SMARTER THAN TRAUMA Podcast

1/2 | GOT IT OUT | step one.

SMART E MC

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Unlocked GOOGLE : Linguistically and historically, the assertion is partially correct. The word "rape" derives from the Latin verb rapere, which means "to seize," "to snatch," or "to steal". For much of early human history and legal tradition, rape was classified and prosecuted not as an offense against a woman’s bodily autonomy, but as a property crime against her father or husband. [1, 2, 3]

Etymology

  • Latin origins: The Latin word raptus described the act of abducting a woman, with or without sexual contact.
  • Evolution of the word: In the early 14th century, English usage referred primarily to the "seizure" or "plundering" of goods or property. By the 15th century, the meaning narrowed specifically to the abduction and sexual violation of a woman. [1, 2, 3]

Legal History

  • Theft of "Property": Early civilizations, including Hebraic and Roman laws, treated the rape of a woman as an economic offense. It was viewed as a violation of a paterfamilias (head of household) to control the marriageability and value of his property (e.g., daughters or wives). [1, 2]
  • Bride Theft: The concept of raptio historically encompassed forced marriage or the large-scale abduction of women. For ambitious men in the Middle Ages, abducting and raping wealthy women—known as "heiress stealing"—was a common tactic to force them into marriage and seize their land. [1, 2]

Modern Understanding
Today, the definition of rape is understood universally through the lens of human rights, consent, and bodily integrity, rather than property or theft. This shift away from property-based laws to viewing rape as a severe crime against an individual occurred in Western legal systems starting in the late 19th and 20th centuries.

BEFORE WORDS, ART BUBBLED UP. I remember since I made a video with it in flashes of imagery since it was too intense then. Let's see if I wander through youTube, if it pops up. Seems when I think of something. Say something. Next, I'll just find it [easily]. That's the call-and-response with origin being slave narratives.

ART = "Rape of Lucretia" (google it)

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