I posted a rebuke of an editorial that accused the justice system of favoring rapists, regarding a trial that found two men not guilty of the rape they were accused. Of course, a slew of feminists appeared. One pragmatic woman posted about teaching women how to avoid potentially dangerous situations, and of course was eviscerated with accusations of perpetuating rape culture, victim blaming, etc.

A recurring phrase used there, which we're all familiar with, was "teach boys/men not to rape." I finally re-entered the conversation to come to her aid. During which, I realized that that ideology was no different than trying to prevent child sexual abuse by telling pedophiles not to molest children.

We teach our children not to get into a stranger's van, not because we're okay with pedophilia, but because it's practical. And no one would acuse you of normalizing pedophilia or blaming children for their rapes because you taught them so.

Furthermore, "teach men not to rape" propagates the belief that all men are rapists, they just haven't offended yet or been caught. It ridiculously assumes that if rapists just knew better, they wouldn't commit rape. As though they aren't doing it despite their knowledge of its immorality and illegality.

"Teach men not to rape" is not only ineffective, it's harmful, to both genders. It denigrates men as a sex and removes agency from women. It denies a valid approach to reducing incidents of rape so that feminists can push their ideology and perpetuate permanent victimhood. So next time you hear it, ask them if we should "teach pedophiles not to molest children."