2009-05-25

benlehman: (Default)
2009-05-25 01:35 pm

Summary of all Forge Theory

A nice summary of all Forge theory from Irregular Webcomic

It is important to read the annotation also. The third sentence is the key.
benlehman: (Default)
2009-05-25 06:01 pm

How to write/play a rape survivor

Something that really bugs me about fiction is its portrayal of rape survivors: it's consistently and profoundly wrong, usually in a harmful or insulting way. I read an excellent series of articles today about rape and rape survivors and I thought they might be useful to writers and role-players* in terms of portraying rape survivors in fiction.

Rape Myth #1: Women make false rape accusations all the time
Rape Myth #2: She owed me.
Rape Myth #3: All women have rape fantasies, and therefore secretly want to be raped.
Rape Myth #4: Men can't be raped.
Rape Myth #5: I don't need to rape anyone.
Rape Myth #6 - Stranger Rape
Rape Myth #7: He doesn't look like a rapist and "He's my friend he can't be a rapist, I'd know."
Rape Myth #7 - How to Spot a Rapist. (yes, there are two #7s)
Rape Myth #8 - You Can't Rape a Hooker (Sex Worker).
Rape Myth #9 - You Have to Forgive to Heal and "The Sainted Survivor."
Rape Myth #10: S/he doesn't act like a rape victim.

Please do not comment here if you are going to argue with these points. As far as I am concerned, these points are not up for argument. If you want to do that, you can comment at the original post, but the poster reserves the right to "rip you apart and make you seek therapy."

* Since role-playing is a closed-group activity, you can of course do whatever you like as long as you're not hurting anyone at the table. That said, I think that the real issues that rape survivors go through are more interesting and compelling than the stereotypes.