SEX – or more pertinently rape and sexual violence – was one of the most discussed topics at Hay Festival this year.
Leading the way was 79-year-old Germaine Greer, whose comments during a discussion of her new book ‘On Rape’ stirred up a major controversy.
Ms Greer, a prominent writer, feminist and academic, was quoted in a number of national newspapers, including The Sun, after she suggested the punishment for offenders in some rape cases should be reduced.
She said that certain rape cases, especially if they did not involve strong physical violence, should be treated as “non-consensual ... bad sex”. In such cases community service rather than jail would be a more suitable punishment or a rapist could be tattooed with the letter ‘r’.
Her comments caused a storm on Twitter with some people saying she should no longer be considered a feminist.
Meanwhile, another speaker with matters of sexual violence on her mind was American activist Rose McGowan.
McGowan is known primarily for her role in bringing down movie mogul Harvey Weinstein as one of the first Hollywood actresses to publicly accuse him of rape. She has since been at the vanguard of the #MeToo movement. Speaking to Laurie Penny about her book ‘Brave’, she said she had only survived her experiences of the darker side of the movie industry through sheer will. She said she was “proud” that her story had come out despite “very difficult times” during which she was blacklisted in “the tiniest town in the world”.