DISTURBED WITH A CAPITAL D

I can’t stand when I’m so disturbed by something and I can’t find humor in a situation. I pride myself in being able to find at least a grain of humor in pretty much anything, but sadly, this one takes the cake for being up there on the disturbing list. Aren’t you glad I point these things out for your attention?

A video game out of Japan – thanks for that guys – called ‘RapeLay’ is causing all sorts of outrage for very obvious reasons. In this game, a player can follow a girl onto a subway car, ask if she needs help with anything (how polite, right?) and then choose their method of assault. Yes, you heard me. From lifting her skirt, to beating her up, to rape, the players of this game carry out a rape as if it’s just everyday fare in the world of activities. You can then have your friends join in and participate in the rape. The game even allows you to impregnate the girl and urge her to have an abortion. The reason for the game, which almost sickens me even more, is apparently this girl accused you of molesting her, and hence you are enacting your revenge.

I don’t need to tell you that women’s groups all over the world went into outrage overdrive and had it yanked off the shelves. Thank god for proactive women. The only problem being is that it made it’s way onto the internet and has now gone viral. Fabulous. Equality Now, a woman’s activist group is calling for the Japanese government to ban “all games that promote and simulate sexual violence, sexual torture, stalking and rape against women and girls.” Gosh, that isn’t asking so much now is it? Apparently games of this nature have been in existence in Japan for a long time, and what the world would deem pornographic, they apparently do not. 

I am all for freedom of expression and am highly adverse to censorship in any form, but does this one not fall under the umbrella of inciting an act of violence? And who is the base vile individual who came up with the premise for this game? Cause I'd like to have a few words with him and give him a number for a very good therapist. It’s hard to believe that something that is deemed a game, has ventured into this territory of repugnant violence against women. I thought stealing cars was bad, boy am I scarily falling behind in the world of video gaming. Perhaps I will start one where a pack of angry oppressed and objectified women hit the streets and beat the sh*t out of men who buy and support things like this. I shall call it, ‘Retribution, Suckers!’

What scares me most is that there is an audience for this stuff – scared, yet not surprised when it comes to the human race. And of course once it hits the web it cannot be controlled, it’s just out there for boys and girls (please tell me girls do not play this??!) to participate in. When I read things like this, it takes everything in my power not to pack a bag for me and the King and move us to some monastery in the middle of nowhere, where all we have to think about is when our next chanting session is and bowl of goat’s whey being served.