Violence against women

Press, 1 April 1985, Page 12

Violence against women

Sir, — “All men are potential rapists” True, says Ross Lindsay (March 30). He then suggests that the statement adds nothing of value to the discussion. If a women were asked to pick out a potential rapist, by physical appearance only, from amongst a group of 10 men would she be able to do so? The answer is obvious. Consequently, in order to defend herself from possible rape, a woman must treat all men as potential rapists. In the light of this, the statement “all men are potential rapists” is more than a true statement, it is an indictment on a society dominated by and designed for men. It is time, then, that men stopped telling women what they should think and feel, started listening to what women are saying, and certainly time that men started listening to their own inner selves. When men do start to do this, the statement “all men are potential rapists” will come to be read as implying “all men must change.” — Yours, etc., BRUCE MEDER. March 30, 1985.

Sir, — From his lofty seat of detachment Ross Lindsay (March 30) may be correct in regarding the statement that all men are potential rapists as an academic truism, but he is completely wrong in saying that it adds nothing of value to the current debate on women joggers. His final comment, that if he was a woman he would not adopt that attitude, merely echoes this position. He seems unable to accept that women cannot afford the luxury of being able to ’share this detachment. The threat is too close. We have to believe the admittedly unpalatable fact that some men are forcing women to regard us all as potential attackers. I love to escape sometimes to the parks and Botanic of this

drab city and should hate to be banned from them, but it is understandable why women would suggest that I should be. — Yours, etc., W. R. SYKES. March 30, 1985.