According to OurWorldInData, a person is almost three times more likely to be killed in a car accident than in a homicide by another person. (5.8 homicides per 100k people vs. 16.7 car deaths per 100k per year)
In comparison, non-homicide rapes are… 37.5 per 100k people (oof, much worse that I expected). However, most sources I can find seem to indicate a fairly small percentage of rapes are committed by strangers not known to the victim (A Better Way states it’s 28%). If we take that into account and apply it to the OurWorldInData numbers, it comes out to 10.5 people per 100k are victims of rape by total strangers.
That doesn’t account for the fact that many rapes are not reported, and the risk of rape can vary wildly between different states (holy shit is Alaska rape-y) so the real risk is probably a bit higher than my numbers in most areas, and lower in others.
That wasn’t the result I was expecting when I started writing this comment. I guess in conclusion, people are way more likely to be killed in a car accident than some rando murdering them, but depending on where they live, death by driving may be more or less likely than being raped by a stranger. So uh… Yeah. Not great.
I think that’s a good way to put it. You can’t do much about someone else crashing into you (Unless your husband is Mr Incredible), but you can do a whole lot more when selling/buying something to/from a stranger to avoid that turning nasty.
Genuine question here, am not trying to be edgy or controversial: Which would you least like to happen - be raped, or lose the use of a limb in a road accident?
As a cishet man, I’d take the former (assuming no HIV etc)
If not, consider that it can FUCK YOU UP mentally and is not over for the victim when your rapist zips up and walks away into the embrace of societal protection.
I have not, and I’ve got the privilege that I can walk the streets at night without the fear of it even crossing my mind.
I do have a vague fear of getting mugged or beaten up, and even the threat of the latter played on my mind almost daily for about a year after it happened, so I’d imagine it (or SA) actually happening to me would last a fair bit longer and the intrusive memories be even more intensely horrible
That’s not a safe assumption though, and the dread of waiting to find out whether you’ve been infected with something awful is a part of why rape is so traumatising. It can take weeks for tests to come back.
Of course not - this is very much hypothetical. I’m more interested in whether people think emotional/psychological trauma would be worse than lifelong physical trauma
My point is that the whole psychological Vs physical trauma question is a false dichotomy when we’re talking about sexual assault. Rape can and often does leave a person with lifelong physical trauma
I don’t think that’s really a fair question especially since a vehicle accident is just that: an accident. Being raped is horrifying partially because it’s someone’s choice to do that to you.
Would I prefer to be accidentally injured over being intentionally traumatized and possibly also injured? Yeah, probably.
Additionally, i dont think my main point is clear but ill clarify: I really don’t think people deserve criticism about being afraid when they’re just taking reasonable precautions. Especially in a society that is just not likely to hold a man accountable for sexual misconduct.
A more comparable question is would you rather lose the use of a limb from an accident or have to go under vaginal reconstruction to restore use of urinary function after rape.
I know which is more traumatic. People act like being raped comes with no consequences.
Yup. A friend of mine almost died last year from bladder complications that ultimately stem from being assaulted almost 20 years ago.
To an external observer, rape may not seem likely to leave lasting physical trauma, but that’s because the injuries aren’t as likely to be visible, or things that peopl feel comfortable speaking about openly (plus society has a bad track record on how it treats survivors of SA)
Thing is ill take a risk of being in a fender bender because I will most likely live and not get raped
That being said I combat it by picking things up in a public place or bringing my husband with me
According to OurWorldInData, a person is almost three times more likely to be killed in a car accident than in a homicide by another person. (5.8 homicides per 100k people vs. 16.7 car deaths per 100k per year)
In comparison, non-homicide rapes are… 37.5 per 100k people (oof, much worse that I expected). However, most sources I can find seem to indicate a fairly small percentage of rapes are committed by strangers not known to the victim (A Better Way states it’s 28%). If we take that into account and apply it to the OurWorldInData numbers, it comes out to 10.5 people per 100k are victims of rape by total strangers.
That doesn’t account for the fact that many rapes are not reported, and the risk of rape can vary wildly between different states (holy shit is Alaska rape-y) so the real risk is probably a bit higher than my numbers in most areas, and lower in others.
That wasn’t the result I was expecting when I started writing this comment. I guess in conclusion, people are way more likely to be killed in a car accident than some rando murdering them, but depending on where they live, death by driving may be more or less likely than being raped by a stranger. So uh… Yeah. Not great.
I think that’s a good way to put it. You can’t do much about someone else crashing into you (Unless your husband is Mr Incredible), but you can do a whole lot more when selling/buying something to/from a stranger to avoid that turning nasty.
Exactly. I really dont think people shoule be criticized for taking a reasonable precaution yknow
Genuine question here, am not trying to be edgy or controversial: Which would you least like to happen - be raped, or lose the use of a limb in a road accident?
As a cishet man, I’d take the former (assuming no HIV etc)
Have you been sexually assaulted?
If not, consider that it can FUCK YOU UP mentally and is not over for the victim when your rapist zips up and walks away into the embrace of societal protection.
I have not, and I’ve got the privilege that I can walk the streets at night without the fear of it even crossing my mind.
I do have a vague fear of getting mugged or beaten up, and even the threat of the latter played on my mind almost daily for about a year after it happened, so I’d imagine it (or SA) actually happening to me would last a fair bit longer and the intrusive memories be even more intensely horrible
That’s not a safe assumption though, and the dread of waiting to find out whether you’ve been infected with something awful is a part of why rape is so traumatising. It can take weeks for tests to come back.
Of course not - this is very much hypothetical. I’m more interested in whether people think emotional/psychological trauma would be worse than lifelong physical trauma
My point is that the whole psychological Vs physical trauma question is a false dichotomy when we’re talking about sexual assault. Rape can and often does leave a person with lifelong physical trauma
I don’t think that’s really a fair question especially since a vehicle accident is just that: an accident. Being raped is horrifying partially because it’s someone’s choice to do that to you.
Would I prefer to be accidentally injured over being intentionally traumatized and possibly also injured? Yeah, probably.
Additionally, i dont think my main point is clear but ill clarify: I really don’t think people deserve criticism about being afraid when they’re just taking reasonable precautions. Especially in a society that is just not likely to hold a man accountable for sexual misconduct.
A more comparable question is would you rather lose the use of a limb from an accident or have to go under vaginal reconstruction to restore use of urinary function after rape.
I know which is more traumatic. People act like being raped comes with no consequences.
Yup. A friend of mine almost died last year from bladder complications that ultimately stem from being assaulted almost 20 years ago.
To an external observer, rape may not seem likely to leave lasting physical trauma, but that’s because the injuries aren’t as likely to be visible, or things that peopl feel comfortable speaking about openly (plus society has a bad track record on how it treats survivors of SA)