[Vision2020] The GOP War On Women Accelerates

[Nicholas Gier]

How the Body Reacts to Sexual
Assault<http://www.thenation.com/blog/169474/how-body-reacts-sexual-assault>

*Dana Goldstein <http://www.thenation.com/authors/dana-goldstein> **on
August 20, 2012  The Nation***

Embattled US Senate candidate Todd Akin claimed yesterday that “legitimate
rape” somehow turns off the female body’s reproductive capabilities.
As I demonstrate
below<http://www.danagoldstein.net/dana_goldstein/2012/08/what-you-need-to-know-about-rape-related-pregnancy.html>,
that is absurd. But it is important to note that *Akin’s ideology is part
of a broader set of misconceptions about how the body reacts to sexual
assault.*

There’s nothing
new<http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/the-h-word/2012/aug/20/legitimate-rape-medieval-medical-concept>
 about the idea that vaginal lubrication, orgasm and pregnancy can occur
only after a wanted sexual encounter. None of this is true. A 2004
paper<http://www.scribd.com/doc/23150432/Sexual-Arousal-and-Orgasm-in-Subjects-Who-Experience-Forced-Stimulation>
 from the *Journal of Clinical Forensic Medicine*addresses some of these
misconceptions. The authors, Roy Levin and Willy van Berlo, considered
reports from doctors, nurses and therapists who work with rape survivors.
Many of the clinicians had experienced distraught victims’ asking why they
felt lubrication or even orgasm during rape.

One British nurse-therapist reported the following:

“Approximately 1 in 20 women who come to the clinic for treatment because
of sexual abuse report that they have had an orgasm from previous
unsolicited sexual arousal. It is not detailed in the [professional]
literature because the victims usually do not want to tell/talk about it
because they feel guilty, as people will think that if it happened they
must have enjoyed it. The victims often say, ‘My body let me down.’ Some,
however, cannot summon the courage to say even that.”

Heartbreaking. Levin and van Berlo found that victims report evidence of
physical arousal in as many as 21 percent of rape cases, even when they
also report violence and high levels of fear and mental distress. Why? The
researchers note that many rapes are comitted by acquaintances or romantic
partners of the victims; initial familiarity or even attraction might be
supplanted by terror as an encounter becomes coercive. This is relevant, I
think, to the charges against Julian
Assange<http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2010/12/the_perils_of_charging_rape.html>,
who is accused of sexual assault for refusing to wear a condom with female
partners who had earlier consented to sex. If that occured, it is still
rape: physical force was used to violate the initial, consensual terms of
the encounter.

Then there is the simple fact, obvious to most women, that the vagina can
become lubricated during sex as a defense mechanism against tearing and
pain, regardless of one’s level of enthusiasm or emotional buy-in.

And it isn’t just women who can experience these confusing sensations. In
men, Levin and van Berlo actually found some links between
“anxiety-inducing threats” and increased blood flood flow to the penis.

*All of this is really hard to write and talk about it, because it exists
in the murky area between what we desire and what we fear.* Yes, force can
provoke arousal, but that doesn’t condone the *non-consensual*use of force.
The authors conclude:

“A perpertrator’s defence against the alleged assault built solely on the
evidence that genital arousal or orgasm in the victim proves consent has no
intrinsic validity and should be disregarded.”

One of the many problems with Romney/Ryan-like rape exceptions to broad
abortion bans is that they encourage anti-choicers to draw a thousand false
distinctions<http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/08/19/712251/how-todd-akin-and-paul-ryan-partnered-to-redefine-rape/?mobile=nc>
 between worthy and less worthy rape victims, which is what Akin was really
attempting to do. What he cares about is saving as many fetuses as
possible, regardless of what calamity befell the women forced to bear them.
For example, if you were raped by an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend, is your
fetus as unwanted as that of a woman raped by a stranger? If you were raped
by a man with whom you were drinking, do you deserve that free pass
abortion? Non-consensual sex is non-consensual sex. It exerts unwanted
control over a woman’s body—as does forced pregnancy.

On Wed, Aug 22, 2012 at 5:53 PM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:

> Nick
> Most social issues are not hot button items for me. I am more interested
> in economic issues. In general though, I favor more freedom for the
> individual and less interference by the government. I am nether strongly
> pro-choice or pro-life, but tend to be closer to the pro-life position.
> Abortion should not be used as a form of birth control. In extremely rare
> surrmonstances such as the life of the mother, her life should dominate. I
> think that some of the positions  of some democrats such as partial term
> abortions and allowing a baby that survived aan attempted abortion is much
> more extreme. Fortunately that is a minority opinion even for democrats.
>
> I am not aware of the legislation you mentioned, but I doubt that there is
> any such thing as justifiable rape.
> Roger
> -----Original message-----
> From: Nicholas Gier ngier006 at gmail.com
> Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 10:26:45 -0700
> To: lfalen lfalen at turbonet.com
> Subject: Re: [Vision2020] The GOP War On Women Accelerates
>
> > Hi Roger,
> >
> > Where do you stand on the extreme, no exceptions GOP plank on abortion?
>  As
> > a local GOP leader you should tell us what you believe.
> >
> > And do you support Ryan after he teamed up with Akin in proposing a bill
> > with "justifiable rape" in it, which is what Akin said he meant when he
> > said "legitimate rape."  Fortunately the language was rejected.  Ryan and
> > Akin are two peas in a pod with regard to social issues.
> >
> > Inquiring mind wish to know.
> >
> > Nick
> >
> > On Wed, Aug 22, 2012 at 10:12 AM, lfalen <lfalen at turbonet.com> wrote:
> >
> > > The Republicans want him to  drop out. His opponent wants him to stay
> in.
> > > Apparently both sides think he will be easy to beat. The rumor has it
> that
> > > Mccaskill's backers funneled a lot of money into his campaign in the
> > > primary.
> > > Roger
> > > -----Original message-----
> > > From: Art Deco art.deco.studios at gmail.com
> > > Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2012 06:11:15 -0700
> > > To: vision2020 at moscow.com
> > > Subject: [Vision2020] The GOP War On Women Accelerates
> > >
> > > > V
> > > >  [image: The New York Times] <http://www.nytimes.com/>
> > > >
> > > > <
> > >
> http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&opzn&page=wwwnytimes.com/printer-friendly&pos=Position1&sn2=336c557e/4f3dd5d2&sn1=a36510e4/68ad5fe5&camp=FSL2012_ArticleTools_120x60_1787508c_nyt5&ad=RubySparks_120x60_June25_NoText&goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Frubysparks
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > ------------------------------
> > > > August 21, 2012
> > > > Akin Controversy Stirs Up Abortion Issue in Campaign By JENNIFER
> > > > STEINHAUER<
> > >
> http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/jennifer_steinhauer/index.html
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > WASHINGTON — As an orator, Representative Todd
> > > > Akin<ttp://
> > >
> topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/a/todd_akin/index.html?inline=nyt-per
> > > >of
> > > > Missouri may stand out for his clumsiness. But as a legislator, Mr.
> > > > Akin
> > > > has a record on abortion that is largely indistinguishable from
> those of
> > > > most of his Republican House colleagues, who have viewed restricting
> > > > abortion rights as one of their top priorities.
> > > >
> > > > That agenda — largely eclipsed for two years by a protracted fiscal
> > > crisis
> > > > and the fight over how to manage the federal deficit — has wedged its
> > > way,
> > > > for now at least, to the center of the 2012 campaign. It is focusing
> > > > attention on an issue that helped earn Mitt
> > > > Romney<
> > >
> http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/primaries/candidates/mitt-romney?inline=nyt-per
> > > >,
> > > > the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, a reputation as a
> > > > flip-flopper, threatening the Republican quest for control of the
> Senate,
> > > > and leaving Representative Paul D.
> > > > Ryan<
> > > http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/candidates/paul-ryan?inline=nyt-per
> >of
> > > > Wisconsin, Mr. Romney’s vice-presidential pick, in the uncomfortable
> > > > position of distinguishing himself from Mr. Akin, with whom he has
> often
> > > > concurred.
> > > >
> > > > It is an agenda that has enjoyed the support of House leaders,
> including
> > > > Speaker John A. Boehner and Representative Eric Cantor, the majority
> > > > leader, who has called anti-abortion measures “obviously very
> important
> > > in
> > > > terms of the priorities we set out initially in our pledge to
> America.”
> > > It
> > > > became inextricably linked to the near-shutdown of the federal
> government
> > > > last year when an agreement to keep the government open was reached
> only
> > > > after it was linked to a measure restricting abortion in the
> District of
> > > > Columbia.
> > > >
> > > > Even as Congressional Republicans, including Mr. Boehner, denounced
> Mr.
> > > > Akin’s remark that victims of “legitimate rape” were able to somehow
> > > > prevent pregnancy, an agenda to roll back abortion is one that House
> > > > Republicans have largely moved in step with.
> > > >
> > > > In an anti-abortion measure once sponsored by Mr. Akin, Mr. Ryan and
> > > scores
> > > > of other Republican lawmakers, an exemption was made for victims of
> > > > “forcible” rape, though that word was later removed.
> > > >
> > > > *On Tuesday, Republicans approved platform language for next week’s
> > > > nominating convention that calls for a constitutional amendment
> outlawing
> > > > abortion with no explicit exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
> That
> > > is a
> > > > view more restrictive than Mr. Romney’s, who has said that he
> supports
> > > > exceptions to allow abortions in cases of rape. *
> > > >
> > > > * *Mr. Ryan’s more conservative views, which have been reflected in
> votes
> > > > that would restrict family planning financing overseas, cut off all
> > > federal
> > > > funds to Planned Parenthood and repeal President Obama’s health care
> > > > law<
> > >
> http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/health_insurance_and_managed_care/health_care_reform/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier
> > > >,
> > > > have come into sharp relief as Mr. Akin struggles for his political
> life.
> > > > Mr. Akin and Mr. Ryan each have voted in this Congress for 10
> > > > abortion-restricting measures as well as those that limited other
> family
> > > > planning services.
> > > >
> > > > Both Mr. Ryan and Mr. Romney have earned praise for their positions
> from
> > > > the National Right to Life group and other anti-abortion
> organizations.
> > > > “The right-to-life Romney/Ryan ticket is now complete,” wrote Barbara
> > > Lyons
> > > > and Sue Armacost, executive director and legislative director for
> > > Wisconsin
> > > > Right to Life, on the organization’s Web site.
> > > >
> > > > It is a legislative theme Democrats plan to highlight, even as House
> > > > Republicans try to keep the focus on economic issues.
> > > >
> > > > “All you need to know is that the House Republicans were willing to
> shut
> > > > down the government rather than fund Planned Parenthood,” said
> > > > Representative Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, in an
> e-mail on
> > > > Tuesday. “This is in keeping with their efforts — whether it’s
> > > Congressman
> > > > Akin or Chairman Ryan or others — to deny investments in critical
> women’s
> > > > health services, weaken the definition of rape, and take away access
> to
> > > > preventive care like cervical and breast cancer screenings.”
> > > >
> > > > The House Republican agenda has troubled the half-dozen or so
> Republican
> > > > House members whose views differ from those of their colleagues.
> > > >
> > > > “I have time and again spoken out against this to leadership,” said
> > > > Representative Robert Dold of Illinois, who is in a tough re-election
> > > > battle. “I’ve tried to talk to them about the issues that we ought
> to be
> > > > moving forward on, like out-of-control spending.”
> > > >
> > > > Mr. Dold has voted in favor of half of the abortion restriction
> measures
> > > in
> > > > this Congress, far fewer than most of his colleagues. “There is no
> > > question
> > > > that there are times when I may disagree with a vote that’s brought
> to
> > > the
> > > > floor,” he said in an interview, “and the majority of my Republican
> > > > colleagues, but that is just part of what we deal with every day.”
> > > >
> > > > There have long been lawmakers, like Mr. Akin, whose main legislative
> > > > agenda centers on the abortion issue. They got a boost after the 2010
> > > > election when a large group of conservative members joined them.
> > > >
> > > > Mr. Romney’s views align with that of the Mormon Church, which
> opposes
> > > > abortion except in cases of rape and incest or when the life of the
> woman
> > > > is in danger. He has said he is personally opposed to abortion; as a
> > > Mormon
> > > > bishop in the 1980s he attempted to talk a congregant out of
> terminating
> > > a
> > > > pregnancy after doctors advised her to do so because of a potentially
> > > > lethal blood clot.
> > > >
> > > > But abortion has proved to be a politically volatile topic for Mr.
> > > Romney,
> > > > whose evolving views have disappointed liberals and stirred distrust
> > > among
> > > > conservatives.
> > > >
> > > > In 1994, when he challenged Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Mr. Romney
> said he
> > > > would “not force our beliefs on others on that matter.” In 2002, as a
> > > > candidate for governor, he claimed to support “the substance” of Roe
> v.
> > > > Wade. By 2005, though, when he was beginning to consider a
> presidential
> > > > run, he had reversed course and described himself as a “pro-life
> governor
> > > > in a pro-choice state.” Now, as a presidential candidate, he refers
> to
> > > > himself as solidly “pro-life.”
> > > >
> > > > Aides to Mr. Romney declined to say on Tuesday whether he would call
> on
> > > the
> > > > convention delegates to reconsider their position on abortion.
> > > >
> > > > Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee,
> tried
> > > to
> > > > deflect questions on behalf of Mr. Romney, saying on Fox News that
> “this
> > > is
> > > > the platform of the Republican
> > > > Party<
> > >
> http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/r/republican_party/index.html?inline=nyt-org
> > > >;
> > > > it is not the platform of Mitt Romney.”
> > > >
> > > > The idea of outlawing any exceptions for abortion is not new in
> American
> > > > political discourse or in legislation, nor are proposals to narrow
> the
> > > > definition of rape to distinguish between what some call “forcible
> rape”
> > > > and cases involving statutory rape or even some types of date rape.
> > > > Anti-abortion activists have long been concerned that women would
> falsely
> > > > claim to have been raped to gain an exemption to terminate a
> pregnancy.
> > > >
> > > > Historians and other experts on abortion politics say the
> no-exceptions
> > > > idea became part of the debate virtually as soon as Roe v. Wade
> legalized
> > > > abortion in 1973. “It has deep roots,” said Donald Critchlow, a
> historian
> > > > at Arizona State University who has studied abortion politics. He
> added,
> > > > “It’s appealing to segments within the Republican Party to show that
> > > you’re
> > > > pro-life.”
> > > >
> > > > Susan Cohen, director of government affairs for the Guttmacher
> > > Institute, a
> > > > research group in Washington that supports abortion rights, said the
> > > > no-exceptions idea is “not new and it’s not fringe.”
> > > >
> > > > “It is something that has been part of mainstream anti-abortion
> > > movement,”
> > > > she said. “The record is replete with evidence of the fact that
> there was
> > > > this no-exceptions attitude, and of course this makes logical sense
> from
> > > > the perspective of people who believe an embryo should have the same
> > > legal
> > > > status as you and I do.”
> > > >
> > > > In the 1992 election, the Republican Party included in its platform
> > > > language opposing abortion, allowing no exceptions and calling for a
> > > > constitutional amendment to make abortion illegal. Similar language
> > > > opposing any exceptions was included in 2000 and 2004, even though
> George
> > > > W. Bush also supported outlawing abortion except in cases of rape,
> > > incest,
> > > > or when the life of the woman was in danger.
> > > >
> > > > Four years ago, the Republican Party adopted a platform seeking an
> > > > unconditional ban on abortion, though its nominee, Senator John
> McCain,
> > > had
> > > > urged the party in the past to allow certain exceptions. After this
> > > year’s
> > > > abortion plank language was approved with little debate, the
> chairman of
> > > > the platform committee, Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, praised the
> > > > committee for “affirming our respect for human life.”
> > > >
> > > > Pam Belluck and Michael Cooper contributed reporting from New York.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
> > > > art.deco.studios at gmail.com
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > > =======================================================
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