow manages to be a rape apologist and doesn’t think that it’s that bad when your husband forces sex upon you…

[Amy Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and grim, of course. Greer posits that rape (defined as penetrative sex without consent) is actually incredibly commonplace and most frequently occurs within marriage. Only a small percentage of sexual assault it reported, and far less is investigated. Very few rapists are convicted. She discusses how difficult it is to prove rape has occured, and how challenging the process of prosecution is for the victim/survivor. The sticking points are that it needs to be proved that the accused was aware that there was no consent, not just that the person who is raped was aware, the severity of the punishment, and the need to prove beyond doubt that rape did occur. She said sometimes a conviction is easier to obtain in the civil court, because it only needs to be proved on the balance of probability, and damages can be awarded. She points out that if more sexual assault was reported and action was taken, more sexual predators would be reported and monitored, potentially sparing lives.

Her suggestion: lower the criminal penalty for convicted rapists, so that they are more likely to be convicted. She also suggests that having similar penalties for rape as for murder might be making rapists more likely to murder their victims.

She talks a bit about how we are all afraid of strangers raping us on the street, far more so than we are afraid of mugging, despite it being far less likely. I always think that the reduced risk I have of experiencing domestic violence by being single and not living with men does quite a lot to offset the risks incurred in riding my bike or occasionally running by myself at night.

[Jodie Snow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Off the bat, I don’t agree with Greer’s definition of rape. The essay is well written however her argument is confused. Her stance against rape loses validity right from the opening where she describes how, upon hearing her friend be raped, she ‘could see no merit in persuading her that her situation was oppressive’. This anecdote seems like it will be used to later explore the nuances of emotions involved in spousal rape but is just abandoned and feels like it’s there only to chastise ‘other feminists’ who she identifies would not agree with her. By the end, we come to discover that Greer believes it is not the ‘penis’ that rapes and yet she lists multiple ways in which women can track serial rapists but offers no discussion or suggestion as to how the men behind the penises could actually stop raping.

[Victoria Emerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another stellar piece by Germaine Greer. She raises questions about the idea of rape, the act of rape, the psychological trauma of rape and why women fear it so much.

[🌶 peppersocks 🧦 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“If a man punches you in the eye you are not have expected to have pleaded with him not to for the crime to be accepted as an assault”

Important coverage of terminology and definitions including necessary case details and the Galloway/Assange discussion. Simple lessons for all though is... CONSENT CONSENT CONSENT CONSENT CONSENT CONSENT...

“Not the absence of no but the presence of yes”

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting longish essay on aboriginal treatment in Australia by the famous feminist Germaine Greer.

[Hani Aqil · Rating 1 out of 5]

Known pedophile and feminist icon Germaine Greer spouts dangerous rhetoric masquerading as scathing feminist critique in “On Rape”.

The crux of the text is that rape is not a rare act of paramount, incomprehensible violence but everyday. In theory, I agree with the fact that rape happens more often than we acknowledge and it is usually not as dramatic as we picture. Additionally, we shouldn’t be treating women who have been raped as irreparably damaged, as spoiled goods. But when Greer puts this thesis into effect, she ironically normalises sexual violence and encourages victims to simply get over it. (Though, given her comments on MeToo, this should be no surprise.)

For instance, Greer characterises the relationship of her female friend and her husband who had raped her multiple times as “stormy but loving”. Effectively, she is saying, it’s not that bad. Getting over the fact that your partner raped you is just like making up after a bad fight, apparently. Early on in the text, she even remarks that rape is a standout within the category of bad sex, when they are not remotely in the same ballpark. She also goes on to say that given the high prevalence of rape, the penalties should be less severe.

Here’s the thing: Rape should never be trivialised. We can acknowledge how common it is without undermining its inherent violence. Rapists should absolutely be demonised for the crime they committed. (Not killed, of course, I’m not advocating for that.) Who is Greer really helping here by implying otherwise? In doing so, Greer is inadvertently telling victims of sexual violence that their pain is just something they have to get over.

Also worth noting is that Greer explicitly defines rape in the beginning of the text as a man’s penis forcefully entering a woman’s vagina. This definition is narrow and reductive, dismissing the trauma of people who have not been raped or assaulted in that way. The gendered nature of sexual violence cannot be denied but positioning rape as a thing that can only be done to women by men further marginalises victims who are already not taken seriously by society at large.

I also need to mention the immense emotional strain that reading this text inflicted upon me. Even reading the first page, where Greer erases people like me out of existence, hurt me. As I read and read, I began to second guess my own experience; whether it even mattered or happened, whether I should’ve been more forgiving in that relationship, on and on and on. It soon becomes clear that Greer does not care about people like me - as demonstrated by her own words, she doesn’t even care about victims who do fit her narrative.

In conclusion, do not read this text or anything by Germaine Greer. A violent transphobe and pedophile does not deserve to be at the forefront of the feminist movement.

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Greer raises a number of questions that have mostly been unaddressed before. Her chapter discussing consent is particularly important as it raises the issue of unwanted sexual intercourse one may consent to, whether due to intimidation or for the sake of expediency. Furthermore, her discussions of how to combat campus rape through cross referencing databases and the fact that the treatment of a victim after reporting rape by the system is hardly a pleasant experience also throw up issues usually swept aside in favour of simpler answers.

It's a shame so many people will willingly discount many of Greer's points due to disagreeing with certain aspects of her use of language or wider philosophical beliefs. A case of being unable to see the forest for the trees etc. It also never fails to amaze me that a radical liberation feminist is consistently caricatured as some sort of dinosaur. This book also actually provoked debate in me, which most contemporary feminist books fail to do as they usually just serve as an echo chamber where the same basic principles of feminism are retreaded ad infinitum. For instance, I read What We Talk About When We Talk about Rape earlier this year, and while that was a powerful and important book, it was very descriptive: it was about telling stories but not necessarily advocating and arguing about how to deal with the issue, and I went into that and left with broadly the same understanding about rape. Greer, as controversial as she may be, riles you with her writing in a way that few can.

[Brian Kovesci · Rating 1 out of 5]

This shit was kinda insane. The logic was all over the place, examples not clear, and all of this from a seemingly well-respected well-educated woman.

She starts with defining rape in her essay as between a male aggressor and a female victim. Heteronormative, problematic, just flat out incorrect. Rape happens between all different kinds of people, this narrowed lens is violently ignorant, especially given the high percentage of trans and queer rape victims.

She goes through several thought exercises, including one where she suggests that a (woman) victim may be traumatized by rape, but the (male) aggressor will surely have a ruined life as a result of his action. Um… what? What the fuck is that, Germaine? How dismissive of actual victims, and how irresponsible to overlook the experience of the victim. Germaine Greer, you’re a well-educated unethical moron.

Greer finally wraps up her nonsense with a suggestion that they (straight people, this book was written about and for straight people) fuck less often and make love more often.

I can not more enthusiastically scream, You are an idiot, Germaine Greer, who does not deserve a platform for your regressive ideas. You should be embarrassed for having written this book. From the bottom of my heart, go fuck yourself. Rather, go make consensually questionably love with your straight husband, but not too much because that could lead straight society right back to rape. Fuck you.