Let's Not Ban RapeLay

[Serafis]

This topic annoys me. As a programer I can assure you all video game sex is rape, game characters cannot give consent. ALL there actions are determined by the developer! The same can be said about all cartoon pornography, so either you have to ban all fictional sex/pornographic material or none of it.

That's the thing though, it's just simply rather stupid to deal with 1 game in such a manner when so many other forms of media share the same thing. In fact, the ban on Rapelay (which according to Leigh Alexander was "tame" in comparison to some of the other stuff she's played) is simply unwarranted. It creates restrictions on all forms of media. Games that involve rape but has meaning to it also will not see the light.

I'm not one to use the slippery slope argument, but there are many nutjobs out there who will take it to the extreme. If you want to stop them, you have to stop them at the bud.

 

[CrafterMan]

As long as it's only for sale in Japan. This is hard to justify, but at least Japanese society can deal with games like this.

Imagine what would happen if this game came out in the West?

1)You're going to hear a massive uproar from the media, which is bad publicity for all video games since we aren't exactly the most beloved form of entertainment to exist.

2)Communities will speak out and start spewing their own ideological crap, suddenly religions gain opinions on rape games.

3)It's a slim chance that this game will ever cause anyone to actually go out and fulfill a fantasy, but by god if it happens, even if it's only once, it will be, not a scar, but a laceration on the face of the video game industry.

So yeah, we live in a civilisation with a very...open voice..,unless you want that voice to be heard, I think it's best to put rape games back in the cupboard out of reach, not of the ignorant hands of children, but the ignorant hands of adults.

Bravo, what an exceptional diagnosis of what would happen. I can realistically see this happen where I live haha.

Top show!

-JB

 

[NickCooley]

I've played the game before. It was a fan translation, quite poor really but that's not the point. I downloaded it because quite frankly I wanted to see what the big deal was about. I won't get into detail because I'm not a reviewer but all I can say is that the only way you could influenced by this game is if you were already a rapist.

 

[Kurokami]

"We live in a mature and responsible society in which adults have the right to choose for themselves: What they watch, what they read, what they listen to, and yes, what they play. It's one of the most fundamental principles of our freedom; a bit ironically, perhaps, it's also the one that's sometimes the hardest to live with. But if we accept that videogames are no more responsible for causing deviant behavior than any other form of media - which I do - then it becomes quite obvious that a lot of people are looking at this the wrong way. I don't need to tell you why RapeLay shouldn't be banned. You need to tell me why it should."

I think it should be banned because rape is worse than a 'death' no matter how bloody, no matter what household appliance is used, no matter the context of dieing used in any other video game I can think of..... being raped is worse. Men don't get raped (ok, there have been some stories, but none that I have heard that are legit in my opinion) so maybe you as a man, don't understand what rape is like for a woman (I know I can't even begin to guess).

That being said, take the most offensive violent God of Bore, Hot Coffee, game you can think of, and explain to me how we are talking about a game instead of an outlet for trash.

Do you, as a human, know of something that is more evil than raping a woman? If you do, should that be allowed in games as long as we say people under the age of 18 can't play it??

Many may think I'm overreacting, but this sounds to me like people want to have some rape fantasy happen for them, and don't want to admit how horrible they are for allowing it.

I used to think that rape was worse than murder too, but how can you justify that? I'm sure if you gave the woman the ultimatum she wouldn't choose to die.

The biggest appeal in sex is the taboo of it, the vulgarity, indulging in peoples sexual fantasy's is completely different from enabling it. If they already have the capacity to do it than it may give them ideas, but I'm certain it wouldn't convert anyone towards it.

Finally, isn't that a bit sexist? To be completely honest, from the discussions I've had anyway, Men put a much bigger taboo on rape than Women do, in fact they seem much more comfortable discussing and even joking about it. The whole perspective of rape seems to radiate a stench of sexism to me.

Anyway to go back to my opinion on the topic. No, I don't believe rape is a laughing matter, I definitely don't think it can be justified in any situation. But this isn't rape, much the same way as porn actors running around a room doesn't count as rape to me.

 

[silasbufu]

You would think that rape is so wrong to put in a video game..well yeah it is , but think about all the other wrong stuff we're doing every single day , killing hundreds and thousands.

 

[WaderiAAA]

Now the statement that videogames aren't more demonizing than any other form of media doesn't seem quite right to me. Sure, if you can show to studies on the topic that shows this conclusion, I'll probably believe it, but I believe that the inter-active aspects of video games make them different from other media. Ideally, a video game will give you the idea that YOU save the world and YOU lead the team to the world cup, or that YOU are the murderer and YOU are the rapist. Movies and books just don't do that.

 

[reciprocal]

There just isn't sufficient statistical evidence to show that these items have a negative impact on the Japanese people. At worst it has a neutral effect. There are so many other factors involved that may have a dramatic effect but I believe treating Rapelay as a scapegoat is delusional and almost criminal as it prevents the more pertinent factors to be addressed.

It's true we'd have to see Japan banning Hentai and wait to see how it's rape rates evolve to conclude on the cultural factors ; but it remains that there is no evidence of pornography having a negative impact on society at all.
http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/06/rape-porn-and-criminality-political.php
Studies like this are real statistical evidence of this ; and that's what this is all about, showing how senseless censorship is.

Rapelay became sort of like a simbol by accident, it could have been some other game like it, It's after CNN made a scandal out of it that literally hundreds of american lawyers started harrassing japanese publishers. Then japanese pro-censorship organisations started receiving large amounts of money from american associations.

That said,I'd like to know what are the more pertinent factors you're thinking of.

I honestly wish I could give you an unbiased answer but I really do not have enough research or experience to give an analysis on what are the leading causes of rape. In my opinion, though, the following may have a higher chance of being causes:
1) Increased usage of drugs, which may lead to date-rape
2) Social taboo on pornography and masturbation coupled with poor sex education. Natural urges are often treated as shameful and are repressed instead of given a safe outlet. I don't want to take a cheap shot but lets look at the recent Catholic priest scandal.
3) Ease at which perpetrators can get away with the crime. This could be 'bringing the family shame', poor public facilities (e.g. dark and no security camera), poor justice system, corruption, etc.
4) Cultural disparity. There was a very controversial rape case a while ago in Australia where a group of boys gang raped a girl because they thought she deserved it and needed to be taught a lesson. As far as I am aware, they tried to blame her for the way she dressed and communicated with them. I don't think Rapelay was out at that time or that the boys had access to loli manga.

All countries have these problems. Most of them are extremely difficult things to tackle but taking cheap shots at a very minor and localised phenomenon such as Japan's manga and anime industry or the games industry in general is extremely disappointing (not surprising).

One more thing to ponder: It is very likely that the Rapelay issue will fade away quickly in America. However Australia's media recently used Rapelay in a very biased poll to push the internet censorship agenda. I think it's worth considering how much freedom we will be giving up if this fear-mongering succeeds.

 

[Asturiel]

Did this just feel like him going on about random stuff just to fill those two pages because he didn't actually have anything to say?

Nice read but not much content, maybe I should read it again...

 

[Andy Chalk]

Now the statement that videogames aren't more demonizing than any other form of media doesn't seem quite right to me. Sure, if you can show to studies on the topic that shows this conclusion, I'll probably believe it, but I believe that the inter-active aspects of video games make them different from other media. Ideally, a video game will give you the idea that YOU save the world and YOU lead the team to the world cup, or that YOU are the murderer and YOU are the rapist. Movies and books just don't do that.

So you're suggesting we should ban all videogames that require players to take part in antisocial in-game behaviour?

 

[William Dickbringer]

wow I am undecided on this subject both sides have good arguments
on one side it's a rape game on the other hand freedom of speech on the other hand it's a rape game but on the other hand censorship is wrong

know what I think I am anti-banning of rapelay just because censorship is wrong we shouldn't be needing the government telling us what not to play it should be up to personal preference and parent's decision (if a parent is even retarded enough to get this game for their kid I mean the object of the game is in the title) whether to get this game for their

plus it's in japan only and we shouldn't be telling japan what to do it's their country they can have any games no matter how messed it is to us

 

[Miral]

People who want to ban games like that take the view that games are reinforcement training tools, that playing a game which depicts violence or rape inherently makes the player want to go out and commit violence or rape in the real world as well. (Note that this is the exact same viewpoint that the "think of the children! oh noes, ban the violent games!" crowd take.)

Other people take the view that games are escapism, that playing a game which depicts violence or rape actually makes the player less likely to do so in the real world (since they're "getting their fix" from the game).

And the final group take the view that games are pure fantasy and have no bearing on the real world at all, and that just because someone enjoys murder in a game doesn't mean they have any inclination to do so in reality.

Personally, I fall somewhere between the last two groups. I play a lot of games involving shooting and otherwise killing people, and I have never felt the urge to do so in reality (quite the opposite). So I don't see how this would be any different for a rape game.

And on the topic of freedom of speech: like the man said, "if you don't believe in free speech for your enemies, then you don't believe in free speech at all."

 

[TheodoreLuke]

It is a problem...you ban one, and then, another and another.

Soon, only games we will be able to play will contain fluffy clouds and good will towards everyne..

Fahrenheit 451 reference?

 

[incal11]

All countries have these problems. Most of them are extremely difficult things to tackle but taking cheap shots at a very minor and localised phenomenon such as Japan's manga and anime industry or the games industry in general is extremely disappointing (not surprising).

It's not taking cheap shot, nor is it a localized issue, hentai is becoming illegal in quite a lot of developped countries ; and it definitely is a dangerous path against freedom of expression the world is taking.
I repeat, it has been proven that legal access to pornography of all kind has a good effect on society overall.

The other causes you talk about are important too but they are actual causes already taken care of by the right associations (more or less), not a media scapegoat .

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

I don't see why anybody is concerned about kids getting this. No matter how irresponsible a parent is, I highly doubt they're going to purchase a game with the word "Rape" in the title for their child. Plus to order it on amazon you would need a credit/debit card, so to get it the kid would have to take their parent's credit card, buy the game, get to the package before the parent did, and play it in windows where neither one of their parents weren't home. This is all on the assumption that a kid not only knows about but WANTS this game.

Since it's gotten so much attention, I'm curious now as to what this game's actually like. Kind of hard to misconstrue a game with a title like "rapelay," but generally when a videogame is being demonized the degree to how graphic it is increases a lot in the prosecutor's synopsis.

 

[Dorian6]

I have to agree.

While I find the acts portrayed in the games disgusting, banning offensive material is a slippery slope.

If we start censoring material concerning rape, then that can pave the way for any special interest group to erase anything they find obscene.

Today its rape, but tomorrow the anti-smoking lobbies could demand that mediums that glorify cigarettes be banned, or Christan groups could demand that anything portraying homosexuality be banned.

Where does it stop?