Rape Never Heals

Guest Author Uncategorized

Today’s Guest Author is Puff, the Magic Dragon. Thank you so much for your contribution, my dear friend. My apologies for the delay – it’s taken me several days to get into the “guest author” persona but at last I’ve managed! (And I’ve written down the password …)

Rape never heals is the basis of any discussion about rape.

There is no passage of time, no therapy, and no medicine to reverse it.

There is no way to return to being un-raped.

The trauma may reduce, but it can never unhappen.

You could protest that any violent attack does the same. But there’s a fundamental difference: rape is an invasion. Why do countries spend so much energy and resources to repel invasion? Let that thought linger a while and consider it.

The perpetrators may have many reasons or none.

A perpetrator, or to say it plainly, a rapist, always has an excuse, usually founded on a false belief of the lesser humanity of women. But unlike non-human mammals, a female human has a menstrual cycle, not an oestrus cycle. The permission needed to engage with a male human comes from her consciousness, as it does for any human to engage sexually with another.

Unlike animals, human mammals have choice, and they exercise it. Female humans exercise the choice all the time – to accept, reject, or just not be interested – all their lives. It is why we as females are not animals in heat. We are not there for the taking. No human is there for the taking. We have the fundamental human right to decide with whom we have sexual relations, and when and how.

So when this human right is broken, it is not we who become less than human.

We do not revert to the animal instincts of a species needing to propagate to survive. There are too many humans anyway, we passed that point millenniums ago.

The rapist is the one who has chosen to revert, to treat other humans as mere objects, and to betray humanity.

Rapists violate the human rights of others for their own sub-human excuses.

This is not just the violent assault, the sudden attack.

When a person does not or cannot give consent, it is rape. If you are not invited into the house, it is trespass. If permission is revoke and you do not leave, it is trespass.

With the body of a human both are rape.

A rapist can believe what they are doing is not rape: “You can’t call rape” is a common phrase.

It is rape even when a person has to put up with the act to relieve the pressure to give-in, to “get it over and done with”, or to keep the rapist from hurting others in the family.

So how should we react to rapists?

As humans who briefly lost their way, with the usual excuse of its being the victims fault?

Or as perpetrators of a crime against humanity: unfit for the freedom of human society, or any role in which they have authority over any other human being?

Society can only work on trust. When that trust is broken, it must be mended.

Rape is a fundamental breach of trust and cannot be mended.

When a person is raped, society itself is raped.

As a human society, it is up to us to determine if we will accept this, excuse it, cover up for it, deny its existence, collude and, ultimately  betray our humanity and each other.

Just remember, the victim, and us, can never, ever be un-raped.

305 thoughts on “Rape Never Heals”

  1. Bill Maher – new rules 48;00, start 1:40+

    Rachel Maddow –

    Chris Hayes –

    Brian Tyler Cohen –

  2. A very thought-provoking thread.

    I recommend taking a look at the links included – especially this one –

    https://nypost.com/2021/03/05/texas-school-under-fire-for-chivalry-day-that-had-girls-obey-boys/amp/

    Whoever thought that up really knows nothing about chivalry.

  6. Absolutely brilliant thread based on work by women journalists – not all of them working for the MSM.

    Well worth reading all the links.

    There are a lot of angry women in Australia right now, the CrimeMinistert is delusional if he believes his condescending weasel words will calm things down.

  10. The WA Libs really have a death wish.

    Liberal candidate for Jandakot under fire over religious views

    Liberal candidate for Jandakot, Mihael McCoy, is a senior figure in his father’s Kings Chapel Church. His father’s beliefs include that Donald Trump was anointed by God and the Black Lives Matter movement is the work of the devil.

    On Saturday Mr McCoy, who has been an associate pastor and on the board of the church, came under fire over his endorsement of posts by a Christian commentator that labelled the LGBTQ community as “Gaystapo”

    https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-australia/liberal-candidate-for-jandakot-under-fire-over-religious-views-20210306-p578dx.html

    • The WA Libs have a similar problem to the Feds.They are a destructive menace. With luck their effect on WA Libs electoral standing will be replicated federally.

      12 Jan 2019
      WA Libs’ evangelicals likened to ‘a cancer’ by Federal MP who says they are close to a complete ‘takeover’

      https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/religion-and-belief/wa-libs-evangelicals-likened-to-a-cancer-by-federal-mp-who-says-they-are-close-to-a-complete-takeover-ng-b881070135z
      .
      Rob Johnson lashes WA Liberals over ‘religious cults’ taking over in Moore division
      29 February 2016

      Mr Johnson said the election of church members to key positions on Saturday confirmed his fears that the division had been infiltrated.

      “I call them religious cults and what really concerns me is that they are masquerading as Liberals and they are taking over the Liberal Party in the northern suburbs,” he said.

      “Their power has been increasing and I’m very, very concerned that normal Liberal voters are not aware of what is happening.

      “They have been bombing my branches, particularly the Padbury branch.

      “Ian Goodenough has signed up people from a religious sect in Quinns Rock and stuck them in my Padbury branch which is about 25 miles away.

      “And that’s been done for the pure reason of trying to disenfranchise the absolute democratic right of that branch to take part in the preselection for the seat of Hillarys.”

      Evangelical Christians will be endorsed: Rob Johnson
      https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-02-29/rob-johnson-lashes-wa-liberals-over-religious-cults/7209064

  11. Good morning Dawn Patrollers

    Jack Waterford concludes this long exposition on why Christian Porter’s resignation would not collapse the rule of law with, “Indeed, it is almost impossible to imagine Morrison – marketer supreme – transforming himself, in the mind of Australian women, into a champion of the rights and dignity of woman. If he doesn’t already know that could never occur while Christian Porter is his legal adviser, he is not the politician I have thought.”
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7153951/so-the-rule-of-law-is-collapsing-what-nonsense/?cs=14350
    And Bruce Wolpe explains why Christian Porter cannot avoid facing a reckoning on judgments about his fitness to serve.
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7155568/the-attorney-general-and-the-supreme-court-justice/?cs=14264
    Legal and business experts have said there is no “rule of law” issue with the attorney general, Christian Porter, facing an independent inquiry into an allegation of sexual assault, allegedly committed in 1988.
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/07/christian-porter-allegations-independent-inquiry-no-threat-to-rule-of-law-legal-experts-say
    The push for Christian Porter’s political execution resembles a modern-day remake of Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, with sections of the media playing the role of the baying mob, says the wonderful Gerard Henderson.
    https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/all-balance-lost-in-the-crucible-of-a-canberra-witch-trial/news-story/53ce8395300897d11b141851592848dd
    Michael Koziol reports that frustrated GPs are threatening to pull out of the coronavirus vaccination program, complaining of a “nonsensical” process and low rates of payment that will not cover their costs. The stuff gold standards are made of?
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/frustrated-gps-threaten-to-pull-out-of-covid-19-vaccination-program-20210305-p5783s.html
    Linda Reynolds has delayed her return to work following medical advice from her doctors in a move that will raise fresh questions about her political future, writes James Massola.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/reynolds-delays-her-return-to-work-raising-questions-about-her-future-20210304-p577yu.html
    Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins has issued a call to arms to staffers from across the political spectrum to participate in her view of Parliament House’s workplace culture, assuring them “we absolutely want to hear from you” and promising the inquiry will help “map the solution”, reports James Massola.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/we-want-to-hear-from-you-jenkins-urges-staffers-to-come-forward-with-complaints-20210304-p577yt.html
    Luke Henriques-Gomes writes that the Morrison government is facing growing backlash from the disability community over a plan to introduce “independent assessments” to the national disability insurance scheme by the middle of the year. Critics are slamming the move as a cost-cutting exercise. With it being championed by Stuart Robert what could possibly go wrong?
    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/07/backlash-grows-over-independent-assessments-plan-for-disability-scheme
    The Morrison government would like to declare the economic battle is won, writes Greg Jericho who says focusing purely on growth will hide how much has been lost and how far we have to go to get back to where we were.
    https://www.theguardian.com/business/commentisfree/2021/mar/07/the-morrison-government-would-like-to-declare-the-economic-battle-is-won
    Voter support for Premier Steven Marshall’s Liberals has slumped from a coronavirus crisis peak to put Labor back in the race for the next election, a statewide Sunday Mail poll reveals. It has the Liberals with a 51/49 lead.
    https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sunday-mailyougov-poll-premier-steven-marshalls-liberals-lead-eroded-by-peter-malinauskass-labor/news-story/40e0c4bf67ce6a44434b466884b88a3f
    Peter Fitzsimons reveals that the movement that got rid of Tony Abbott is gunning for Angus Taylor now.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/movement-that-got-rid-of-tony-abbott-is-gunning-for-angus-taylor-20210305-p5787z.html
    Michael Koziol tells us that the main lesson from the “Church and State” conference last weekend in Brisbane was how conservative Christian activists are attempting to grow their numbers and influence within the Coalition and believe opposition to transgender rights will be key to their political success. Insidiousness.
    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/it-s-our-turn-inside-the-christian-right-conference-plotting-a-political-takeover-20210303-p577fv.html
    Getting to net zero isn’t all pain and expense – there are huge opportunities for Australia, says Warren Entsch.
    https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/mar/07/getting-to-net-zero-isnt-all-pain-and-expense-there-are-huge-opportunities-for-australia
    Zac Hope writes that Victoria’s peak business body says the COVID-19 vaccine rollout will be one of the biggest workplace relations issues of the year and is warning that employers face potential legal action if state and federal governments can’t provide better advice about health and safety obligations.
    https://www.theage.com.au/business/workplace/vaccine-rollout-one-of-biggest-workplace-relations-issues-of-year-20210304-p577si.html
    The first real-world data for COVID-19 vaccines is in – and the vaccines’ effectiveness have once-again shot past scientists’ expectations, explains Liam Mannix.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/the-first-real-world-data-for-covid-vaccines-is-in-and-it-s-really-good-news-20210306-p578d5.html
    There is a dystopian logic to the aged care treadmill in which the people who care most are forced to work longer to pay for people who care less to replace them, writes Parnell Palme McGuinness.
    https://www.smh.com.au/national/at-both-end-of-life-are-we-replacing-care-with-cash-20210305-p57839.html
    Miki Perkins reports that Victoria’s environmental watchdog will not force the state’s heavily polluting brown coal power stations to lower their greenhouse gas emissions, following a review and renewal of their licences.
    https://www.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/coal-fired-power-stations-not-forced-to-reduce-greenhouse-gases-20210305-p5783c.html
    The AIMN’s Rossleigh gives Chris Uhlmann a serve saying he “Chris Uhlmann should receive an award for his writing about Twitter. No, not a Walkley, but there are many great fiction awards and Chris has been doing great fiction for years. Like when he asserted that it was South Australia’s reliance on wind power which led to transmitters being blown over.”
    https://theaimn.com/the-sewer-of-twitter-is-why-chris-uhlmann-should-receive-an-award/
    Joe Biden is the antithesis of Donald Trump, but if he fails Trumpland will rise again, says The New Daily.
    https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/world/us-news/trump-news/2021/03/06/greetings-from-trumpland-book/

    Cartoon Corner

    David Pope

    Peter Broelman

    Matt Davidson

    Matt Golding


    Glen Le Lievre


    Mark Knight

    From the US





  12. Linda Reynolds has delayed her return to work following medical advice from her doctors in a move that will raise fresh questions about her political future,

    How sad, just recovering from a bad case of being caught out and now she comes down with Lying Cow Pox.

    • Love that – “Lying Cow Pox.

      There’s this old saying – If you can’t stand the heat get out of the kitchen.

      Reynolds cannot keep on delaying her return because she is scared about reactions to things she has said or done. She should retire from the parliament today.

      Who knew the allegedly tough Reynolds, former brigadier with the Australian Army Reserve, was such a fraidy cat?

  13. Michelle Rowland

    There is no greater example of deception, incompetence, short-sightedness and poor economic management by this government than when it comes to the National Broadband Network.

    A litany of failures has plagued the NBN on this government’s watch. The cost blowout—initially promised to be $29 billion, it has now hit $57 billion. Copper is not delivering the minimum speeds as required by law, and the government has purchased enough copper to wrap around Earth. The HFC network, which was supposed to be the great game-changer, is a debacle. And, at the end of all this, this minister admits finally that fibre was better all along. But the piece de resistance came with reports exposing the Liberal Party cover-up for more than seven years when it comes to their failed multi-technology mix.

    …

    https://johnmenadue.com/the-nbn-a-litany-of-failures/

  17. An ex-Navy officer has alleged in an open letter to Defence Chief Angus Campbell that she was raped three times during her time as a midshipman without indulging in the risk factors that he warned last week could make women a target.

    General Campbell told new recruits at the Australian Defence Force Academy that they could avoid becoming “prey” to sexual predators by being aware of the four As: alcohol, alone after midnight, alone and attractive.

    https://www.theage.com.au/national/raped-naval-officer-takes-aim-at-defence-chief-over-prey-comments-20210307-p578g4.html

    The ladies are now speaking out. There is hope.

  18. Jacqui Lambie explains (sort of) why she will not reveal the secret medevac deal she made with the government.

    Here’s why I won’t reveal the medevac deal I made with the PM
    https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7154667/heres-why-i-wont-reveal-the-deal-i-made-with-the-pm/

    Funny thing though – nothing seems to have changed for those languishing in offshore retention. Those stuck on Nauru are still there, the poor men trapped in PNG are still there, Dutton has sent people to Christmas Island to await deportation, many of them have lived in Australia since childhood. (I probably should not mention how the criminal offences committed by those in government far outweigh the minor misdemeanours committed by most of those facing deportation.) So whatever deal was made it obviously hasn’t been acted on so far, unless we count the release of those imprisoned in hotel rooms awaiting medivac medical treatment that was never delivered.

  20. PvO is not very popular on twitter. Justifiably.

  21. I have spent the last two weeks fluctuating between white hot rage and abject despair. Every time I think it can’t get any worse it does.
    In case you have not been paying attention our Prime Minister is an arrogant, lazy, cruel, duplicitous, bullish, sly, secretive, entitled, egotistical, authoritarian, misogynistic, privileged gaslighter.

    He loves a camera but hates a question, will pull out the daggy dad card without compunction and has mastered the ability to answer questions with waffling pious deflection. He’s somehow sheltered by a compliant news board that drip feeds constant scandal and ineptitude with a deft hand that barely contains the thin veneer of competence Mr Morrison likes to think he exudes.

    He’s managed to disband democracy during a worldwide pandemic, outsourced our economic recovery to a secretive unaccountable board, thinks “I move the member no longer be heard” is a joke and believes Freedom of Information laws are designed to protect his arse.

    His value statements have no bearing on his actions and are in direct contradiction to his Governmental policies. He’s perfected vote bribery and has no problems telling us inexcusable behaviour is a brief aberration that can happen when good men work in a stressful high-pressure job. Personally I am sick of hearing how hard this job is. Try being a single mother on minimum wage with no qualification trapped in a job with an abusive culture in a country with a high unemployment rate. All I can say is if you can’t do the job in a professional respectful manner, quite frankly, you can fuck off.

    …

    https://theshot.net.au/national/the-prime-minister-no-longer-has-any-legitimacy/

    • I do not know why everyone is so surprised about this or his overall defence of his mate Porter.It’s just how he is, has always been – weak, thin-skinned, ambitious and willing to use anyone who can advance his career, such as it is. By continuing to stand by Porter PvO has outed himself as tolerant of abuse of women instead of speaking out against such behaviour.

      A decent person, on becoming aware of Porter’s long-standing abusive attitude to women would have dumped him as soon as they realised he was such a creep. Better still they would never have formed a friendship in the first place. Surely he must have noticed the misogyny – or is he like that himself? I hope Porter appreciates the devotion, although I very much doubt he is capable of that.

  25. From Bill Shorten –

    Meet 8 year old Indy. Luna is the seizure detecting dog that would alert people she has an attack.
    Indy has the most aggressive, treatment-resistant type of epilepsy in the world. She’s in hospital every week.
    Instead, the Morrison Government insist, no special seizure dog that would alert the family to a seizure before it happens, but yes to a support worker in the home round the clock to respond after the seizure happens – at massive 40 times the cost to the Australian taxpayer.
    This means a huge increase in cost for Indy’s NDIS plan, and a revolving door of strangers in their home.
    The family first made the request almost two years ago and have been in a battle with the NDIA since. That’s two years too long.
    This is yet another example of Stuart Robert’s do-nothing management of the NDIS, leaving participants scrambling for years to get the support they need.
    They deserve better

    https://www.facebook.com/BillShorten/

    https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ev1dleKVoAAWNIZ?format=jpg

  26. Kate Jenkins will consider whether ministers should have the power to hire and fire staff as part of a review prompted by Brittany Higgins’ allegation

    Australia’s sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins says she believes Australia is now “at a turning point” in the public conversation about sexual harassment and assault, emphasising the need for “victim-centric” approaches and responses.

    Jenkins has been appointed by the Morrison government to lead a review into workplace culture in parliament, a review triggered by the rape allegation levelled by former government staffer Brittany Higgins against a co-worker.

    The sex discrimination commissioner told the ABC on Sunday the ground was shifting. “In my time working in this area and particularly looking in workplaces over the 30 years, I’ve never seen any moment like this,” Jenkins said.

    She said cultural change was happening “across the board”.

    “I think our community is changing, so we’re at a turning point – that is my sense.”

    https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2021/mar/07/sex-discrimination-commissioner-says-australia-at-turning-point-on-sexual-harassment-and-assault

  27. This bit should be framed and hung on the wall.

    our Prime Minister is an arrogant, lazy, cruel, duplicitous, bullish, sly, secretive, entitled, egotistical, authoritarian, misogynistic, privileged gaslighter.

  30. If Senator Reynolds were to quit her ministry or even Parliament, cabinet ministers Peter Dutton and Stuart Robert would likely be among the frontrunners for the defence portfolio

    https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/reynolds-delays-her-return-to-work-raising-questions-about-her-future-20210304-p577yu.html

    Dutton won’t give up the power that comes from his mega-portfolio. Why would he want to give up a portfolio created just for him, one that gives him more power than a PM, to be a mere minister for defence?

    So meet the new defence minister – Stuart Robert.

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