a framework to understand other forms of oppression? But even men who may appear on the surface not to have much power still reinforce the patriarchy. The worst men do this through violence and rape Why do men who lack power in relation to other men, use their position of privilege over women to oppress those women through violence? surely if patriarchy is a hierarchical system where some men lack power and influence and men are in competition with other men, why do they attack women and not the cause of their own oppression? If you look at men at any level in society they are clearly in a better position than a comparable woman. So homeless men and women - women who are homeless are more vulnerable than homeless men to rape and exploitation In what way are middle class women privileged when compared to homeless men apart from the most obvious, they have shelter. If a homeless man attacks a middle class women is this violence caused by hatred founded on sex or class. If the homeless man rapes a women of the middle class, he does this to either have sex, well we know that men don't rape because they want sex, it's about power.....therefore it is more likely as a result of his antagonism not just towards the middle class woman but anger at his middle class oppressor. It is a "I can take what is yours mentality" in just the same way as the workers