Is the word "rape" offensive?

[ward0630]

Unless you're a rape victim, the victim of racial slurs, and whatever other kinds of abuse you might suffer or hear about, you can't really decide that that one slur or comment is any more or less offensive than another, especially when you boil it down to one word. There are numerous articles written by rape victims about what kind of emotions they go through when they hear that their team was "raped" in Call of Duty, and after reading some of them, it's quite sickening to think that videogames, supposedly the most advanced form of media ever to be invented, what are supposed to be a source of enjoyment, can turn into such destructive tools in the hands of some ignorant gamers who don't understand what they're doing and are willing to write off any concern or offense as "The feminist agenda." I think that pwned will work just fine when I want to humiliate my opponents after a rather good game.
On a related note, I'm glad that this topic is being discussed on the internet, and I hope it leads to greater clarity and understanding of the topic and may improve our online communities, and thus gaming as a whole.

 

[littlealicewhite]

Not really sure why rape is so taboo.

If I said "I am going to murder you" right before a match in some game nobody would bat a lash. Though people get their noses out of joint if I say "I am going to rape you!"

last I check, murder was worse than rape as well...

Watch the latest Jimquisition. It mirrors my opinion on murder vs. rape exactly.

 

[Faux Furry]

Why would the name of a flower be offensive?

Spoiler

Context is everything, don't you know?
The context of a word as perceived by given groups or individuals isn't a universal constant so the word isn't offensive in and of itself.

There are no Bad Words, only bad reactions to them or bad intent in using them.

 

[gunslinger_king]

The reason I find rape offensive in the context above -- the "I totally raped that n00b", or "I just raped that test so hard", isn't because it's rape specifically, nor because I'm a rape survivor. It's because in that context rape is a positive thing. It's taking rape, which is one of the deepest violations of personhood, and trying to make it mean 'wasn't that awesome?'. I think a big part of it may be that it can be triggering to victims of rape, but the fact that it is in that context supposed to glorify the person, or show their superiority, diminishes the utter loathsomeness of every rapist ever.

I know that may seem like an overstatement. But using rape in that sense -- that I just kicked your ass be envious of my awesomeness sense -- is like saying "I just totally murdered you!" to someone you beat at scrabble or something. It's a glorification of something that is an incredibly immoral act that should be condemned.

(I can, however, understand using "I totally killed you!" in reference to violent multiplayer games, like BF3 or something, because that's basically what just happened albeit where the literal is on the virtual plane).

 

[Eternal_Lament]

It's not inherently offensive. It can be, but that's with the intent, not the word. Obviously when using it as a threat against someone such as "I'm going to rape you" or "I hope you get raped" then yeah it is offensive. Then again, saying something like "Shit, I just got raped in that match" or "Did you see the new Star Wars re-release? Why does George Lucas ave to rape my childhood" aren't really offensive, ignorant perhaps, but definitely not offensive. I think it's really the difference between targeting yourself and targeting others that defines the offense, mostly because targeting to yourself doesn't imply you're trying to ruin someone else's day.

The issue I have with the PTSD comparison is, while I'm sure the above mentioned threats would most likely trigger a reaction in a survivor, I'm not convinced that the word by itself carries that connotation. Not saying that it's never happened, but I get the feeling that a person who has a reaction to the mere mention of the word probably isn't handling it the right way. To me it sounds too much like a person trying to run away from the issue, which isn't wrong to do but won't solve things in the long-run.

 

[Neonit]

good god, what isnt offensive nowadays?! geez! its like a 5 year old screaming "he is soooo mean to me!!!11"
see, i understand that people who have been raped could be offended that someone uses that term lightly. but to be honest, thats pretty much the same with everything in the live.

for example, i remember when my teacher told me that in certain parts of the world saying "im hungry" is offensive, because they remember times when there was massive starvation. does it make saying "im hungry" offensive? well yes, to some people, but does that mean everything has to change to accommodate that feeling? of course not, thats silly!

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

Yeah, that's commonly called "triggering". The comparison to a racial slur isn't very apt, but to a soldier hearing a bullet sounds reasonable enough.

No, it would be far more like a PTSD soldier hearing the word bullet because that's the exact same scenario as a rape victim hearing the word rape.

OT: No and it's absolutely ridiculous to make it offensive.I'm sick of everyone being massive vaginas about rape, it happens to people stop being a dick about it being mentioned. Making shit like this the norm will only serve to make people even more frightened to talk about it, you're making everything worse.

Comfort and support the victims of rape; find and punish the attackers; fight rape as an issue; but do not make rape an offensive word. Grow the fuck up and stop perpetuating bullshit like this.

 

[RanD00M]

Is this the community we want to be a part of?

Yes, yes it is the community I want to be a part of. I enjoy saying that I raped someone in-game if I did indeed rape them in-game. If you take offense that I use any word in a non-literal term with no hope of it really happening to you, rape that is, then you need to grow the fuck up. Or you could just keep on crying, I'll be laughing all the way to the bank anyway.

 

[TheKaduflyerSystem]

I can understand the word 'Rape' causing PTSD, but most of the time when it comes to the area of 'offensive' words then, in my opinion, it's a load of utter bollocks, are we not thick-skinned enough to follow that old saying?
'Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me'
Out of context, the word 'rape' is harmless, it is simply a wave of vibrating air in your ear.
*Activating Flame Shield* THIS I ALL MY OPINION, YOU DON'T HAVE TO AGREE

 

[Andy of Comix Inc]

Context permitting, yes and no.

Just like every. Single. Fucking. Word. In the English. Goddamn. Shitting. Language.

>speaking as a victim of rape

Edit: Mr Minchin explains it pretty well


"That's because it's the context in which the word is used that makes it offensive." -regarding the word "finger"

Is this the community we want to be a part of?

Yes, yes it is the community I want to be a part of. I enjoy saying that I raped someone in-game if I did indeed rape them in-game. If you take offense that I use any word in a non-literal term with no hope of it really happening to you, rape that is, then you need to grow the fuck up. Or you could just keep on crying, I'll be laughing all the way to the bank anyway.

If someone asks you politely not to use the word (to you directly, in-game, y'know), and you decide to keep using it, that's when you come off as a dick. We don't need to censor everything but we should try to foster a community that is caring and supportive instead of a massive brick wall. "Play with your friends blahblahblah," yeah, whatever, fine point I guess, but if you purposefully go out of your way to aggravate someone, you're a dickhead. Unless they very well expected to go in there and they'd be offended, in which case, if everyone expected that NO ONE BUT THE PSYCHOPATHIC WOULD PLAY ONLINE GAMES EVER AGAIN.

 

[FamoFunk]

When used in the correct context it isn't offensive at all.

As much as I'm not offended if someone on-line was to tell me they raped me in the game or whatever (I would just assume they're an immature 12yo brat) I can completely see why others would be and would never use the word in such a way. I think it can show lack of respect to those who find it offensive and might even well of been a victim themselves.

 

[RubyT]

ThingA rapes, violates, murders, buttfucks, annihilates ThingB. Typical internet forum vocabulary. The shock effect is intended. It's how you know somebody is adolescent (mentally).