Now, I'm sure I could be accused of "minimizing" the crime of sexual assault with this photo concept. But I only want to put things into their proper context. We have a twisted conception of sex and violence in our culture. Certainly, the combination that results in violent sexual assault is uniquely heinous, and, even devoid of physical violence, sexual assault can still be psychologically damaging. Nonetheless, I fear that exaggeration of its horrors is not only counterproductive to the goal of supporting those unfortunate victims who need to know that they can rise above it, and that they are not "damaged goods" who cannot even speak openly and honestly about their ordeal, but that it also harms our general relationship towards our sexual natures, which has the effect of sabotaging any attempt to promote a sex-positive attitude.
For any tool can be used toward evil ends, but while weapons were designed to hurt people, sex organs were designed for pleasure - and we should not forget that. This is by no means an excuse to justify any act of sexual assault - for taking one's "pleasure" at the involuntary expense of another's suffering is an unconscionable crime - but merely a plea not to give it more power over us than it needs to have. Surely, no one wants to be sexually assaulted (and those who do the assaulting certainly ought to get the punishment they deserve), but truly, I would rather be "pawed at" than punched; because I give no special meaning to the condition of my sexual "purity", and I'd rather the sanctity of my "holy temple" be violated, than to be the victim of a potentially life-threatening act of violence. For those who hurt in the pursuit of pleasure are in desperate need of guidance, but those who seek to hurt from the outset are the ones that worry me even more. Yet sex offenders carry a stigma in this society unrivaled by that of violent offenders; I fear that our priorities are mixed up.
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