Did anyone else hear Anne Atkins on Today (R4) just now re rape?

[DirtyMartini]

Said that she had been shocked when a male friend said with extreme "honesty" to her once that surely rape wasn't that different from sex, only more so -- or words like that. (Was brushing my tangles out and missed last two syllables which I think were "more so".)

Said that after lots of thought she could understand what he meant because it's the same basic physical act for a man & how his body experiences it is the same, "but for a woman... " and went on to talk about how much more awful and different it is for a woman.

What. The. Fuck.

I mean really? Really? However many disclaimers she couches it in and however much she then says that rape is appalling and violent and about dominance ... surely she cannot actually think that it is reasonable to say it is even vaguely "the same" for a man to rape a woman, as it is for him to be having consensual sex?

Even on a purely physical level, I cannot imagine that it is THE SAME. Am I being ridiculous/looking to be offended? It seems unbelievable that anyone could pile awfulness upon the awfulness of yesterday re public spreading of rape-related nonsense and mythology.

HAVE to do loads of work today so may not be around to post much until later.

[Tortoiseonthehalfshell]

I would question the type of 'consensual' sex that man was having.

[DirtyMartini]

It was Thought For The Day segment, btw.

It just strikes me as really fucking dangerous to slip a remark like that in there between making all the right noises about the awfulness of rape.

I don't think she acknowledged the notion of male rape at all either but I did sort of go into a shock zone and miss part of her conclusion. Will have to re-listen later.

[DirtyMartini]

Am imagining rapists saying, "Well hey, I didn't think I was raping her, to me it felt the same as sex". Which obv they do say, frequently, in court. Why legitimise that?

[Bucharest]

Anne Atkins though, is the same woman who has a Stepford Wife column in the Express (IIRC) My mother sends me cuttings with Anne telling me how to be a perfect wife and mother. She makes the other Express Anne (Widdecombe) look revolutionary.

[DirtyMartini]

Och I know she is dreadful generally but this struck me as particularly scornworthy and insensitive and horrible.

[countless]

i just heard this too, r4 is outraging me daily. in fact this whole revival of 'the rape debate' is mightily pissing me off.
we do not need to sort out what is real rape and what is just 'rapey' sex and what was just a regrettable incident..
agghhh are we going back in time?
my ds 18, shook his head in dismay too..teenagers are pretty clear that any non consensual sexual activity is assault. why are people old enough to know better rethinking rape daily??

[DirtyMartini]

Loads of tweets commenting on how "erotic" her thought for the day segment was (referring to other bits of it). Also saw one praising her clarity of thought re rape. FFS.

[Snorbs]

I'm glad I missed that because I would've been shouting at the radio. It's horribly offensive and demeaning to both women and men.

[JoanofArgos]

Oh I always have to dawdle in the kitchen to hear Anne Atkins just to wind myself up (like reading the threads about 'indie' schools on here), but I missed this. Can just imagine.

She's an appalling woman.

[LRDTheFeministDragon]

If a thief comes in, takes my handbag off the table and goes to the chip and pin machine to empty out my account, is it not really stealing because it's the same physical act I'd do myself?

Stupid woman.

[LRDTheFeministDragon]

(Sorry, not to imply that there aren't several other things badly wrong with her statement, but that struck me as particularly crap logic.)

[BendyBob]

I heard it too. She was on dodgy ground this morning.

I absolutely CANNOT abide her. She lectures on and on; so patronising.

[GreenToes]

You're not being oversensitive. It's incredibly insulting to the male population to imply that they wouldn't be able to distinguish between consensual sex and rape, or that both would be the same them. The vast majority of the male population would be absolutely disgusted by the thought of raping someone, and it would be a completely different experience for them, and one that they would instantly know to be wrong. What an awful comment to make.