RE: Pizzagaters - arm yourselves with academic references to SRA part 1
The article also cites research from the 1980s telling us that 16% of American girls had been incestuously abused.
I have often wondered if statistics such as this have been intentionally over-exaggerated in order to normalize the behaviour. 16% is a considerable percentage, and it is difficult to imagine things are really that bad.
By propagating fallacious figures that speak of much higher rates of these types of incidents, do you think it possible that they are able to influence others to think that it is normal human behaviour and consequently, just by lying about the percentage, they actually increase the percentage.
I'm not psychic, but, I do feel that for the most part, someone who has suffered that type of trauma exhibits recognisable signs. I have known a few who genuinely have suffered this sort of shit, and you could guess it to observe them.
Perhaps there are those who are able to hide it better, but based on my own observation of the world, I do not think that numbers are anywhere near as high as they tell us, and it makes me wonder if the statistics are invented to both desensitize us to the horrors of this shit, and attempt to convince the weakest of us that for them to do it wouldn't be that bad, because apparently, nearly 1/5 are up to it anyway.. Which is just too hard to believe.
It also just seems like a difficult statistic to verify.. So the accuracy of it must be brought into question.
Nice piece though, I just wanted to share my thoughts on that particular issue.
Thanks son-of-satire, for your interesting reply. I thoroughly agree with what you say, particularly as genuine statistics are so difficult to generate and gauge; the area is open to abuse. It's also true that this type of research area (into human sexuality) may attract people whose interest is a little more than academic.
And yes: 16% does not match what I have observed over the course of my life, either. But there will be spikes in areas known as "cult" hotspots e.g. Orange County.
I do, however, trust Warwick Middleton and his team. And I was handed that article by an academic who is trying to get the word out. So my feeling here is that this could be a case of using "their" stats against them in the same way a martial artist will use an oponent's energy: if there was some kind of a normalisation agenda going on when the stats were generated/fabricated/exaggerated then let's use them a couple of decades down the line to raise public awareness.....reverse the original intent - does that make sense?
It may also be - and I hope not - that Dr Middleton et al are right! Maybe that is what they seen in their trauma unit?
Whatever the case, I feel/observe that east and west, we have all been subjected to massive "normalisation" and behaviour modification agendas for long decades and not just surrounding sexuality. That's why, in my opinion, it is wonderful that Pizzagate has arrived - for some, it's in the nick of time.
Yes that makes perfect sense. Use their own lies against them.