Religion and Ethics Forum
General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sriram on October 24, 2015, 01:45:31 PM
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Hi everyone,
Sexual consent classes!
http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-trending-34615631
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It's just that I feel if you need to be taught what consent is and what consent isn't, then you don't have respect for other human beings."
But how clear-cut is consent, particularly in the kinds of social situations involving drink and drugs in which university students often find themselves?
Under British law, specifically the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a person has to have the "freedom and capacity" to choose to have sex.
And advice from the UK's Crown Prosecution Service notes that capacity is particularly relevant when alcohol is involved - a person for instance can't consent if they're too drunk or high, although that's a subjective test which doesn't depend, for instance, on blood alcohol levels.
"What kind of deranged feminist assumes that every male student is a rapist and forces them to take a consent class?" tweeted one critic of the lessons.
Another said: "People do understand consent, sadly some disobey the wishes of another party. A class won't stop this by itself."
The debate did not break down strictly on gender lines, with some men coming out in favour of the courses and some women being against them.
"These consent lessons have good intentions," tweeted journalist Caroline Criado-Perez. "But I think they misread the problem. Rapists aren't ignorant. They just don't care."
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Any views?
Sriram
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What are your views to kick us off?
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What are your views to kick us off?
Its your country. You present the views. I am only highlighting a news item. Any problems?!
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What are your views to kick us off?
Its your country. You present the views. I am only highlighting a news item. Any problems?!
Its just that you always post something, ask for people's views, then disagree with people who post their views. For a change it would be nice for you to say what you think. You must have a view otherwise why would you have picked that subject to post?
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OK I will break the deadlock.
I can remember being a mature student in the eighties. One evening, which had been ok if unremarkable, I was walking back to campus with one female, whilst her friend was walking a few yards behind with two male students. Every few minuites my companion turned her head backwards to check that her companion was not being sexually assaulted by the male students. |The irony was that we had all been asked by the local NUS branch to ensure that female students had male escorts when outside of campus wherever possible.
What offended me was not that my male companions were assumed to be potential rapists, but that I was trying to make conversation with somebody who obviously had no interest in what I was saying. If she was so worried about her friend, why did she walk on ahead with me?
The point of the story: Students can all be prats.
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What are your views to kick us off?
Its your country. You present the views. I am only highlighting a news item. Any problems?!
Its just that you always post something, ask for people's views, then disagree with people who post their views. For a change it would be nice for you to say what you think. You must have a view otherwise why would you have picked that subject to post?
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Never noticed the threads where I have given very elaborate views....again and again?! Having a problem with your eyes & memory...Maeght?! :)
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What are your views to kick us off?
Its your country. You present the views. I am only highlighting a news item. Any problems?!
Its just that you always post something, ask for people's views, then disagree with people who post their views. For a change it would be nice for you to say what you think. You must have a view otherwise why would you have picked that subject to post?
? ? ? ? ?
Never noticed the threads where I have given very elaborate views....again and again?! Having a problem with your eyes & memory...Maeght?! :)
You do eventually but always ask for other people's views first then react to them - as I said. Why not give your views first to get the ball rolling? Why not?
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May be these classes would be more useful in India, where men think women give their consent to sex by getting on buses while full clothed.
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Perhaps girls should learn it at school for PE, rather than boring netball or hockey.
It could prove more useful.
PHSE sessions include the concept and legal bits about consent - and are taught to both male and female .
Regarding the 'boring netball or hockey' comment, it is often the stonger, sporting women who are able to defend themselves better.
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Oh good grief - defend themselves?
Firstly - the point is to make clear that there is no obligation on women not to put themselves in 'dangerous situations' the obligation is on men not to rape people
Secondly - very few rapes, as a proportion, are of the 'mugging in a dark alley' variety, they are typically perpetrated by someone known to the person, and in a private but convivial setting, where 'self-defence' would be relatively useless.
Thirdly - time and time again, despite the very clear messages within schooling and other settings, people (men in particular) don't appear to grasp exactly what consent is, hence the perceived need for explicit lessons.
My only concern in all of this is the idea that someone can be too drunk to consent, but the person who is with them can't be considered too drunk to appreciate that.
O.