rape was Love Potions

[delwynmarch]

No: HPFGUIDX 136705

Susan McGee wrote:
"But in the HP universe, I don't think a love potion can actually be
characterized as a rape drug...."

Del replies:
I think that's EXACTLY what they are. They have ALL the
characteristics of the RL date rape drugs, except one:

* They are undetectable once slipped into food or drink.

* They are fast-acting.

* They make the victim act in a promiscuous way.

* They render the victim unable to assert themselves, to make
appropriate decisions, to act as they would choose to act without the
influence of the drug.

The only difference is that RL victims often have little or no
memories of what happened, so they are spared the additional
humiliation of remembering how they "lost it". WW victims apparently
do remember what happened (see the look of horror on Ron's face, and
the vague explanations of Tom Riddle about having been duped).

Susan McGee wrote:
"Rape is a crime of violence, not sex. It involves forcing someone
else to have sex, or sexual contact... It involves degrading,
humiliating, and exerting power over the other person."

Del replies:
Ron was very much degraded and humiliated by Romilda's Love Potion,
she very much exercised power over him.

Same for Tom Riddle, who was degraded and humiliated by being forced
to run off with "the tramp's daughter", and there's no denying that
she exercised total control over him. They *did* have sex, something
which would *never* have happened without the Love Potion. So there's
NO doubt in my mind that in the case of the Riddles, the Love Potion
was EXACTLY a rape drug.

Susan McGee wrote:
"The person who gave the love potion would not be a rapist unless they
engaged in sexual contact/intercourse with the person to whom they
gave the love potion...it's unethical, and it's wrong, but there's
another step to rape."

Del replies:
I personally consider it as a mental rape. A physical rape is forcing
someone to have sex with you. The Love Potion has the exact equivalent
effect on someone's psyche: they force someone to be in love with you.
I call that a rape, albeit a mental or emotional one.

Del