Rape is often called the ultimate violation of self. A crime of absolute contempt for personal integrity, leaving the women caught in its wreckage to labor under the trauma for years. What reprehensible event could possibly have the same consequences as the spiritual dead zone rape victims are left in?
Well, getting a flat tire, according to Kansas state Rep. Pete DeGraaf.
Last Friday, Kansas legislators approved a ban on insurance companies
offering abortion coverage as part of their general health plans. The one exception: when a woman's life is at risk.
DeGraaf, who is in his first term and who is an associate pastor, also called for banning coverage for abortions of rape pregnancies. (Women could get around this if they purchased separate, "abortion-only policies.")
During the House discussion there was predictably some disagreement over whether excluding rape pregnancies from coverage was perhaps the sort of callous treatment a recently violated woman shouldn't have to deal with. Here's DeGraaf's response to Rep. Barbara Bollier's challenge, as reported by the McPherson Sentinel:
Rep. Pete DeGraaf, a Mulvane Republican who supports the bill, told her: "We do need to plan ahead, don't we, in life?"This is the part of the story where it would be fun to talk about how DeGraaf should be put through something similar to rape, even though tortures on that level are hard to invent. Someone could give him the old Shazam, which is when you unzip a
Bollier asked him, "And so women need to plan ahead for issues that they have no control over with pregnancy?"
DeGraaf drew groans of protest from some House members when he responded, "I have a spare tire on my car."
"I also have life insurance," he added. "I have a lot of things that I plan ahead for."
man's taint from anus to testicles using a pair of kiddie scissors. Shazam! Or we could make jokes about how there should be a AAA for sexual assault. That kind of thing is fun to write and fun to read, and we could all get good and angried up.
But, you know, even though that stuff might make us feel good, the truth is there's a lot of people who voted for DeGraaf who think he's just telling it like it is. Of course, those people prove the old line about rape being the only crime in which the victim becomes the accused.
So DeGraaf will keep preaching at his church, everyone will forget about it, and he'll probably get re-elected. He might even carve himself out a nice life in politics surrounded by people who agree with him and make sure he always knows he was right about those dumb women who failed to prepare for rape, assuming he ever gives it another thought. Then, on his deathbed, he'll look back, comfortable that he led a brave and innocent life, ready to enter heaven.
One quick thing before we're done. DeGraaf's Web site lists his office number as 785-296-7693, his home phone as 316-777-0715 - that's at 1545 E. 119th St. Mulvane, KS - and his e-mail as pete.degraaf@house.ks.gov. You know, just in case you're one of the people who do disagree with him and think you might be able to persuade him. Democracy thrives on open discourse.
UPDATE: Women's rights organization Kansas NOW has announced a campaign to send DeGraaf spare tires in protest of his remarks, and voting record. Read how you can send DeGraaf a tire here.
Showing 1-50 of 993
My letter to him via his e-mail address:
Dear sir;
I want to start by saying just how outraged I am that you would make a statement that in its essence links rape to something like a flat tire that women need to prepare for. I would like to know how a woman is supposed to prepare for rape. I also would like to know if you really believe that rape is all about sex. Do you really think that a rapist is going to put on a condom before he rapes a woman?
I have been raped, and it was not about sex, I was in jeans and a sweatshirt, and the jeans were baggy as was the sweat shirt. It is about power, that is all rape is, a power trip for the person. It is about taking the victim’s power away from them, making them helpless and taking advantage of that helplessness. The physical scars heal in a few months, if you are lucky and are not beaten black and blue and you don’t get pregnant because the perpetrator did not use protection. The emotional and psychological scars take much longer to even begin to heal. After my rape I could not let a man near me, not even my father could hug me without me cringing because he was male.
I wonder if you would be singing the same song if your wife, or daughter, or granddaughter were ever raped and just happened to get pregnant. Would you still see it as something she should have planned for? Rape is horrible and evil, and you have no clue. My grandmother told me that I should not say anything about a topic which I know nothing about, perhaps you should heed my grandmother’s advice as well. I have kept this civil, even though it is difficult at this current time because I need a clear concise way to tell you that you are out of touch with reality.
Sincerely,
Kirsten Skinner
what an idiot!!!!! I was raped and it is NOT something u freakin plan. ugh. GET THIS DUDE OUTTA OFFICE he's gonna corrupt the system to believe this bogus garbage of lies
When are insurance companies going to stop paying for Viagra and similar drugs? NO medical necessity at all, yet they all pay for this.
Mr. Degraaf,
For the life of me I do not understand how keeping a spare tire in your car relates to a woman's choice about what to do following a rape. Your remark does provide proof that you lack a single iota of human compassion or understanding. You are a shame and an embarrassment to the state I grew up in, left, bragged about, and returned to---only to discover that the legislature has apparently been taken over by lawmakers who have no concern for the principles of America, humanity, or Christianity. For all the bleating about family values and the need for religion, comments like yours make it clear that the governance from many Kansas legislators has not one thing to do with a single word that came from the mouth of Jesus Christ or our founding fathers. When the New Testament said 'Jesus Wept', it must have been looking forward to remarks like this one.
Please step down immediately. We have enough to deal with, what with Fred Phelps, Governor Brownback, and our growing laughability as science nut cases. We do not need to provide additional proof of our low standing.
Sent to Mr. Degraff's email, 3/22/12
He's a world-class Jackhole. You should probably let him know how you feel about his opinions since they impact the women of his state:
Capitol Office
Room: 459-W
Seat: 39
Phone: 785-296-7693
Email:pete.degraaf@house.ks.gov
Home Information
1545 East 119th
Mulvane, 67110
Phone: 316-777-0715
Email:petedegraaf@att.net
Yes, because people just PLAN ON BEING RAPED. This guy should get raped and see what it feels like. Flat tire? Yeah, try getting raped within an inch of your life. I hate people like this. Ignorant and stupid statements come out of their ignorant mouths.
Why are there so many fucking idiots in this world!!!! This bloody moron is one of the worst people in the world. How is he an elected official!!
Psychology 101: REINFORCEMENT continues behavior; PUNISHMENT ends behavior. To end the behavior of men terrorizing women's minds and brutalizing women's bodies is to take the DNA from the man and match it to the DNA inside a woman's brutalized vagina. If there is a DNA match, that is evidence of rape. The PUNISHMENT to men who rape women should be the removal of the penis and testicles with only the use of local anesthesia -- that's the physical part; the psychological part is remembering why the penis and testicles were removed and the memory of watching the removal – these men can seek psychological treatment for their remaining years of life at their own expense. This action is PUNISHMENT to end the behavior of rape -- NOT REINFORCEMENT to continue the behavior of rape.
As for you, DeGraaf, your glib, unprofessional, insensitive, and disrespectful comment to women who have to bear the burden of rape either (a) psychological, emotional, and sociological, and/or (b) biological (pregnancy or abortion) as the equivalent to an "inflated tire," YOU have just shown your shallowness as a Christian and pseudo leader as a tax-paid representative. Therefore, YOU and your supporting cohorts, deserve to know first-hand the true meaning of brutal rape so that you not only feel the pain but also remember the pain for your living days on earth. In this way, YOU just might use your leadership power to legislate a PUNISHMENT for men who rape -- NOT prison time but mental and physical PUNISHMENT equal to the never-ending horror women suffer from being raped. There is no justice for either men or women but men would desist on the behavior of raping until his environmental shaping or genetics, removed the behavior. Do you, DeGraaf, have the manhood required to muster the responsibility to write legislation for such a punishment?
BE A MAN, NOT A BOY, DEGRAAF.
No woman ever plans on being raped and nor should she have too.
I'm just parroting the crap Amnesty International had plastered all over last year. Being that the stat is from them I would highly question it.
Though if you consider the psychology of rape it makes sense, the whole being solely about power and not sex, would be a male issue. In the middle east raping another man is the highest way to show dominance over him, which is sick.
Keep in mind my mother is a rape survivor. Which is why she carries a handgun to this day and used to take defense classes. IT WAS NOT HER FAULT, YET SHE REFUSED TO BE A VICTIM, then or ever. More people need that mindset.
I completely ageee. Also, if you take a women's self defense class you will learn, if it is worth the money, several techniques which negate both superior strength and size. It is not her fault for being attacked, and the fact YOU think that is what i said means you need to work out some issues of your own.
I was simply stating that a few simple changes in your life, steps suggested by any security expert or LEO, can greatly mitigate your chances of being raped.
Were you a rape victim, would you rather look back helplessly, or look back and say "I'm glad I gouged that bastard's eye out and shattered one of his testicles. He'll think twice before victimizing some other woman"
THAT is the point. I prefer to be a survivor rather than a victim.
And for the record, there are many women who can kick a man's ass in an unfair fight, and YOU know it.
These are the type of comments I would expect to hear from a rapist, not an elected public official.
"You cant prepare for rape. Its not something we walk around thinking about nor should we have to. "
OK, interesting argument. I can't prepare for a car accident, or getting sick, nor should I have to....therefore no car or health insurance, eh? Why have to think about it. Why be responsible for your own safety?
Honestly, you JUST stated in you comment that apparently we are not responsible for our own safety, so just screw it right? Why do anything, right? You can't prepare so you're just at the mercy of the big bad world, huh?
www.youhaveavictimmentality.co... this is your new website.
No, THIS is how you prevent rape: http://tumblinfeminist.tumblr....
1. Don't put drugs in people's drinks in order to control their behavior.
2. When you see someone walking by themselves, leave them alone!
3. If you pull over to help someone with their car problems, remember not to assault them!
4. NEVER open an unlocked door or window uninvited.
5. If you are in an elevator and someone else gets in, DON'T ASSAULT THEM!
6. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If you are not able to stop yourself from assaulting people, ask a friend to stay with you while you are in public.
7. Always be honest with people! Don't pretend to be a caring friend in order to gain the trust of someone you want to assault. Consider telling them you plan to assault them. If you don't communicate your intentions, the other person may take that as a sign you do not plan to rape them.
8. Don't forget: you can't have sex with someone unless they are awake and have consented to sex!
9. Carry a whistle! If you're worried you might assault someone "accidentally" you can hand it to the person you're with so they can blow it if you do.
10. DON'T ASSAULT PEOPLE!
@barry L: I think you've got it wrong. We don't hate. We do take exception to those who would impose their personal beliefs upon those whom they don't know & whose personal medical/healthcare/family planning decisions are NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS. It seems Pete DeGraaf is using his position as an elected official to do just that. As for rapists & child molesters, great, castrate them. BUT LEAVE WOMEN & THEIR PRIVATE MEDICAL DECISIONS ALONE, STOP LEGISLATING AGAINST THEM.
@billhensen: Like it or not, what a woman chooses to do with respect to her private medical/healthcare/family planning decisions IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. Your comment has no bearing on the situation.
That's not the point. The point is, why do Republicans and their religious fanatics hate American women so much that they would impose such strictures on what should be a private medical decision -in particular abortion, and ESPECIALLY terminating a pregnancy resulting from rape?
Your personal beliefs are not at issue here. Your personal beliefs should have no bearing whatsoever on a woman's private healthcare & medical decisions.
Pregnancy resulting from rape is the best example of an unintended pregnancy, and this idiot elected representative is inasmuch telling women they should just be prepared to give birth if they become pregnant -regardless of the circumstances of their lives, their health, OR the circumstances under which they became pregnant in the first place (as a result of being violated by some stranger).
What is wrong with you?
EXACTLY!
Because it's not as if rapists drug their victims, or choose victims based on alcohol intake.
And it's not as if they never break into a single woman's apartment, and hold a knife to her throat.
And it's not as if skeevy caretakers and doctors take advantage of mentally ill or incapacitated patients.
And it's not as if a large majority of rapes occur when the victim knows her attacker.
And it's not as if husbands and boyfriends rape their partners.
And it's not as if women are, by large, physically smaller and weaker than men.
And it's not as if male attackers deliberately choose victims who pose little to no physical threat.
Rape is EXACTLY something that can be prevented, and prepared for, like a flood. It's not as if it's an inherently violent and invasive crime perpetrated by one individual onto another. Really, it's like avoiding a pothole. You just have to be Xena, all the time, and everywhere.
Men can be raped from behind right up the hershey highway. Maybe that should be a rapist's punishment. Maybe with a broom handle everyday for the rest of their lives.
Ramv36: You are an idiot 9 year old's get raped walking to school. It's against the law to arm yourself. Most rapist's dont attack in a way where you can defend yourself. I hope you get raped you moron. You cant prepare for rape. Its not something we walk around thinking about nor should we have to.
HE IS A PIECE OF SHIT!!! GEEK ASS BASTARD!1 HE PISSES ME OFF, LET HIS GOOFY WIFE GET RAPE, AND LET HIM RAISE THAT!!
How sad that someone in an elected position who is expected to keep the welfare of ALL his constituents foremost has so little regard for females that he advises them to "plan ahead", ie, expect to be raped at some point in their lifetimes and buy insurance to support the decision to have an abortion. I use the term females rather than women because many, many who are raped are not women yet, but are younger females, infants, toddlers, primary school, middle school, high school, college age under the age of 18-21. Females can be impregnated before they have experienced the onset of menarch--their menstrual cycle. As a nurse I have taken care of girls as young as 8 years old who were pregnant. Perhaps the schools that sell accident coverage for the the school term should add rape/abortion coverage to their plans. Likewise, perhaps it should be added to medicaid and medicare benefits because the government expects them to be raped and need it. Oh, wait, there are some political interests that oppose the use of government funds for abortion. Perhaps Mr. DeGraaf should advise the male constituents in his area to purchase a legal insurance plan in order to provide themselves legal representation in the future when they rape someone, starting at birth. Maybe, just maybe the government should impose effective and appropriate laws and law enforcement, judicial procedures that punish the rapists and not the victims. For a government official to insinuate that females need to plan ahead for inevitable rape says a lot about the ineffectiveness of their government to protect and serve it's citizens. Maybe the government should treat rapists, child molesters, sex slavers with the same verocity that murderers or inside stock traders or pyramid schemers, etc. received. Advice to "plan ahead to be raped and impregnated at your own expense" speaks volumes about the honor, integrity and morality of our "leaders". Perhaps, in some Utopian dream the Pro Life and the ProChoice people will work together to provide adequate education and protection to females, ie the ProChoice folks could report underage pregnancies/std's to authorities, signs of sexual abuse/exploitation and the ProLife folks could provide a list of people willing to support and care for females with unwanted pregnancies and adopt the babies.
"Rape is a preventable crime, and prevention starts with" - actually holding rapists and punishing them, and making it clear to other men that rape is so wildly unacceptable as to make THEM pariahs, instead of their victims.
There, I fixed that for you.
"5) never respond to an attacker with less force than they initiate" - Great tip. You're a genius. Did you ever take physics? Did you ever take anatomy? Men vs. women in a physical fight in generally pretty biased....and you know it. Stop pretending it's HER fault for being attacked. That's like saying if you left the house without chain mail you are complicit in your own stabbing.
let me guess...you have a penis, right? you know another way to prevent rape, CHOP EVERY DICK OFF IN THE WORLD. that would solve so many of the worlds problems. How many girls have YOU raped?
Rep. DeGraaf is making a case for insurance coverage for abortion, while making a case to exclude abortion coverage from insurance?
If someone could harness the power of stupid, Kansas could fuel America.
I really need to shit right now. Reading that made my stomach flip. It literally gave me the scutters. I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I hate most men. Especially when they get in the way of my rights as a person, or more importantly, my daughter's rights as a person.
What a horrible man! I sent him an email telling him so. I hope most people reading this article do the same. With any luck, this issue will be his political undoing! Email him people!!!!!!!!!
This kind of politician is too studpid to hold public office. Recall, impeach, whatever it takes. Persons this cavalier about rape should NOT be allowed to run for office at all, too dumb to speak to these issues!
Yes, they are. I really just meant that since I grew up in the Episcopal church, I have always identified myself as an Episcopalian, rather than just a Christian, even though I would technically be both. The church that I grew up in is very openminded about things, and I feel like I identify with the people there, even though we may have varying beliefs about different parts of our religion.
I guess what I meant to convey was not that I literally am not Christian but am Episcopalian, but rather I feel more at home under the title of Episcopalian, even though I may question some of the teachings. It's sort of confusing to try and explain, but I hope I did okay.
Only a man who has never experienced the daily trials of pregnancy and the sometimes life threatening experience of childbirth could possibly say something so callus and stupid! Not all women are capable of having child after child after child and to give up an entire year of your life to give your rapist a child... are you fucking kidding me?
A man's role in procreation is simple and easy, a woman's role takes her entire heart, mind and body and leaves forever effects on all of those that she has to live with for the rest of her life. It is not as simple as ejaculating and there you are all done..not for us. And some of us want to choose when we want to give up everything for the nurturing of a life, not have that taken away from us. I do not believe that a cluster of cells that has absolutely no awareness and is indistinguishable from any other vertebrate is possible to be a victim. If there were not hundreds of thousands of children sitting in foster homes hoping to be adopted into loving homes, then you would have something to say about bringing even more unwanted children into the world, but since there are...STFU.
Because it is always the fault of the victim, right? Of course it is. I mean, all of these women who get raped were just asking for it and then when the inevitable happens to them and they fail to fight back with adequate force and their attacker successfully rapes them, it is their fault again. You are one sick son of a bitch.
This attempt to act God and decide what is good for others is sheer idiocy. It is the right of the self to decide what is good for him. People who are voted as representatives of people are subservient to the people. That is the spirit of democracy. The politicians who go beyond this, are imbeciles; they will cause more harm to the society than the worst criminal, as they do mass rape.
Shame on him!
Get to go through a cadre of anti-choice freaks on the way to the abortion clinic, be forced to listen to lies that the government has written in a script that your doctor is required to read to you, be forced to pay for and look at an ultrasound of your rapist's products...how is that for worse?
Maybe he's more intelligent than us all, because the stats are on his side, sexual assault against women and children is as common as getting a flat tire, unfortunately. Maybe if us women, I mean potential victims, would just realize it will happen sooner rather than later and just dummie up and get insurance, we would be one step ahead? What an idiotic remark!
You know what? I don't think it's anyone else's business except the woman's. Everything has become too fucking public these days and has become the public's decision including gay marriages. Yes I believe there should be some standards but it shouldn't be up to anyone else, especially a man, to say what a woman can and cannot do after being raped or say if they could be covered or not. It doesn't matter if it threatens the woman's life! I won't be surprised if it traumatizes some women being forced to carry a baby from it that it ends up in a rash of suicides. And that unfortunately could very well happen just as easily as rape can. If men could get pregnant, I bet this conversation would be different.
No one can prepare for rape despite how many would disagree.Whether out on the street or in your own home, you can't prepare. Self defense classes can't help every time. In my opinion, if they want to do this, then allow women the right to carry a hand gun because in some cases pepper spray and self defense doesn't even work. And at times I get angry enough to think those anti rape devices should be used despite what most think about them. Don't want them used? Then raise men better. Easier said then done right?
I agree in the idea of keeping yourself protected and not putting yourself in positions like being out alone but sometimes it can't be helped. Either a woman going out to her car at night alone after work be it in a parking garage or in an empty parking lot, or even being stuck due to car trouble on the side of the road or someone pretending to be a law official and claiming to take them down to the station when he's lying. No one asks to be put in situations like that.
Now, as I said, it should be up to the woman if she wants abortion or not. Not the public. Whatever you are, Catholic, Christian, etc., it doesn't matter. It might not be how the woman was raised. What might be good for you is not good for everyone. All I ask is don't wait to the last fucking minute to do it. Not even the last trimester. You may as well have the baby then. Take care of it right after. Maybe even a week or two after. Yes, abortion is horrible but it is not everyone else's decision. Especially in a rape case. And the idea of it's not the child's fault how it was conceived, well, that can go two ways actually. Does that child want to find out how it was conceived and feel like the rape was his or her fault? And if the mother does put the baby up for adoption, the adoption process is so hard to get through these days that some children would most likely go through hell. Then there's the chance that the child could be suffering when born. There's no telling what the attacker had or what his genes carried and the baby could die anyway, putting the woman in an even worse condition. Then there's the chance the baby is perfectly healthy. It's all probability.
Also, instead of worrying about if insurance should cover rape or not, shouldn't they be working on catching and keeping the attackers longer in jail? I mean, hell, I've seen some articles where rapists have to serve so much time in jail before they are released onto the streets to start all over again. It's not preventing anything from happening if they know all they're going to get for it is time.
I don't expect anyone to agree with anything I just stated. Probably some of you are going to immediately go the immature route and call me stupid or an idiot and think I know nothing or that I'm a feminist or don't have a heart. That's your opinion. I don't sit here and call Republicans stupid or Democrats idiots or insult Christian or any religion.
WTH?! I don't think it's any of his god damn business to say what insurance should cover if the person is paying for it! I bet he'd change his mind if someone close to him was raped. (God forbid it happens I will say. Rape is a horrible thing) This is just total bullshit! He knows nothing of what women who have been raped go through! Forget giving him a flat tire, flip his whole god damn car!
i hope you get raped so you know what it's like. and then we can stand there and laugh at you while you're lying there broken and bleeding, you judgmental ignorant piece of shit.
The point is lasergoose most of us don't agree with this point of view. We don't agree with the superstitious concept of ensoulment at conception. We don't agree with the idea that a ball of cells, be the human cells or otherwise, has the same value as a fully enfranchised woman.
See that is the problem, we don't agree. Human biology doesn't agree. Human development says that ball of cells will not sustain life independent of that womans body for, at a minimum, 24 weeks after conception. That means at a minimum that woman will have to remain pregnant for 6 months. If at that time she gives premature birth to a human-being it will not be able to sustain life independent of a great deal of medical intervention for up to another possibly 4 to 6 weeks at a significant cost, to who you might ask?
Will if the GOP has their way to that woman and / or her family. Cost of premie care for that stay could run to over $1M, though the average is closer to $75,000. That woman or her family will be out of pocket that money, it is likely they will lose their insurance if they had any, they will likely have to file bankruptcy to get out from under the staggering medical debt.
So what you are suggesting is the victim of rape should host her rapists seed. She should then nurture that seek to the point of viability. She should pay out of her own pocket the cost of either a full term pregnancy, estimated to cost $11,021 in 2011 with no complications. Again, she is paying the cost financially and with her body.
So no lasergoose, it is a ball of cells. An unwelcome ball of cells. It isn't an franchised human being. It doesn't have a soul or a say.
Thank you for your empathy. I am sorry for what you have gone through. The world needs more Christians like you to stand up against the ones who do not know the meaning of compassion
I was a child when it happened to me, thank goodness I didn't become pregnant. Or was I supposed to be "prepared" at a young age for this to happen? Women in Kansas, start a campaign to get someone in office who actually thinks of you as a human being!
like
dislike
