Rape Games Banned in Japan

[Nimbus]

Good show! There really is no place in a society for cultural material that explicitly and obviously promotes and normalizes rape.

But promotion of viligantism, murder and war crimes is okay? Don't you think that this is a double standard?

Hey now, when did I say that? Promotion of vigilantism, murder and war crimes absolutely is not okay.

So 90% of videogames are not okay?

There's a pretty big difference between explicitly and obviously promoting vigilantism, murder and war crimes and simply depicting them. Most video games are okay, but there are a lot out there that are regressive and harmful contributions to Western society and culture.

Alright then, is there a difference between promoting and depicting rape?

Also, where do you draw the line between promoting and depicting, in relation to vigilantism, murder and war crimes? Is Gears of War ok? How about GTA? What do we censor, where do we stop?

 

[Samurai Goomba]

Yeah I'm going to take the unpopular stance and say they should not ban the creation of simulation rape games. Freedom of speech is a two way road and oppressing another country or shaming a country to oppress itself is worse than any sort of censorship. If Japan truly wants to outlaw and stop the production of games then they should have their own reasons, not because New York and a women's equality group finds a single game distasteful. A single person's or even a group of people's morals has no right to control or manipulate a country's government to ban the production of any video game.

This is just the start, this will be a slippery slope that will cause more adult content from Japan to be outlawed and will hurt Japan financially just because people are "hurt" over a video game.

I agree. I'm not in favor of actual rape, and I'm not even in favor of pretend rape, but it's important to realize that this is a virtual act. Nobody is getting raped. One could argue that this sort of virtual stimulation adds to the aggressive tendencies of individuals, but I would retort that the people who play Rapelay and then seriously think about committing one in real life were ALWAYS predisposed towards rape and thinking in that direction all along. Did you know Japan actually has much less rape than the US? Did you know that Australia (one of the more censored places for video games) has a TON of rape cases? The facts don't seem to bear out that virtual rape directly influences the number of real rapes.

With this in mind, I consider this game an unfortunate side effect of Freedom of Speech. If I'm allowed to create a game about killing human beings, it's only fair (not right, but fair) that some japanese guy can make a game about stalking non-real, virtual women. I would like to reiterate again that I am completely against rape in all forms, I just think this game should be legal because it seems only fair. Why is a rape game worse than a murdering one? Why should a rape game be banned, but CoD4/TF2/L4D/RE4 not banned?

 

[Avida]

Oh my god, isnt this a sign of the apocalypse or something?!

 

[Internet Kraken]

I think there's a fine difference between rape games and games with killing. We don't play violent games just to kill people. We play them because the game play is fun.

With a rape game, you are not playing it because the game play is fun. You are playing it to rape somebody.

People have rape fantasies. However logical thinking people, instead of commiting a horrible crime, either look at played out rape porn, play rape porn video games, or do rape scenarios with aconsenting partner or partners.

Also, for those who like it...it is fun. There is no real difference aside from what squirts out.

Prove to me that rape games prevent rape. Show me a study that proves it.

This does not prevent rape. It only makes rape socially acceptable.

Prove to me that rape games makes it happen more (not counting virtually)
Also let me get my Lancer and cut you in half with the chainsaw. Oh, its fine, Gears of War isnt banned so its ok. (Unless you are sayign anything not nice should be banned, your point is very very flawed)

You put forth the idea that these games prevent rape. I told you to provide proof. You could not, hence your entire argument is invalid.

Also there is a big difference between sex and murder. Murder will never be acceptable in a functioning society. A society can not progress if there is mass murder.

Sex, on the other hand, can be a major part of society without it collapsing. We could have a society in which people look at one another as nothing more than sexual objects. It would still function, but such a society would be a disgrace.

 

[KaiusCormere]

I am all for this ban. It disgusts me that anyone would play these games, or create them.

 

[FinalGamer]

Well Japan, you ARE making steps.

 

[Kiutu]

I think there's a fine difference between rape games and games with killing. We don't play violent games just to kill people. We play them because the game play is fun.

With a rape game, you are not playing it because the game play is fun. You are playing it to rape somebody.

People have rape fantasies. However logical thinking people, instead of commiting a horrible crime, either look at played out rape porn, play rape porn video games, or do rape scenarios with aconsenting partner or partners.

Also, for those who like it...it is fun. There is no real difference aside from what squirts out.

Prove to me that rape games prevent rape. Show me a study that proves it.

This does not prevent rape. It only makes rape socially acceptable.

Prove to me that rape games makes it happen more (not counting virtually)
Also let me get my Lancer and cut you in half with the chainsaw. Oh, its fine, Gears of War isnt banned so its ok. (Unless you are sayign anything not nice should be banned, your point is very very flawed)

You put forth the idea that these games prevent rape. I told you to provide proof. You could not, hence your entire argument is invalid.

Also there is a big difference between sex and murder. Murder will never be acceptable in a functioning society. A society can not progress if there is mass murder.

Sex, on the other hand, can be a major part of society without it collapsing. We could have a society in which people look at one another as nothing more than sexual objects. It would still function, but such a society would be a disgrace.

Fine, ignore the less rape part. My ENTIRE argument is not invalid as my ENTIRE argument was not that it prevents rape.

 

[Moormur]

I'm someone who argues in favor 99.99999% of the time for the freedom of expression and that a virtual simulation and real life act are completely separate. But I gotta say, It's about damn time.

this particular genre is estimated to make up 10-20 percent of the Japanese PC game industry[/b]

:facepalms

I agree. This is going a bit beyond freedom of expression. What would the maker want to express with this game?

One could say the same thing about GTA or Manhunt.

And I very easily DO say the same thing about GTA or Manhunt.

 

[Internet Kraken]

I think there's a fine difference between rape games and games with killing. We don't play violent games just to kill people. We play them because the game play is fun.

With a rape game, you are not playing it because the game play is fun. You are playing it to rape somebody.

People have rape fantasies. However logical thinking people, instead of commiting a horrible crime, either look at played out rape porn, play rape porn video games, or do rape scenarios with aconsenting partner or partners.

Also, for those who like it...it is fun. There is no real difference aside from what squirts out.

Prove to me that rape games prevent rape. Show me a study that proves it.

This does not prevent rape. It only makes rape socially acceptable.

Prove to me that rape games makes it happen more (not counting virtually)
Also let me get my Lancer and cut you in half with the chainsaw. Oh, its fine, Gears of War isnt banned so its ok. (Unless you are sayign anything not nice should be banned, your point is very very flawed)

You put forth the idea that these games prevent rape. I told you to provide proof. You could not, hence your entire argument is invalid.

Also there is a big difference between sex and murder. Murder will never be acceptable in a functioning society. A society can not progress if there is mass murder.

Sex, on the other hand, can be a major part of society without it collapsing. We could have a society in which people look at one another as nothing more than sexual objects. It would still function, but such a society would be a disgrace.

Fine, ignore the less rape part. My ENTIRE argument is not invalid as my ENTIRE argument was not that it prevents rape.

What other argument do you have?

 

[Aedwynn]

Its odd though, Im guessing that most of us spend a lot of time playing "murder simulators" and we are dead against people trying to ban those, because they dont offend us.

Wheras a rape game offends us so we agree to it being banned.


Good news though.

IMHO Rape and Murder killing are horses of a very, very different colour. Although, I do see what you're saying.

 

[Ancientgamer]

Freedom -1

To all of you cheering, you can't be all libertarian only when it suites you. I don't care if you find it distasteful. It's not hurting anyone, and it's not causing anyone to be hurt. This is frankly outrageous.

And for those of you arguing it's because rape is considered worse than murder. No. It's not. It's simply not. How could you even say that?

The fact that games like this are banned, while games like postal get the green flag goes beyond a simple sigh and a facepalm, this is disgusting. What's even more disgusting, is that so many of my gamer colleagues are against it as well.

 

[bodyklok]

Well I would like to think that this would achieve something, but I dought it.

 

[Good morning blues]

Good show! There really is no place in a society for cultural material that explicitly and obviously promotes and normalizes rape.

But promotion of viligantism, murder and war crimes is okay? Don't you think that this is a double standard?

Hey now, when did I say that? Promotion of vigilantism, murder and war crimes absolutely is not okay.

So 90% of videogames are not okay?

There's a pretty big difference between explicitly and obviously promoting vigilantism, murder and war crimes and simply depicting them. Most video games are okay, but there are a lot out there that are regressive and harmful contributions to Western society and culture.

Alright then, is there a difference between promoting and depicting rape?

Also, where do you draw the line between promoting and depicting, in relation to vigilantism, murder and war crimes? Is Gears of War ok? How about GTA? What do we censor, where do we stop?

Of course there's a difference between promoting and depicting rape, that's exactly what I said in my last post. Is there a difference between the depictions of war in Commando versus Saving Private Ryan?

Games that promote vigilantism, murder, and war crimes glorify either the actions or the characters that engage in them. Note that I'm not saying that games that depict these things uncritically are bad - they're junk culture and they serve to normalize these things, but they're not exhorting people to take up these pursuits. I can't comment on Gears of War because I've never played it, but GTA is perfectly OK because it is satire - it subverts and calls attention to the cultural forces that do normalize and glorify crime and murder.

 

[Xan Krieger]

Ok, I guess -I- will be the first to be against this.
Mostly it annoys me cause it seems more like people whining and being huge babies. Now, I know Japan does not have our government and laws (some we put on em yes, but not all) but still. Its like, why is this allowed but this not when it is very similar. So is games where girls are killed gonna be banned too? What about men/boys? Now yes, obviously few if any are playing these games for anything aside from sexual release, but for all we know it is a better outlet for peole with such fantasies. This is just like violence in gaming and is not going to make people who would not already do it start raping people or stalking them.
Equality Now, based on this they seem PETA-like. (Not a good thing)
Thats my view on this.

Actually, you're the second. The guy above you is the first.

I guess I'm the third. All the points I would have made, have already been made, and better than I could have made them.

I haven't bothered counting the number of other people against the ban but I am one of you.

 

[GothmogII]

I think there's a fine difference between rape games and games with killing. We don't play violent games just to kill people. We play them because the game play is fun.

With a rape game, you are not playing it because the game play is fun. You are playing it to rape somebody.

People have rape fantasies. However logical thinking people, instead of commiting a horrible crime, either look at played out rape porn, play rape porn video games, or do rape scenarios with aconsenting partner or partners.

Also, for those who like it...it is fun. There is no real difference aside from what squirts out.

Prove to me that rape games prevent rape. Show me a study that proves it.

This does not prevent rape. It only makes rape socially acceptable.

Prove to me that rape games makes it happen more (not counting virtually)
Also let me get my Lancer and cut you in half with the chainsaw. Oh, its fine, Gears of War isnt banned so its ok. (Unless you are sayign anything not nice should be banned, your point is very very flawed)

Also there is a big difference between sex and murder. Murder will never be acceptable in a functioning society. A society can not progress if there is mass murder.

Sex, on the other hand, can be a major part of society without it collapsing. We could have a society in which people look at one another as nothing more than sexual objects. It would still function, but such a society would be a disgrace.

Humm...possibly. Possibly not. We don't know that because we don't have such a society that we can examine and make such conclusions. Although there are plenty to choose from in fiction that show both the purely good side of things, the bad, and a little of both.

I mean...it's all very well to say for example that a hedonistic society would be an awful thing when the only experiences we've had with it are rampant STD's, rape, drug misuse etc.

In fact, I'd even say that it -could- work if for example, people took proper precautions to avoid STDs, left the rape to roleplay fantasies and used drugs both responsibly and properly. But, as with Communism, people are stupid, and perfectly adept at ruining a good thing. (Not to imply rape is ever a good thing, but, not saying that a willing couple acting out such fantasies is in the wrong.)

 

[Ziren]

Hey now, when did I say that? Promotion of vigilantism, murder and war crimes absolutely is not okay.

Alright, I'll admit that I simply projected the image I have of the general forum member on you. I apologize for this.


However, FPS and third-person-shooters almost always promote murder and sometimes vigilantism.
Pretty much every RTS in existence shows war crimes and often enough has the player commit them.

It's just that the same people that defend those games when they're the target of critique will probably speak out against those rape games.



But I should probably give my own opinion on the issue:
Some people have rape fantasies. To be honest, I have some of those as well, though I'm imagining myself in the passive part (and yes, I'm aware that it would a traumatising experience if I would ever be really raped. I have at least one rape victim in my family and I've seen what it has done to her).
Anyway, as you could probably guess from the previous paragraph, I'm in the BDSM-scene, frequent a couple of related forums and also met some of the people on there in real life. You'd be amazed how many of the guys (and girls) there are into rape play. That doesn't make them monsters, everyone of them knows that there's a world of difference between their fantasies/sessions and a real rape.
My point is, most people are sane enough to make that distinction and those who aren't would probably become rapists anyway.

Sorry that the English in this post is probably very bad, but I'm really tired right now...

 

[Kiutu]

I think there's a fine difference between rape games and games with killing. We don't play violent games just to kill people. We play them because the game play is fun.

With a rape game, you are not playing it because the game play is fun. You are playing it to rape somebody.

People have rape fantasies. However logical thinking people, instead of commiting a horrible crime, either look at played out rape porn, play rape porn video games, or do rape scenarios with aconsenting partner or partners.

Also, for those who like it...it is fun. There is no real difference aside from what squirts out.

Prove to me that rape games prevent rape. Show me a study that proves it.

This does not prevent rape. It only makes rape socially acceptable.

Prove to me that rape games makes it happen more (not counting virtually)
Also let me get my Lancer and cut you in half with the chainsaw. Oh, its fine, Gears of War isnt banned so its ok. (Unless you are sayign anything not nice should be banned, your point is very very flawed)

You put forth the idea that these games prevent rape. I told you to provide proof. You could not, hence your entire argument is invalid.

Also there is a big difference between sex and murder. Murder will never be acceptable in a functioning society. A society can not progress if there is mass murder.

Sex, on the other hand, can be a major part of society without it collapsing. We could have a society in which people look at one another as nothing more than sexual objects. It would still function, but such a society would be a disgrace.

Fine, ignore the less rape part. My ENTIRE argument is not invalid as my ENTIRE argument was not that it prevents rape.

What other argument do you have?

It is a game that shows a fantasy, not real women gettting raped. Some people are into it but dont actually want to rape someone unwillingly (willingly would be sexual role play) and if this should be banned then so should violent games and THOSE should not be banned as it is JUST A GAME. They want to ban this game because it is unfair to women which is just stupid and does not promote equality and just promotes censorship which is wrong to do. Don't like it, don't play it or look at it. If you don't like people getting raped then join the police or keep an eye and ear out in the REAL WORLD for them instead of arguing with me.

 

[joystickjunki3]

I'm someone who argues in favor 99.99999% of the time for the freedom of expression and that a virtual simulation and real life act are completely separate. But I gotta say, It's about damn time.

this particular genre is estimated to make up 10-20 percent of the Japanese PC game industry[/b]

:facepalms

I agree. This is going a bit beyond freedom of expression. What would the maker want to express with this game?

One could say the same thing about GTA or Manhunt.

And I very easily DO say the same thing about GTA or Manhunt.

OK, but, and keep in mind that I'm not asking this in a condescending way (honestly), but who are you to determine what people can express?

 

[Simalacrum]

Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat??? But we rely on Japan for our crazy!

Dude if they get rid of rape porn and hentai and guro I'm never gonna forgive them

I don't think it'll matter to us Westeners (well, half-westerner in my case) since its already banned over here anyways