Greek woman sets fire to drunken Briton's genitals

Tue, 2009-08-11 16:35

Snert

Quote:
Why is it up to the woman to leave a bar when being accosted by a man? Why is it the woman's responsiblity to take the high road?

Regardless of sex, some jurisdictions have a "duty to retreat" as part of their legal definition of self-defense. Basically, it says that if you can leave the situation (a typical exception is your home) then you must do so, and only respond with force if unable to.

IANAGL (I am not a Greek lawyer) so I'm not certain whether this is or isn't part of their jurisprudence.

Tue, 2009-08-11 16:49

#53

martin dufresne

"duty to retreat" - Hmmm, could work wonders on Babble... but applied to harrassed women, I don't think so.

Wed, 2009-08-12 13:03

#54

rural - Francesca rural - Francesca's picture

duty to retreat...I guess that is also relevant to http://www.rabble.ca/babble/feminism/student-didnt-do-enough-prevent-brutal-sex-attack-carleton-university

she should have retreated, at least backto her dorm room, perhaps back to her own roomin her parents house.

I guess I failed to retreat and therefore have no standing to suggest I wasn't at fault for the times I was assaulted

I suppose as a good woman I should leave all situations....

Wed, 2009-08-12 13:16

#55

Snert

As I understand it, a duty to retreat certainly does not invert blame, so nobody is "at fault" for an assault against them if they failed to attempt to leave the situation. It comes into play in the context of self-defence. If a duty to retreat is present then you could not, for example, shoot an aggressor and be exonerated on grounds of self-defense if leaving the scene were a reasonable option.

It wouldn't apply at all to the Carleton case, as self-defense was not a factor.

Wed, 2009-08-12 13:33

#56

remind

"I suppose as a good woman I should leave all situations...."

Yes, that is the broad extension of that type of belief.

What accompanies that type of thinking is the notion that "good women" will just know to stay at home, as a preventative "duty to retreat" and that it will only be women who accept that kind of behaviour out there, or one could say "the bad women" who want that done to them.

Women do not have to accept this "duty to retreat" mentality, and be relegated to 1 day a year where we "take back" something. We have a right to be safe in public places.

Greek woman sets fire to drunken Briton's genitals

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