Women's Views on News

Japanese computer game about rape sparks fury

A Japanese game entirely centred on acts of rape is sparking huge protests in America. The game - charmingly entitled RapeLay - allows players to rape female anime characters and underage girls. It is one of many games freely available online and in Japan's game shops. Although Japan has laws governing sexual content, these laws do not regulate themes, and as such, this game is not illegal.

Interestingly, that being said, RapeLay has been around since 2006 and has already generated significant international controversy, but CNN has only chosen to report on the game now, much to the bemusement of many gamers, who consider this very much old news. Moreover, 90% of Japan's computer game companies agreed in 2009 to ban rape-themed games, according to Bloomberg News, including RapeLay, which was instantly removed from the owning company's website. The story was also covered last year by The Telegraph, following a decision from Amazon to remove the game from its website.

The CNN story seems to imply that today's article was sparked by the discovery that the game is still widely available online, but even the briefest internet search seems to indicate that RapeLay is but one example of a whole genre of games popular in Japan and across the world, where the rape, sexual and physical abuse of women is a core theme. This is the most disturbing part of the entire story as far as I'm concerned: that the abuse of women is now so normalised as to be embedded in our recreational activity.

You can read more of this story and watch the related video report on CNN's website.

Equally as interesting, and as controversial, are the responses and comments the story has generated on CNN's site, mostly from gamers who seem to be arguing that just because rape is featured in the game, does not mean players will be rapists in real life. Granted, but is there really anyone who wouldn't feel the slightest bit disturbed to find their son/daughter/partner/sibling/friend playing a game like this?!

Other comments on the CNN story wonder why rape is considered offensive but games depicting violence or killing are not. Actually, such games are controversial and always have been, hence why they have age limitations placed on them, and why there are ongoing research attempts to investigate their effects. Personally, I'd be more interested in discussions about why people would want to play such a game in the first place (the 'no market without demand' theory), but maybe that's just me.

Another comment on CNN posited that: " i think this maybe help stop some local pervs from doing to someone. they just playing on computer?"

I think this argument worries me more than any other - that somehow these games might 'prevent' a rapist acting out in the 'real world'. In that case, would it be considered socially useful to have computer games depicting paedophilia (as in fact this one does through the rape of a young girl)? And if not, can anyone tell me what the difference is?

Most of all, what worries me most about this game - and others like it - is that it depicts acts of violent hatred against women as a leisure activity. this isn't Call of Duty, where you're pretending to be a soldier, this is a game where you are pretending to rape women, some of them underage. As a woman, I find that deeply frightening.

Domestic violence figures on the rise in Pakistan

Although domestic violence has long been a problem in Pakistan, organisations documenting violence in the country have reported a sharp rise in 2009. These include a recent report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and the Lahore-based Aurat Foundation. However, as IRIN points out, it is not clear if these figures represent an actual rise or whether more women are coming forward to report attacks. Either way, things are tough for women in Pakistan. 

Man takes case of "hate speech" against women to court

When Mbuyiselo Botha decided to take the African National Congress League President, Julius Malema, to court for hate speech against women, he was confident from the start that the case had merit, according to IPS News. But he also knew it was the toughest test yet in his 15 years of gender activism. On March 15 the controversial Malema was found guilty of hate speech for insinuating that President Jacob Zuma's 2005 rape accuser had enjoyed the act. Addressing students in Cape Town last year, Malema was widely quoted saying: "When a woman didn't enjoy it, she leaves early in the morning. Those who had a nice time will wait until the sun comes out, request breakfast and ask for taxi money".

Women don't have thick enough "hides" for radio 4

It's hard to believe that it's 2010. Why? Because the editor of Radio 4 is still clearly living in the dark ages. He's reported in the Guardian as saying that women just can't cut it on the Today programme because they're such sensitive souls and don't have thick enough "hides" to survive. I think Kate Adie, Jennie Bond, Sue McGregor and Orla Guerin might disagree, Mr Thomas. 

Phillipine women being trafficked abroad

According to a story by IRIN, there is an increasing number of women from the Phillipines being trafficked both internally and abroad for domestic work as a result of the unstable peace and order situation in the war torn province of Mindanao. It cites a 2009 report by the US State Department which says that "traffickers use land and sea transportation to transfer victims from island provinces to major cities. Muslim girls are trafficked by fellow Muslims". 

Most dangerous place in the world for women

Last night the BBC screened a programme entitled "The World's Most Dangerous Place for Women" featuring a woman who was originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but who had come to Britain at the age of three. On her return to the DRC 20 years later, she tells the story of a country where people have come to accept as normal the widespread use of rape as a weapon of war. Watch and be shocked. Go to the BBC iPlayer to watch. 

Clinton seeks to put women at the heart of US foreign policy

In this impassioned comment piece for The Times, Hillary Clinton discusses the status of women's rights worldwide and argues that equality is a central tenet of US foreign policy. Citing Afganistan as an example she talks about a 'Women's Action Plan' designed to promote participation at all levels and ensure women's access to health and education.

Whatever your views on the US's history of advancing and defending women's rights, its good to see a politician from one of the world's most powerful countries actually talking about them. And this conclusion rang particularly true for me:

"In 1995 the world said with one voice that human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights. Today we must say with one voice that women’s progress is human progress and human progress is women’s progress, once and for all."

Whether breast is best or not, this bottle certainly isn't...

The Independent has a story up about baby bottles being sold in the UK by Boots and Mothercare. The products have been banned in the US and Canada because of a chemical in them that has been linked to cancer, obesity and a myriad of other problems. And although bisphenol A remains legal in the UK many manufacturers have quietly stopped using it in new products, leaving retailers to continue to sell off the old stock. Concerned? Skeptical? Read more here.

Breast cancer screening does more good than harm

A study of 80,000 women has concluded that screening for breast cancer saves lives, and is ultimately worth the worry and unecessary treatment that some women go through. The BBC reports that for every woman whose diagnosis may be more a cause of stress than anything truly life threatening, two lives are saved.

Where ever you stand on this one, it seems unlikely that these most recent findings will truly put the matter to rest, with some experts still suggesting that the 'scare factor' is too prevalent to allow women to make informed choices. So what do you think? Are our bodies too much at the mercy of the whims of the medical establishment? Or is breast cancer screening a necessary and effective service?

Pension changes could lead to a fairer deal for women

The BBC reports that as the new tax year begins, the state pensions system is changing, and changing in a way which could be of particular benefit to women. Significant amendments include a reduction in the requirement for 39 qualifying National Insurance years to 30, as well as a potentially clearer system to allow carers to build up National Insurance credits of their own.

Whilst these changes are of theoretical benefit to both sexes, it is often women who lose out on pension benefits because of part time work or commitments to raising a family. Hopefully these new rules will take into account the vast amount of behind the scenes work often done by women and lead to a greater value being placed upon it.