This is in response to John Paul Rigliano's letter about men raping to get sex ("Men rape to get sex, not to overpower victim," Dec. 4). He states that previous letters were concentrated on "unfounded 1970s feminism." Well, 1970s feminism named as rape what was until then considered to be just a normal, everyday thing. We owe a lot to those pioneers. His assumption that he knows why rapists rape (for sex) not only seems to validate it, but also creepily suggests that he understands a rapist's motives. Reading the statement "men who rape women rarely intend to seriously hurt them" makes my stomach turn. Doesn't he realize that raping a woman hurts them? I seem to think that men cannot be this ignorant of women's feelings.

Rigliano also said, "Force is used solely to restrain the victim." How sweet! Rapists don't mean to kill their victims all of the time, kindly resorting to violently holding down their arms and legs so they can force themselves onto t hem. I am sure he wouldn't mind this happening to him either! Oh and guess what -- women want sex too. But they don't go around forcing themselves on people to get it. Rape is an act of violence to show power and control by means of sex.