Authors Electric

Susan Jane Smith           I’m not just an old woman on my soap box – this is about what you can do to make a difference.           On the 8 th May 2012, in England, a gang of 8 British born Pakistani men and an Afghan man were convicted of sexual abuse.  One of the reporters said that the incidence of gang abuse was rare generally, but that within some cultures, now living in the UK , it is acceptable for men to groom a vulnerable girl, have sex with her (meaning rape) and then pass her along to one or more men.  Those men because they have shared the female then consider themselves to be better friends.           This is not about the colour of a person’s skin – it’s old cultural concepts that a man has a right to dominate a female.            Nevertheless, I do think it significant that the men did ...

Susan Jane Smith B.Sc           Currently on English television there is an advertisement where a young man watches himself start to rape a young woman – he is outside looking in on the situation.   He is shouting at himself to stop because he has seen it from a different perspective. This is excellent in my opinion and I am so glad to see it on such a popular medium.   Sadly, rape   can occur at any age -   it is a crime of violence.   You can be any age, sex, or social class as either rapist or victim.           Back in the 1980’s, in the USA, I was a Director at a rape and domestic crisis shelter.   I went on to train to become a therapist/counsellor so I have had the privilege of working with some victims and perpetrators.   As you might imagine I have some thoughts on the subject based on that experience.        ...