Do conquerors ALWAYS rape?

Exactly. Replies like Aelgifu's which reduced it to a gender arguement may seem to be more politically correct and moral (which they undoubtely are) but it dose not take account of the fact that well its war.

Originally posted by Paul Originally posted by Sparten Stop bringing gender issues into it. Rape is part and parcel of conquests until recent times and even now.     if it's not a gender issue, what is it?       However what quote fails to mention was the Soviets killed every male over the age of sixteen. I know which sex got off the lightest. This is also a common phenomena in similar historical events in history.

Edited by New User - 28-Apr-2007 at 09:26

Originally posted by Maharbbal I think that the figure of 300,000 has been considered a reasonable estemate of the number of rapes commited by the allied troops in France, Belgium and the Netherlands during the 1944-45 Liberation. But then again what do you expect when you have some 3,000,000 lonesome men in a place?

Edited by New User - 28-Apr-2007 at 09:33

I would also add that there are incidents of rape in Iraq. For example  Paul. Cortez has been sentenced to 100 years for gang rape of a 14 yr old and the killing of her family.

Edited by New User - 28-Apr-2007 at 09:41

Originally posted by Reginmund Yes, but let's be careful not to cross the line between explanation and justification, Sparten. War doesn't legitimize anything, it's often doubtful whether the war itself could be legitimized, so using it as an excuse for rape would in many cases be justifying one crime with another crime.

Originally posted by kurt imagine some sort of disaster befell the human race. imagine that this disaster resulted in the entire human race becoming wiped out, except for you and one female. it would be upto you and her to repopulate and to restart the human race. now imagine she refused to have sex with you. would you rape her? � if you didn't, you would end the human race; if you did, you would be a rapist. � the reason im asking you to answer this question is because i feel that you may be a typically politically correct individual who feels rape is bad simply because that is how they were taught, and who hasn't really thought about this from other perspectives, which, as historians, is something we should try to do.

Okay, but if you knew me at all I'd be the last person you'd call politically correct. I do believe rape is bad "simply because" that is how I was taught yes, and I believe I was taught correctly in that regard.

As for the scenario, it's an interesting question. Rape is wrong because we have created a society built on norms that we believe cause it to function optimally, but if everyone was dead except me and a single woman there really wouldn't be a society to pass judgement either way, so it's entirely up to me if I rape her or let the human race die out. Now, my first thought is "let the human race go extinct, because I don't really like it anyway". Knowing my sex drive however it's unlikely that I'd be able to do that, I'd probably keep nagging her until she gave in, and knowing how sexy I am it probably wouldn't take that long.

Originally posted by kurt what a feminine apporach. "nag her till she gives in". if it was as simple as that do you think there would even be any rapists?

What's wrong with a feminine approach? I doubt I could bring myself to take her by physical force anyway, most likely it'd give me one hell of a guilty conscience and make her hate me. If she's the last woman on Earth I'd rather she didn't.

Originally posted by kurt what was most interesting in your response was when you said "if everyone was dead except me and a single woman there really wouldn't be a society to pass judgement either way, so it's entirely up to me if I rape her or let the human race die out." so am i to derive from this statement that what stops you from raping is society's judgement?

You can't establish anything as universally and objectively wrong, no matter how depraved it is, it all depends on society's subjective norms. These norms have stood the test of time and in most cases apply themselves rather well to regulating the human community.

Originally posted by kurt i want you to answer a question, within a specific context.   imagine some sort of disaster befell the human race. imagine that this disaster resulted in the entire human race becoming wiped out, except for you and one female. it would be upto you and her to repopulate and to restart the human race. now imagine she refused to have sex with you. would you rape her?   if you didn't, you would end the human race; if you did, you would be a rapist.   the reason im asking you to answer this question is because i feel that you may be a typically politically correct individual who feels rape is bad simply because that is how they were taught, and who hasn't really thought about this from other perspectives, which, as historians, is something we should try to do.

Edited by New User - 29-Apr-2007 at 12:56

Originally posted by kurt you have totally missed the point of my post, totally.   it is your opinion that we shouldn't look at issues through other perspectives if it contradicts what we have been taught. i understand and accept that, similarly, i expect you to understand and respect that it is my opinion that your opinion isn't worth hearing.   if you think that my posts condone rape then it is testimony to your ignorance and inability to think outside of your own views.

Edited by New User - 29-Apr-2007 at 13:06

i should apologize for my angry response. short temper, you know.