Too Ugly to Rape: How to feel safe in Brazil

[Eleanor Ritas]

Source: http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/too ... ailsignout

From the article:

A debate about sexual violence in Brazil sparked by a lawmaker's comments on the floor of Congress has spread beyond government chambers, triggering a national debate about rape and sexism in the South American nation.

Opposition congressman Jair Bolsonaro told Maria do Rosario Nunes in Congress he would not rape her "because she was not worth it."

Then, he said it again.

"Stay here Maria do Rosario!" he yelled during a parliamentary session on December 9, the eve of International Human Rights Day.

"It's been several days since you called me a rapist, and I said that I did not rape you because you weren't worth it," the 59-year-old retired soldier yelled at Rosario Nunes.

It was not clear under what circumstances Nunes called him a rapist, as alleged.

The rival lawmakers have been at loggerheads for years, and Bolsonaro was reacting after an angry debate about the 1964-1985 military dictatorship, under which he served and still supports.

His comments have sparked national fury in Brazil, a traditionally male-dominated society where 137 sexual assaults are reported daily.

Angry Brazilians also took to social media to voice their disgust at his comments, while the United Nations called his comments "unacceptable."

Rosario Nunes, a close ally of leftist President Dilma Rousseff, filed a complaint, accusing him of libel and slander, and charged him with public incitement to rape.

"I am not doing it for me, but for all Brazilian women, because no one deserves to be raped. I do not accept in Parliament or anywhere, the incitement to rape," said Rosario Nunes, former minister for Human Rights.

Unrepentant, Bolsonaro said he would not ask for her forgiveness and pressed on with his comments.

"She isn't worth it, because she's ugly, she's not my type. I would never rape her," he told Zero Hora newspaper.

The right wing Bolosnaro is known for his outspoken comments and frequent anti-leftists attacks.

He blamed Rosario Nunes for unfairly accusing him, but insisted again he was not interested in her because of her looks.

"Suddenly, she was calling me a rapist, and she repeated this offence," said Bolsonaro.

"It was an unfair verbal attack, I responded that I was not a rapist and that if I was, I wouldn't rape her because she wasn't worth it," he said in an article in Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

So, sexual assault victims of Brazil, does it make you feel safer to know that you can prevent future rapes by being "ugly" and "not worth it"?

At least one lawmaker in Brazil is offering you this wonderful path to safety and security!

Could we apply this in other countries?

We could develop a "rape scale", similar to one that is used on "hot or not", and that way people could know whether they're really in danger or not!

"Esmerelda, did you lock the front door?"

"No, I'm a 4.8. I'm fine."

Seriously, though, apparently many people in the Brazilian government and public are rightfully fucking horked at this bullshit.

Should this guy face censure from his government? Apparently they are working on a law to make public statements inciting rape a crime, but did the lawmaker incite rape? Or just say something that is so foul that he should be immediately impeached for openly declaring that whether a rape is a plausible accusation or not should hinge on whether the victim is the offender' "type"? (see above for the quote)

Personally, I think the head people in Brazil should openly demand his resignation.

Whachoo think, NSG?

[Conserative Morality]

I'm not sure what he did could be called inciting rape.

Definitely marks him as an asshole that shouldn't be anywhere near government, though.

[Eleanor Ritas]

I'm not sure what he did could be called inciting rape.

Definitely marks him as an asshole that shouldn't be anywhere near government, though.

It will be interesting to see if his career survives this.

I'd like to think (at least I pray) that an prominent American legislator wouldn't say this shit, but I remember something several years back (maybe decades) where an American politician addressed rape with some sort of comment that the woman should just "lay back and enjoy it", but it may be an urban myth or something. I hope it is.

[Conserative Morality]

It will be interesting to see if his career survives this.

I'd like to think (at least I pray) that an prominent American legislator wouldn't say this shit, but I remember something several years back (maybe decades) where an American politician addressed rape with some sort of comment that the woman should just "lay back and enjoy it", but it may be an urban myth or something. I hope it is.

This would seem to be it.

[Costa Fierro]

I'm not sure what he did could be called inciting rape.

Definitely marks him as an asshole that shouldn't be anywhere near government, though.

The same thing could be said about 90% of the people currently in the Brazilian Congress. But I agree, I don't see what aspect of what he said was saying was "incitement to rape".

I'm also interested as to why Rosario called him a rapist in the first place. Seems to me like she fired the first shot and he fired back. If she didn't want to open the can of worms, don't try and pry the lid off.

[Nazi Flower Power]

So... This Bolosnaro guy is an asshole. Not sure what else needs to be said...

[The Serbian Empire]

It's freedom of speech, but definitely something that would make the politician a liability to his party.

[Sebastianbourg]

I'm also interested as to why Rosario called him a rapist in the first place. Seems to me like she fired the first shot and he fired back. If she didn't want to open the can of worms, don't try and pry the lid off.

My thoughts exactly.

[Ethel mermania]

I'm not sure what he did could be called inciting rape.

Definitely marks him as an asshole that shouldn't be anywhere near government, though.

It will be interesting to see if his career survives this.

I'd like to think (at least I pray) that an prominent American legislator wouldn't say this shit, but I remember something several years back (maybe decades) where an American politician addressed rape with some sort of comment that the woman should just "lay back and enjoy it", but it may be an urban myth or something. I hope it is.

That was a local weather caster here in nyc, tex antione , or some thing spelled similar. I was lucky enough to witness it as a youth. My mother, may she rest in peace, jaw dropped.

Here ya go
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex_Antoine

[Soviet Haaregrad]

It will be interesting to see if his career survives this.

I'd like to think (at least I pray) that an prominent American legislator wouldn't say this shit, but I remember something several years back (maybe decades) where an American politician addressed rape with some sort of comment that the woman should just "lay back and enjoy it", but it may be an urban myth or something. I hope it is.

That was a local weather caster here in nyc, tex antione , or some thing spelled similar. I was lucky enough to witness it as a youth. My mother, may she rest in peace, jaw dropped.

Here ya go
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex_Antoine

It was two separate incidents. That punchline is ancient.

[-The Unified Earth Governments-]

Oh yeah, that asshole.

Second time I called him that today.

[Eleanor Ritas]

I'm not sure what he did could be called inciting rape.

Definitely marks him as an asshole that shouldn't be anywhere near government, though.

The same thing could be said about 90% of the people currently in the Brazilian Congress. But I agree, I don't see what aspect of what he said was saying was "incitement to rape".

I'm also interested as to why Rosario called him a rapist in the first place. Seems to me like she fired the first shot and he fired back. If she didn't want to open the can of worms, don't try and pry the lid off.

So, his reasoning "I wouldn't rape her because she's ugly and not worth it" doesn't reveal something about how this member of the government views sexual assault, in terms of cause, dynamic, etc?

[Imperium Sidhicum]

I don't quite see how this guy has wronged anyone besides calling a political opponent "too ugly to rape" in a response of an insult.

Surely, such outbursts do show him in a poor light as a politician who cannot respond to trash-talk civilly, but I hardly see how his comment would make him "sexist", "rapist", "supporter of rape", or even an ordinary asshole. Lack of restraint and consequent unprofessional conduct is all fault that I see in him.

[Tubbsalot]

This man has announced what he is.

Since this option has had so many votes, I might as well ask what exactly he's outed himself as being. An idiot? It sounds like you're saying he's a rapist.

[Eleanor Ritas]

This man has announced what he is.

Since this option has had so many votes, I might as well ask what exactly he's outed himself as being. An idiot? It sounds like you're saying he's a rapist.

No, he's someone who has openly stated that whether or not he raped a woman is a function of whether she is attractive or his "type", which means he is someone who views sexual assault in those terms.

He openly said, "I would not rape you because you aren't worth it, you're ugly".

Well...extrapolate that reasoning.

[Conserative Morality]

I don't quite see how this guy has wronged anyone besides calling a political opponent "too ugly to rape" in a response of an insult.

Surely, such outbursts do show him in a poor light as a politician who cannot respond to trash-talk civilly, but I hardly see how his comment would make him "sexist", "rapist", "supporter of rape", or even an ordinary asshole. Lack of restraint and consequent unprofessional conduct is all fault that I see in him.

Implying that the attractiveness of an individual is connected to rape is pretty bad as far as spreading harmful misinformation goes.

[Empire of Narnia]

He should be purged from the party.

[Costa Fierro]

So, his reasoning "I wouldn't rape her because she's ugly and not worth it" doesn't reveal something about how this member of the government views sexual assault, in terms of cause, dynamic, etc?

His views are disgusting, but the article said that Rosario was pushing charges of libel and slander against him, as well as "incitement to rape". She had also apparently called him a rapist, which in itself is libel and slander.

It sounds like that he was replying to that call.

[Galloism]

So, his reasoning "I wouldn't rape her because she's ugly and not worth it" doesn't reveal something about how this member of the government views sexual assault, in terms of cause, dynamic, etc?

His views are disgusting, but the article said that Rosario was pushing charges of libel and slander against him, as well as "incitement to rape". She had also apparently called him a rapist, which in itself is libel and slander.

It sounds like that he was replying to that call.

By saying "the only reason I don't rape is you is because you're ugly."

That implies that, had she been attractive, he totally would rape her.

Ergo, her alleged characterization seems to be right on the mark.

[Tahar Joblis]

"It was an unfair verbal attack, I responded that I was not a rapist and that if I was, I wouldn't rape her because she wasn't worth it," he said in an article in Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

Sounds more like "Senator, have you stopped hitting your wife?" mixed with bitter political enmity than anything else.

It does not imply that he would rape her if he thought she was more attractive. It implies he's calling her ugly because she called him a rapist.

[Costa Fierro]

By saying "the only reason I don't rape is you is because you're ugly."

Actually, he stated that he wasn't a rapist and that if he was, he wouldn't rape her because of her looks. That was his response to Rosario calling him a rapist.

That implies that, had she been attractive, he totally would rape her.

Ergo, her alleged characterization seems to be right on the mark.

He's not saying that he goes around raping women based on looks. She called him a rapist, which is uncalled for in itself, and he responded. Did he respond in the right manner? Fuck no. If I was him, I'd have her in the courts on slander charges. Does this mean that he would rape her if he thought she was attractive? No. He called her ugly, which was a childish response to being called a rapist.

Nowhere has he endorsed rape of attractive women. He made a mistake in wording the response the way he did and he should be penalized for it, much in the same way Rosario should be penalized for calling him a rapist.

[Romalae]

Definitely a ridiculous and unacceptable comment. It also makes the completely false assumption that more attractive = more likely to be raped and less attractive = less likely to be raped.

[Sebastianbourg]

Definitely a ridiculous and unacceptable comment.

That also applies to her allegations of the senator in question being a rapist.

[Conserative Morality]

"It was an unfair verbal attack, I responded that I was not a rapist and that if I was, I wouldn't rape her because she wasn't worth it," he said in an article in Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper.

Sounds more like "Senator, have you stopped hitting your wife?" mixed with bitter political enmity than anything else.

Not really. That's a loaded question. This is turning what could have been a scoff and a dismissal of a political opponent as absolutely unprofessional and how dare they, to "I view attractiveness as a meaningful factor in the crime of rape", which has all sorts of unfortunate implications (Which, I freely admit, are only implications he may not have thought about) and reinforcing a common social position that is completely incorrect.

He fucked up. Bad. When you're accused of being a crook, you say "I am not a crook." You don't say "I am not a crook, and if I was, I wouldn't steal from the Jersey state treasury because I'm already rich."

[Degenerate Heart of HetRio]

He fucked up. Bad.

He didn't fuck up. Bolsonaro is a spring of spoken diarrhea 100% of the time.