(no subject)

[slemslempike]

I am incensed with news coverage about rape. Three primary aged girls were attacked in a park and the police are questioning a fourteen year old boy. The news reports insist on saying "suspected rape" and "alleged attack". It disgusts me. When I look at the headline of newspaper, if there's ever a story about rape, it always has liberal use of quote marks. Girl, 15 "raped" by gang. "Police hunt for suspect in "sex attack". This isn't about presuming innocence of suspect before they are proven guilty (or more accurately, let go without charge, or in the unlikely event of a court case, get found 'innocent'), it's about making sure that everyone understands that women lie, that most so-called 'rapes' are stupid sluts changing their mind, or just making it up all together.

I have never seen a report saying "family angry after 'burglary'", or "man in hospital after 'mugging'". The victims of those crimes aren't automatically disbelieved, even though there's no proof that mugging victims didn't hide their money, stab themselves and throw themselves downstairs to get some bruises. Or that people don't say "please take my stuff" and then decide they didn't mean it and they want the police involved. It's just rape, and it's purely about casting women as liars. It's revolting.

Comments

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I once made a complaint to the BBC about their coverage of a story on the R1 news about sexual assaults in Greece, and that they focussed entirely on what women should be doing, and said nothing condemnatory about the attacks. The three responses I got (because I contacted all the addresses they gave) all said "you're over-reacting", and there was nothing wrong. I think we'd get exactly the same for this, but I think I want to try anyway.

There are complaints procedures to the individual papers and organisations, but I'm not sure how to go about this. I might try to work on a really good letter that I can send to places each time, and try to encourage others to send it to, although I'm not sure what good that might have.

I'm sure that they're hiding behind a legal thing, but it's completely different from "alleged rapist", which is a phrase I do really agree with them saying, but "alleged attack" is ridiculous.

[cangetmad.livejournal.com]

I've sent a complaint to the BBC about that story. If there's a legal reason, no doubt they'll tell me, but if not, I might get in touch with some people and see if we can create some directed rage.

[protoainsley.livejournal.com]

I'd love to partake in some directed rage.