Russian Education Ministry disavows school book blaming rapes on victims
The Russian Education Ministry has distanced itself from a controversial textbook that tells teenage girls that sexual assault often occurs because women are sending men the wrong “signals” and dress “provocatively.”
The ministry released a statement on Friday, saying that the textbook is not on the government-curated list of learning materials and “cannot be used in schools.”
The authorities responded to the outrage over the book for the course ‘Fundamentals of Life Safety’ designed for students who are 13 and 14 years old. The course, known in Russia by its acronym OBZh, is part of the traditional school curriculum that teaches students how to act in dangerous situations and avoid hazards.
Earlier this week, Ekaterina Mizulina, who runs the online content watchdog Safe Internet League, posted screenshots of pages from the chapter teaching about “the safe conduct of women.” The chapter gives tips on how to avoid sexual assault and harrassment.
“Many conflicts and attacks occur due to the fault of victim who signals with her appearance that she is either ‘ripe for the taking’ (found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time), compliant (very easy to get), or defenseless (drunk, frightened, aroused, or too gullible),” the book says. In order to avoid trouble, women are advised to “try not to stand out by wearing overly extravagant, flashy and unusual” clothes.
In a passage explaining “how not to become victims of assault,” women are told not to wear “very short skirts” and not to use bright makeup when visiting other people’s homes, or going to parties, cafés, bars, and concerts. “It provokes boys and men. They view it as a signal,” the book says.
Ksenia Goryacheva, deputy chair of the parliamentary committee on education, described the book’s views on sexual assault as “completely absurd.”
“The victim of assault can never be guilty of what happened to her,” the legislator told news channel RTVI. “Regardless of the woman’s appearance and behavior, assault is always the fault of the aggressor. We need to stop justifying rapists and their actions. Men are not animals. They can control themselves and their actions,” she said.
Apparently, Ksenia has never been to Islam where men have so little self-control that women must be both invisible and silent or they might provoke a man to rape her.
The worst rape story in India occurred because a young woman was on a bus after dark, with her boyfriend. The 5 men on the bus determined that she needed to be taught a lesson. They gang-raped her, pulled her insides out, and threw her off the bus to slowly, painfully die.
Was it her fault? Of course not! But the rapist felt justified because women need to be disciplined, like a horse.
Delhi Bus Gang Rapist Blames Victim: A Girl is More Responsible for Rape
But on the other hand, college girls often get so drunk or high that they pass out at frat parties and have no idea what happens to them until the next day. Even in Western countries, there are no shortage of men looking for any opportunity to take advantage of a girl. Is it the girl's fault if she gets raped? No, but had she not drunk until she passed out, it probably would not have happened. She put herself in an unnecessarily dangerous position. Only in an ideal world would she not have to be concerned about being raped, and this world is nowhere near ideal. Girls can be more careful and be better off for it. A little caution and moderation is a good thing.
In its statement on Friday, the Education Ministry said that, starting from 2024, OBZh has been replaced with a course titled ‘The Fundamentals of Safety and the Defense of the Fatherland’, which will have its own textbook.
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