Dear Ann Landers,
must comment on your recent advice to women who are attacked by rapists. You quoted authorities who cau-tioned against submitting peacefully. They urged women to "scream, kick, gouge, scratch" and put the knee where it hurts the most. That advice may be fine under certain circumstances, but a very im-portant element was left out of your response. No mention was made of the armed attacker. When a gun or a knife is held at the victim's throat, the possibility of being maimed or killed is very real. The March 23, 1981, issue of Time magazine on violent crime put it well. Capt. Ephrine F. Leija of the Houston police department said, "Do the best you can under difficult circumstances. Above all, don't try to be a hero." I am glad you urged all rape victims to report the crime at once and to give as accurate a description as possible. May I add, if he is appre-hended, don't be afraid to testify. We must do everything we can to get these sick creeps off the streets.

Dear Suburbanite,
I appreciate your additional comments. They are sensible and realistic. In a life-threatening situation, submission is the better choice. Women can and do recover from rape. Death is permanent.