Woman: What would change, what would you do differently, in what ways both big and small, if the possibility, the threat of rape, completely, totally disappeared from the world?

I would hike on my own in isolated spots more boldly.

I worry less about rape than other assault and battery or murder. I’d still do the same things as now.

I agree with @Neizvestnaya .

I worry more about rape than other forms of violent crime. I would not be as afraid to go into the city. (I live near Detroit.) I wouldn’t carry around pepper spray.
I would be all around happier if rape was a thing of the past.

@Neizvestnaya and @lucillelucillelucille You worry more about murder and battery even though, in the U.S a woman has 200 times greater chance of being raped than being murdered? That doesn’t seem very logical, in terms what the risks of one v.s. the other are.

Nothing would change for me.

I wouldn’t change anything from what I currently do/act/say/wtv.

I mean, rape is a possibility, but so are many other bad things. I don’t want to ever alter my life based on things like that, and I never have. If something happens to me, I’ll run or I’ll defend myself as best I can. But I’ve never lived my life according to the chances of being raped, murdered, jumped or whatever.
As for what this question asks, I should have the right, everyone should, to live as they wish without the fear of rape. I’m sure you agree.
Unfortunately, it happens to people all the time, but that should not run one’s life or behaviours or whatever. I know that’s not exactly what you’re asking, but I think it’s still a valid point to bring up.
If I were to precisely know that a situation in which I’m getting would get me violated 100%, I’d avoid it, obviously. I’m not saying I’m completely careless. You have to be careful in life, if you can. But I’m answering by saying I wouldn’t change anything from the now in regards to my normal everyday life, based on the fact that I have the right to be as much as everyone else. Maybe I’d sing a different tune if I did get raped, or lived in some country/culture that finds it acceptable, or at least, not as condemnable as here. But I don’t, and so, I guess I’m glad to use ignorance as default material.

Please keep in mind, my answer isn’t me trying to act all strong, it’s because I’m pig headed and arrogant, and a little stupid lol. Let some fucker try to rape me, maybe they will, but they won’t come out of it smelling like a rose lol. Sorry, just a bit of humour. Rape is a depressing subject.

I would travel more on my own.

@aprilsimnel Yes, I forgot to mention that. I really want to go on a road trip this summer, but I don’t feel entirely comfortable going on my own. I would If I didn’t have to worry about my car breaking down and having some creep rape and murder me.

I don’t have anyone who I would like to be with for twenty four hours a day.

@lillycoyote -I never said I was more worried about murder and battery over rape.The idea is to not put yourself in harm’s way,no mattter what it is,so I would not change much about what I do now.

Thanks for your answers. I’m not suggesting, at all, not even in the slightest, that women do or should live in constant fear of rape and that informs everything we do, constrains us completely, that we should allow the possibility of being raped just, is there anything at all, anything, that you would do differently.

@lucillelucillelucille Well, I suppose technically you didn’t but did say that, but you did say “I agree with @Neizvestnaya” who said :“I worry less about rape than other assault and battery or murder.” So if one worries less about rape than other assault and battery that mean ones worries more about other assault and battery and murder than rape. Yes? More or less. Anyway, I left the “other assault and battery” out of my comment. I should have thought out my comment more thoroughly, gotten all the numbers.

@lillycoyote Not implying you did imply all that. I did what I could to be clear about it, it’s just where it took me lol.
Someone once asked me, if you saw someone you know wanted to kick your ass coming in front of you down the walk, would you cross the street?

Fuck no lol. I understand that you weren’t implying any of this, but as I say, that’s just what came out as I typed. I did go off trail a bit.

If the deal was “couldn’t be raped AND couldn’t be killed” that would change a lot of things. That is when I would sleep with the windows open—actually my German Shepherd is a mighty powerful deterrent come to think of it . . .

Edited by me.

I’ve been so protected in my life that I can’t say I would do anything different. This is not a subject that has ever entered my mind.

Things women do to prevent being raped:

-Don’t make eye contact with men when they walk down the street
-Don’t put their drink down at parties
-Use the buddy system when they go to parties
-Cross the street when they see a group of guys walking in my direction
-Use my keys as a potential weapon
-Carry mace or pepper spray.
-Watch what they wear.
-Refrain from hitchhiking

I seriously doubt any of you never do those things (or others).

@lillycoyote-You’re right,she did say that.I was thinking more of her last sentence and should have specified.Even so,I don’t worry about one over the other even though I have been raped.
I am always very aware of my surroundings and try not to put myself in a position of vulnerability if I can help it.

@MyNewtBoobs I almost always make eye contact with people; I don’t go to parties; I don’t change my walking path to avoid of a group of men; I’ve never thought about using my keys as a weapon; I don’t have any mace or pepper spray; I wear what I damn well please; and I don’t hitchhike because it’s not safe in general. I honestly doubt anything would change.

Met my hsuband hitchhiking. Just sayin”

@Facade I think that if rape was not a possibility, had never been a possibility, we would all be different from who we are today. We wouldn’t even know that we were different. We would be happier, I think.

@Facade Ok, can I ask why you seem to be saying that with some sense of pride and superiority?

@MyNewtBoobs I answered in the tone in which you asked your question. You seem to think that poeple who feel they’d be unchanged are kidding themselves. I was just trying to convey that I don’t do anything to prevent from being raped.

@athenasgriffin Yep, we’d definitely be happier.

@janbb Seriously? I love it.

Yup. Girlfriend and I were in London for the summer and hitchhiking around Cornwall when (future) husband and friends picked us up.

@lillycoyote: I’m not undermining rape but I feel the measures I take to avoid assault/murder pretty much cover those I think of to avoid rape too. I was always taught to fear murder more because rapists are more prone to murder you after than let you live.

@Neizvestnaya rapists are more prone to murder you after than let you live. FYI, not true.

@MyNewtBoobs: Gee, what a relief.~ Really though, I don’t know what I’d do differently if I didn’t have to worry about rape.

No, I wouldn’t change anything because mainly, ’’Rape is an act of violence; it involves asserting control over another person and taking their power from them’’. I would take any precaution I take to prevent mugging, beating, kidnapping or any other violent act.
@janbb, Isn’t it luck though that you weren’t raped or something? Hitchkiking, if there were 3 of us or more, and the car had 1 or 2 people, ok, but alone, no.