February 24th, 2005

Shocking Statistics

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Statistics can lie but they hold tremendous power to herald change. While sitting through CNN’s Headline news, I was about to change the channel on a breaking story about yet-another woman and a kid killed by her boyfriend when a certain fact mentioned by Rudi Baktiar stopped me. The story was about a pregnant woman and her seven-year-old kid smothered to death by her boyfriend in Fort Worth, Texas (the boyfriend has been apprehended and has confessed to his crimes).

Killing a pregnant woman is an unimaginable crime, especially after we were narrated excruciating details on the Laci Peterson and Lori Hacking murders. It can only be topped by a simultaneous murder of a seven-year old. It is a truly “only men can do such things” moment. Now for the shocking statistics – the leading cause of death of pregnant woman is…murder. It is almost like saying that “being pregnant is more likely to get you killed”. When we let that fact sink in, we are truly astounded by the brutality of mankind. A pregnant woman and her little kid can be the closest you can get to visualizing a cute picture and murdering them is not even remotely on your mind, even if you happen to intensely dislike the people. Rudi Baktiar explained that this finding is based only on data collected in 17 states where the pregnancy status of the victim is recorded. But that doesn’t take away the intense sinking feeling in your stomach. The story further elaborated that the murders had the same reason as rape – power.

Mathew Yglesias has even dug up the term “intimate partner murder” in crime circles for such kind of heinous murder. Pregnant women are more likely to be vulnerable to their partner due to their condition. The CDC goes a bit further and says that, “40% to 70% of female murder victims were killed by their husbands or boyfriends,” the Bureau of Justice put it at a lower but nevertheless high, 30%.This brings us to the scary thought – is “intimate partner murder” emerging as an alternative to the hassles of divorce or parental responsibilities? Brrrr…I hope not.

What is this world coming to?

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9 Responses to “Shocking Statistics”

  1. Aekta Says:

    Lesson: (1) Women: go to the sperm bank when you want to have a baby. Don’t have an intimate partner unless he’s the kind you can keep on a leash. Better yet, go gay. (2) Men: Bah.

    ;-)

  2. ashi Says:

    ugh…just gets worse i guess…

  3. Ram Says:

    Why can’t people accept humanity for what it is and celeberate it. I mean murder has been an initimate part of our society since the time .(dot) If we did not have aggressors in our society we would have gone the way of the cow and chewing grass all day. The tragedy is that our development has not allowed us to find useful ways for men (for it’s always men) to let out their aggressive tendencies and instead it gets focussed on the wrong targets. Its ok for alpha males ,who are the ones who tend to frame societal rules and gain the most from it, for they have power and thus do not feel the need to display false machismo. But the males at the bottom of the genetic and societal heap tend to get alienated due to their lack of power and thus display their control in the wrong ways. I don’t want to come across as crazy here but I think the role of fantasy games and such like can be useful for males to display their manhood and direct their powers in if not postive then not negative ways. Sorry for the extended rant but I was feeling really pissed, in more ways than one.

  4. Patrix Says:

    Aekta - On other days, I might disagree but after reading and writing this piece, I tend to partly agree (and understand).

    Ashi - I know. The statistics are pretty gruesome.

    Ram - There is no excuse for pent-up agression. Venting that agression on pregnant women and children is downright deplorable; no matter how much biological reasoning you provide. If that was true, we would see all men acting that way. Violence against weak and vulnerable people to rise in the “genetic and societal ladder” is fine in the wilderness but not amongst mankind.

    I am surprised none of the women who visit my blog haven’t commented on your views yet. But be prepared.

  5. m Says:

    unfortunately in the real world adam always wins…..that is the law of the jungle…….smart women work around it…….stupid women get into situations - children unfortunately just get caught innocently.

    btw- most blogs are getting more boring by the nanosecond- yours is one of few that continues to interest.

  6. alpha Says:

    m, I take that personally! hmf!

  7. Ram Says:

    I seemed to have missed the boat. I agree it is deplorable but there is clearly a conflict with biology and higher ideals and I am just wondering if there is not a way to satisy the two

  8. Patrix Says:

    M - Thank you..too bad Alpha can’t take it :)

    Alpha - Either you have a job or you have a blog. You had the first pick :)

    Ram - Biology is just what makes us anatomically but values and ideals make us different from the animals. The only way to satisfy the two is to actually do it.

  9. m Says:

    alpha- you dont post often enough……..so yours doesnt count……

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