Sociology

Sociology Study Guide

Women often suffer long-lasting psychological distress because of the brutality and invasiveness of the crime. Personal, social, and sexual relations are upset because of the trauma. Sadly, only 1/10 of all rapes are reported because victims do not desire to relive the trauma which is likely to haunt them for the restof their life. Many societies, including the United States, are characterized by two elements that are relevant tothe prevalence of rape. • Inequality of men and women • Tendency for men to view women as sexual objects The workplace can be home to degrading sexual harassment. While menmay feel women are flattered by their advances and comments, they (the men) are only showing their lack of self-control. Rape is an extreme act of domination. It is not a sudden impulse; it does not happen because noother sexual outlet exists; it is not even sexual in nature. Rapists desire to feel better about themselves by demeaning another. Homosexuality Occurring throughout history, homosexuality has taken different forms. From pederasty, homosexuality, and lesbianism, much controversial research has been done on the topic. Pederasty involves the relationship of an adult male and an adolescent boy outside of his family. The ancient Greeks practiced this, as did many other cultures through history, but modern industrial societies shun the practice and make it illegal. Homosexuality is the terms used to signify a relationship between same-sex individuals, both of them consenting adults. Lesbianism refers specifically to female homosexual relations. Western culture has long stigmatized homosexuality. That is lessening as the years progress. Several theories have been developed as a means of attempting to understand the origin of homosexuality in an individual. Those theories include: • Childhood experiences (especially seduction experiences) • Family environment (pathological family interactions) • Social learning (rewards and punishments) • Self-labeling (labeling yourself as gay) • Biological/genetic predisposition (gay gene/brain studies) Controversy still surrounds the issue of whether homosexual couples should enjoy the same rights as heterosexual couples do. The prejudice and discrimination acted on by homophobic individuals is disgraceful to an entire society, no matter what someone’s viewpoint is.

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