Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

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Interesting that this was posted today, I have had it sent to me a
number of times by concerned students. It really reinforces so many
myths about rape that I see it doing more harm than good.

The first set of items really help society to place blame on the
victim-how's your hair worn, what clothes she was wearing, where she was
and what time. 

I do think there is some good in the idea of communicating boundaries
early and often and to ensure women that you are not being a "bitch" for
doing so. This set of items does not seem to be able to find that subtle
fine line of communication though.

And although self-defense classes are good, any one who teaches them
will tell that there is no 100% guarantee that it will save you and you
do open yourself up to the possibility of more harm.

I have been struggling with how to share the information that researcher
David Lisak has uncovered about the characteristics of rapists with my
students. Maybe I need to develop a forward.

Rebecca Harrington
Health Educator
SUNY Oneonta

-----Original Message-----
From: 

[mailto:]
 On Behalf Of S. Daniel
Carter
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2007 12:36 PM
To: 

Subject: FW: Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)

The forwarded e-mail below titled "Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)"
was received from a student who'd received it from another student and I
was wondering if anyone on the list was familiar with it or the original
source?
This appears to be cobbled together from a number of internet postings
of questionable credibility and has been circulating for over a year but
that is about all I've been able to track down. Any insights would be
appreciated.

********************************
S. Daniel Carter
Senior Vice President
Security On Campus, Inc.
http://www.securityoncampus.org/
e-mail:

------ Forwarded Message

  Through a Rapist's Eyes (No Joke)

  <>
    A group o f rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on
what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting
facts:
   
    1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a wo man with a ponytail, bun, braid or
other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed . They are also likely to go
after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common
targets. 
   
    2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for
women who's clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry
scissors around specifically to cut clothing.
   
    3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through
their purse, or < B doing other activities while walking because they
are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
   
    4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning,
between 5:00a.m. and 8:30a. m.
   
    5) The number one place women are abducted from/attacked is grocery
store parking lots. Number two: is office parking lots/garages.
Number three: is public restrooms.
   
    6) The thing about these men is tha t they are looking to grab a
woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to
worry about getting caught.
   
    7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a
3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
   
    8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged
because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going
after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.
   
    9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas ,
or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their
hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to
t he attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these
guys you're not worth it.
   
    10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is
following b ehind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an
elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question ,
like what time is it, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is
so cold out here,' 'we're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their
face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
   
    11) If someone is coming toward you , hold out your hands in front
of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK ! Most of the rapists this man talked
to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she
would not be afraid to fight back . Again, they are looking for an EASY
target. 
   
    12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate
of it and carries it with him wherever he goe s) , yell I HAVE PEPPER
SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.
   
    13) If someone grabs you , you can't beat them with st rength but
you can by outsmarting them If you are grabbed around the waist from
behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and
armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD . One woman in a
class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who
was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin
and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching
yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.
   
    14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN . I know from a
particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is
extremely painful . You might think that you'll anger the guy and make
him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our
instructor is that they want a woman who wil l not cause a lot of
trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.
   
    15) W hen the guy puts his hands up to you , grab his first two
fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure
pushing down on them as possible . The instructor did it to me without
using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles
cracked audibly. 
   
    16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware
of your surroundings , take someone with you if you can and if you see
any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts!!!
   
   
    You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse
if the guy really was trouble.
   
    1 . Tip from Tae Kwon Do : The elbow is the strongest point on your
body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
   
    2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans . If a robber as
ks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM . Toss it away
from you...chances ar e that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE
OTHER DIRECTION!
   
    3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back
tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving
    like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This
has saved lives.
   
    4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,
eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a
list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put
a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO
YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
   
        a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE
OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into
anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is
in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car
crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.
   
    b . A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or
parking garage: 
   
    A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger
side floor, and in the back seat.
   
    B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the
passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling
    them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into
their cars. 
   
    C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and
the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your
car, you may want to wa lk back into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to wa lk you back out.
   
    IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than
dead.)
   
    6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs.
(Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot.
This is
    especially true at NIGHT!)
   
    7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100
times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, preferably in a zigzag pattern!
   
    8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may
get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a
good-looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of
unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked
'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehic le, w hich is when he
abduct ed his next victim.
   
    9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the
police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told
her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.
    The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a
window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street and get
run over. The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.' He told her that they think a
serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of
their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have
not verified it , but have had several calls by women saying that they
hear baby's cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night.
   
   
    Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby
----This should be taken seriously because the Crying Baby theory was
mentioned on America's Most Wanted this past Saturday when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana.
   
   
 
 

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------ End of Forwarded Message

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