Don't Let Egregious Sexual Assault Cases Derail Us From Examining Everyday Abuse

I am not as abusive as Harvey Weinstein, nor as narcissistic as Bill O'Reilly. I'm more respectful to women than Donald Trump, and not as sleazy as Anthony Weiner.Judged by the standards set by these public reprobates, most of the rest of us men appear almost saintly, and therein lies a danger. The public disclosure of these men's behavior -- from the routinely offensive to the occasionally criminal -- is a good thing, and all those who have been harassed and raped should continue to speak out.But we should not let the most egregious cases derail the analysis of how a wide range of men's intrusive and abusive sexual behaviors against women (as well as against girls, boys and vulnerable men) are so woven into the everyday fabric of life in a patriarchal society that the intrusion and abuse is often invisible to men.  Continue reading...