What young men still don't get about rape

Last week, Republicans and Democrats alike chastised U.S. Rep. Todd Akin for coming up with a highly troubling reference to “legitimate rape,” implying that not all rapes were unjustified, like say when a married man forces his wife to have sex. Akin has since corrected himself and said he opposes only “forcible rape.” Critics point out that there is only one kind of rape — a violent one. Rape is, by definition, a form of aggravated assault.

What all the very justifiable media hoopla ignores is that Akin’s view of rape is far from unique. It follows that the educational agenda we all face is much greater and more challenging than setting straight one congressman who claims that he is suffering from a mild case of foot-in- the-mouth disease.

The extent to which young people do not get what rape means has changed little over the years.

Read the rest at CNN.com