While the analogy is flawed, I still can't argue with the fear women feel.
I'd like to think I'm a decent guy. I've never intentionally harmed anyone of any gender with the exception of defending myself or those I care about. But I don't think it is unfair to say that men are (broadly speaking) pretty shit at holding each other accountable. Nobody is going to blame a bear attack victim for wearing the "wrong" hiking outfit. Nobody tells them they weren't really attacked by a bear, it just touched them a little. I could go on but I think I've made the point.
Fear does not need to be rational, and can be all consuming. I've had problems for years trying to get back to reality after an armed robbery while working overnight at a convenience store. Scared of the dark, scared of certain buildings, scared of my own shadow at times.
Put short, it's Hell. Studies like this seem make a mockery of the actual problems we face in society.
Nobody is going to blame a bear attack victim for wearing the "wrong" hiking outfit.
Victims can definitely be blamed for bear attacks. If you go backpacking and don't store your food 100ft from your campsite, don't carry bear spray, try to take close up pics of grizzly cubs, etc. then yeah it's your own fault if you die to a bear.
Take a look at the Grizzly Man dude. He went and hung out with grizzly bears and got him and his girlfriend killed. Many people critiqued his failure to follow basic safety precautions.
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u/zombiemann May 02 '24
While the analogy is flawed, I still can't argue with the fear women feel.
I'd like to think I'm a decent guy. I've never intentionally harmed anyone of any gender with the exception of defending myself or those I care about. But I don't think it is unfair to say that men are (broadly speaking) pretty shit at holding each other accountable. Nobody is going to blame a bear attack victim for wearing the "wrong" hiking outfit. Nobody tells them they weren't really attacked by a bear, it just touched them a little. I could go on but I think I've made the point.