Germaine Greer: Some rape is just ‘bad sex’
GERMAINE Greer has come under fire after saying that punishment for committing rape is too severe and should be reduced.
During an appareance at the Hay Festival in Wales on Wednesday, the 79-year-old said "most rapes don't involve any injury" and some rapes are simply "bad sex".
She suggested punishment for rapists should be reduced to 200 hours of community service instead of jail time, to reduce the burden on the legal system.
Claiming she wanted to "turn the discourse about rape upside down", Greer went on to say that despite being referred to as sexually violent crimes, many rapes don't result in injury and "most rape is just lazy, just careless, insensitive".
"We are told it's one of the most violent crimes in the world. Bullshit," she said.
MORE: Greer's controversial gripe with #MeToo campaign
"Instead of thinking of rape as a spectacularly violent crime, and some rapes are, think about it as non-consensual - that is, bad sex. Sex where there is no communication, no tenderness, no mention of love."
The veteran feminist also questioned the statistic that 70 per cent of rape victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder compared to 20 per cent of military veterans.
"At this point you think, what the hell are you saying? That something that leaves no sign, no injury, nothing, is more damaging to women than seeing your best friend blown up by an IED is to a veteran?"
She claimed women weren't destroyed by rape, just annoyed.
In terms of punishment, she suggested rapists should undertake community service, or maybe get a small identifying tattoo.
"I reckon 200 hours of community service will do - would do me. I suggested a long time ago that maybe a little tattoo would be a good thing. Maybe an 'R' on your hand. I'd prefer it on your cheek."
She expected her comments would draw backlash, which they have.
People on social media slammed the author, demanding she stop calling herself a feminist.
I call for Germaine Greer to stop calling herself a feminist. Because she very clearly isn't. And the hailing of her as one needs to stop. It should have stopped a long time ago, really, but now is certainly a good time to really do it. https://t.co/VZPOh2IiYP
— Prof Tanja Bueltmann (@cliodiaspora) May 30, 2018
@hayfestival dreadful ramblings by Germaine Greer....I’m usually happy to listen to opinions different to my own but today after around 20 mins I had to walk out.
— Sherry Peck (@sherrylynnpeck) May 30, 2018
Germaine Greer, a woman and a feminist, laughed off the idea that rape causes PTSD and denied it was a violent crime, instead labelling it as “lazy, careless and insensitive”.
— Muhammad Aamir (@aamir2727) May 30, 2018
Appalled and disgusted doesn’t quite do justice to how I feel about her comments.
Greer herself was a victim of rape when she was 18, but says she wasn't "that angry" about it. She never reported the incident.
There is no such thing as nonviolent rape. All rape is violent. There is no such thing as non consensual sex. You’re either having consensual sex or you’re committing rape. Period. Minimizing survivors trauma only serves to support the perpetrator. https://t.co/bu6We5RizV
— Brenda Tracy (@brendatracy24) May 31, 2018
