Is Rape or Murder "Worse"?

This isn't gonna end well...

Would you rather be raped or murdered?

Would you rather be a rapist or a murderer?

Rape and Murder are two of the most evil things that mankind is capable of. The lowest of the low. But, which is worse?

That is a question I have seen people go back and forth on to a heated degree. No matter how stupid of a question or irrelevant it is. They are both pretty damn low and the idea of cutting either one any slack as potentially “better” than the other just doesn’t sit right.

You can say that you’re not ranking one as better, or giving any positive points and that you’re just “picking the lesser of two evils” yet, when you say that, you’re inherently suggesting that the “lesser” has to be “better” in some way. And to assign any fraction of positivity to these two horrific acts just doesn’t mesh well with the human brain.

Regardless, don’t expect any conclusive answers from this post.

Why might someone choose rape as the “better” alternative?

Someone might say that Murder is the worse alternative because you’re dealing with life-and-death stakes. And, Life is, for the most part, a lot better than death. And, if you are raped, at least you get to keep on living, barring the severe trauma that you will endure thereafter.

They might say that even though you’d have to live with severe mental & physical trauma, the prospect of an innocent life being stamped out of existence is a far scarier and darker consequence and that a traumatic life is better than no life at all… What do you think?

I know and love someone who has been a victim of sexual assault/rape and I am glad that they are still alive and that I get to know them today. But, I do see the effects that an experience like this can and does have on them.

Why might someone choose murder as the “better” alternative?

Someone might say that rape is the worse alternative because of the effects we have discussed earlier. They see it as better to just die and not have to experience the trauma of rape or deal with its aftereffects. However traumatic murder is, at least it’s over. You won’t have to walk around dealing with the emotional duress of it. You’ll be dead.

This person values death over a more traumatic life. Even though they are/may be dying in a traumatic way, at least, for the most part, their life and their mental/emotional state were relatively peaceful beforehand. At least that’s the thinking that I can sniff out. And they won’t have to go through as volatile, humiliating, and degrading of an experience as rape.

The Ranges of Each

Both Murder and Rape have their different types and degrees. And for the most part, Murder is often seen as the lesser of the two evils with the most amount of forgiving/range.

Look at stories like Red Dead Redemption, about a murderer turning their life around and choosing not to kill & steal anymore. Arthur takes advantage of and kills innocent folk in cold blood. Yet, when he is faced with certain Death, he decides to turn his life around and change for the better. Helping those afflicted in the aftermath of his past actions instead of hurting them further.

However, let’s imagine a different scenario. Let’s say Arthur Morgan was a degenerate rapist, raping all across town, who, when faced with certain Death. Decides to seek redemption for his crimes by helping his former victims.

???

Let’s take this in a different direction. Dexter is a serial killer who goes around and kills other serial killers in a revenge-type fantasy, fulfilling his urging lust for murder. Torturing them in brutal ways.

Yet, let’s imagine for a second that Dexter is a serial rapist. He goes around, hunting down other serial rapists and raping them, but doesn’t kill them after, just leaves. A revenge-type fantasy, fulfilling his darker sexual urges and lust.

What do you think? Do you think these shows/stories would be as popular as they are with these new twists? Why doesn’t mainstream entertainment feature many, if any, rapist anti-heroes? Have we all agreed that rape is worse?

???

Committing Vs Receiving

With murder, there’s more of a morality range. There are things like self-defense and accidental causes. Yet, with rape, the evilness lies across the board. Whether statutory, forced, taking advantage of, manipulated, or whatever. It’s a nearly equally disgusting act across the board.

Think of something like revenge. If someone killed your family member and you hunted them down and killed them, how would you be seen by not only the world, but yourself?

Now, imagine if someone raped you or your family member and you tracked them down after the fact and raped them back. How would you be seen by the world and yourself?

And in receiving. I feel that the top thought in most heads is the “intimacy/volatility” of both. Any asshole can be a killer, just pick up a gun and shoot, or stab, or hit. These actions have a dis-attached nature about them, they are not too up close and personal when they don’t want to be. However, rape? Not just anyone can be a rapist. It’s not easy. You can’t just “accidentally” rape someone, no matter how much that douchebag in high school swears he did. Rape is up close and personal. Violating and grotesque. Intimately dark and nasty, there is no ten-foot pole to this act.

And that’s why I think a large amount of people would choose to be killed over raped, because even though you are dead, at least you don’t feel humiliated and degraded. Especially amongst men. And it’s also why we’re more forgiving toward heroes in our stories for their murderous tendencies. Besides Dexter, most don’t show a lust or taste for it, it’s simply something they do, it’s detached, non-personal.

With all this said. What do you think? Which is “worse”?

I think our culture sees rape as the worst alternative, what do you think?