What Kind of Sick Culture Blames an 11-Year-Old for Being Gang-Raped?

[XanaDUer]

http://www.alternet.org/reproductivejustice/150199/what_kind_of_sick_culture_blames_an_11-year-old_for_being_gang-raped/

What Kind of Sick Culture Blames an 11-Year-Old for Being Gang-Raped?
Recent coverage of a young girl's rape in Texas reveals our twisted assumptions about sexual violence.
March 11, 2011 |

The memories have faded, but still they float to the surface at times: being 12, 13, 14 years old in an insular West Texas town where you could walk from one end of town to the other in half an hour. Most walks home from the store or school were uneventful, but a handful of times, young men in their late teens or early 20s would slow their cars down and lean out the window while you walked. “Hey, why are you walking? Don’t you want a ride?” Faces full of concern they never seemed to have when dealing with young girls in any other setting.

I always said no. I was too young to have any inkling of what could happen if I accepted, but I figured it was not likely to be good.

AND:

http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/513829/11-year-old_girl_horrifically_gang-raped;_new_york_times_article_blames_the_victim/

SNIP - Nowhere in this story is the following made clear:

— That an 11-year-old child cannot consent to sex. Even if she had not been "told she would be beaten if she did not comply," this would have been rape.

— That the victim also has to "live with this for the rest of her life." The boys chose to do the things they will have to live with. She did not.

— That the men involved were not "drawn into this," but made the conscious choice to rape a child.

— That our compassion and care should be directed first and foremost toward the victim rather than the boys, the school, the community, or anyone else.

— That just as we should not stand in judgment of the victim we should not venture to judge her mother. ("'Where was her mother? What was her mother thinking?' said Ms. Harrison, one of a handful of neighbors who would speak on the record.") For all we know, the woman had been frantically trying to get someone, anyone, to listen to her concerns about her daughter. Even if she hadn't been, parental neglect does not give other people a license to rape unsupervised children.

[doc03]

1. Was she one of those people ? The boys may have been part

part of the local high school football team or their parents may be important people in town. You know how it is.:sarcasm:

[Tippy]

2. K&R

[WatsonT]

3. I think it's only a tiny minority who do

not the whole culture.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. Again? Someone posted this nonsense yesterday from another source, and...

those of us who actually read the Times article, not some wild-eyed interpretation of it, saw absolutely nothing in there blaming the victim, justifying rape, or anything else like the hysterical reaction it's causing.

It was an article trying to understand a community's reaction to a horrible crime, and while some of the community may not have attitudes to Alternet's liking, that part is still there-- and mentioned. But not approved of.

[XanaDUer]

6. I was the one who "posted this nonsense" yesterday

Nt.

[slackmaster]

10. It's not just the Times blaming the victim, TreasonousBasterd. Watch this video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imyg-CmxrAs&feature=player_embedded#at=19

[niyad]

25. you must not have read the same nyt article I did (which I also posted)

a community reacts by saying, "the boys will be affected for the rest of their lives" with no mention of the VICTIM OF GANG RAPE? what part of that don't you understand?

[Jamastiene]

5. A VERY sick culture.

K&R

[old mark]

7. K&R- My wife does rape counselling online. She would certainly agree with the OP,

and so would I. The males made the decision to do what they did, and they should be held accountable and punished accordingly, no matter who their parents are...where were THEIR parents? What have their parents taught THEM?

My wife and I also believe that "forgiveness" in cases like this is total bullshit.

This girl will have problems from this for life, and I hope the males involved have the same.

mark

[Octafish]

13. + Infinity.

There is no excuse for hurting a child.

[slackmaster]

8. The same culture that FAILS to raise its boys into responsible, empathetic, caring MEN!

Just listen to this silly woman rationalizing her son's behavior.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Imyg-CmxrAs&feature=player_embedded#at=19

WHERE IS THAT BOY'S FATHER?

[blondeatlast]

19. Amen to that. nt

[XanaDUer]

9. Tell the New York Times to Apologize for Blaming a Child for Her Gang Rape

http://www.change.org/petitions/tell-the-new-york-times-to-apologize-for-blaming-a-child-for-her-gang-rape#updates

SNIP - Also appalling was the way in which New York Times reporter James C. McKinley reported the victim blaming sentiments of members of the Texas community in which the rape occurred as truth. McKinley insinuated the young woman had it coming, writing, "They said she dressed older than her age, wearing makeup and fashions more appropriate to a woman in her 20s. She would hang out with teenage boys at a playground, some said."

Mr. McKinley also gave ink to community members who are more concerned about the impact raping a child will have on the suspects than being raped will have on the young victim. Mr. McKinley quoted Sheila Harrison as saying, "“These boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.”

[WinkyDink]

27. An 11-year-old CHILD is not a "YOUNG WOMAN", FGS! Stop this insane language use!

[seabeyond]

29. i had this argument once with 12 yr old stripper at dallas bar. men telling me cant tell a 12 yr ol

such bullshit. all the men that used the strip joint was part of the problem. it was that simple. an 11 yr old looks, is a child. anyone that suggest otherwise is full of shit.

[niyad]

30. and isn't it interesting that the same rag will refer to actual adult women as girls.

[JVS]

37. Is the NYT to suppress local opinions on this case in order that the news not be objectionable?

If we're heading down that path, why report on a rape at all?

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. I really wish all of you would read the actual story in the Houston

Chronicle, instead of a bunch of crap.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/7459716.html

[jtown1123]

22. it is the NYT article we are pissed about...

[ScreamingMeemie]

32. Understood, but CNN's coverage has been crap as well.

What people are coming away from the story with is blowing my mind. I live just south of Cleveland and I would suggest all look into Houston's coverage.

[jtown1123]

35. Is Houston coverage good or bad?

[ScreamingMeemie]

38. They have done very good, on the spot, reporting.

instead of assumptions and unknown sources.

[get the red out]

12. I thought Saudi Arabia when I read the title of the thread

My God, people in the US can blame a baby for getting gang raped, in 2011. I kept reading expecting this to be from the 1960's or something, no again.

I think the boys SHOULD have to live with this the rest of their lives, by spending the rest of their pathetic lives in prison. I think anyone who says a word to blame this child or her family is a moron. TOTAL PIECES OF SHIT IN A PIECE OF SHIT COMMUNITY.

Small, southern towns are the worst, most disgusting, hate-ridden places in this country. Cesspools of putrid, rotting ignorance.

[hardcover]

28. I thought the same thing as you

It is horrifying that the majority of middle east people blame the victim for rape.
We need to insure zero tolerance for that kind of thinking here. Anyone blaming the victim or sympathizing with the rapist should be confrunted and ostracized by anyone and everyone who hears it. Take no prisoners, shame that person into apology.

[Evolve_Already]

40. Now what do you REALLY think?

*chuckles* I could not agree more. Well put.

[DirkGently]

14. Hmmm. The alternet piece makes a point, but misleads a bit to do so.

Talking about the victim's dress and habits -- a quote from a neighbor -- IS victim-blaming, albeit in the form of a quote the NYT claims is the only neighbor who would go on record.

But the alternet piece also suggests that NYT was somehow prejudicial in that the accused rapists are personalized, while "All we know about the 11-year-old is her age and gender." Huh?

It's considered responsible journalistic practice to NOT identify the victim of an apparent rape or other sexual assault, precisely because of victim blaming and shaming, much less a child. The alternet piece holds it out like the victim is being intentionally marginalized, when NYT would be even more condemned had it identified the child, even by including details of her life that would allow someone to identify her.

This mislead is compounded where the alternet piece complains that the accused are described as members of sports teams, etc., but then ignores that NYT, in the same paragraphs, also mentions that several of the accused have criminal records for drugs, manslaughter, etc. They're hardly portrayed as unfortunate golden boys.

No question we have cultural problems with victim blaming when it comes to rape. But slamming this particular NYT story is a stretch, and the alternet piece is selective and misleading in doing it, in my opinion.


edited syntax for.

[cali]

15. your post isn't terribly honest.

this article doesn't reflect a culture blaming the victim.

[jtown1123]

18. Which article are you referring to? The Times article was chock full of victim blame

[mythology]

34. Not everybody shares your opinion.

I read the article and I don't think it did anything to blame the victim. The articles I've read that claimed the article did blame the victim took quotes out of context to create outrage.

[jtown1123]

36. Uhh a lot of that language was the reporters...not quotes "taken out of context"

As a journalist writing about the savage gang rape of a child, you have some responsiblity to provide balance and context. There was none.

"drawn into" was the language of the reporter. That language suggests these men were passive victims incapable of controlling themselves...UTTER FAIL.

Discussing the victim's facebook page and how she dresses is fucking irrelevant. Oh so she dresses older (what does that even mean?) so somehow their rape is excusable. Fail.

Not interviewing anyone who gave perspective from the victim's point of view...FAIL. I don't care if you couldn't find anyone, interview a rape counselor or women's nonprofit.

[w8liftinglady]

16. this is not uncommon in many Texas communities

I have lived here since I was 17.

In West Texas, I saw child rape transcend racial,ethnic and economic groups.
A target was chosen,intimidated and humiliated.
the guys did the back-slapping thing.

When I hung out at the only gay-friendly bar in my early twenties,several of the women would discuss their early rape history-usually involving multiple partners and relatives/neighbors.

None of the women I met had disclosed their rapes.It would have been useless.

When I worked peds in West Texas,I can't tell you how many young girls I saw with UTIs/venereal disease.
Innocent who were blamed for their actions.


Rape is always the victim's fault,in these mindsets.It perpetuates,because people don't want to admit that their little angels were capable of such evil.

I am the mom of three boys.The oldest two have already had to step in when the buddies were getting too aggressive with a woman...I stress the term "Buddies". The oldest's experience in Landstuhl and taji,Iraq mirror.

This is the mindset that has been broadcast to the masses.

[jtown1123]

17. Highly recommended. The Times article was shit and I wrote a letter to the author.

[Mass]

20. It is not the culture, but what media reporting has become.

Quoting named or anonymous sources without comments is enough. This is the new standard of objectivity. Dont try to fact check on the statement. Sadly, in this case, it is about quoting people putting the blame on the young girl without reminding the facts you quote at the end of the OP, but it is the same journalistic culture that led people to quote taxes statements from the GOP and the Democrats without any fact checking. It is very pervasive in our media.

[jtown1123]

21. It is both. Victim blaming is very pervasive in rape culture. Yes, the journalism

is atrocious. No balance, no context, just shameful.

[Mass]

23. I agree. What I meant was that there is no way to know whether the NYTimes reporter

has this culture. He may just be reporting along the new guidelines the media are using these days, like "some say the earth is flat, other say the earth is round. You decide".

[jtown1123]

24. yeah

the thing is, he didn't even give "the earth is round" scenario. He just gave one side, which implies he supports those ideas, even if he doesn't.

[WinkyDink]

26. Compassion to the males and their families? SORRY; FRESH OUT.

BURN, BABY, BURN.

[-..__...]

31. It's the 11 year olds fault that the school basketball team...

won't be going to the state championships this year.

How can they when their star players are off the team pending trial?

I'd be pissed too if my home team had to suffer because of the claims made by some 11 year old harlot!

:mad: :mad: :mad:

:sarcasm:

[devils chaplain]

33. It wasnt just the times article...

There are other articles out there with different quotes of both sympathy for the rapist men and boys as well as aspersions cast on the little girl.

And the culture that would cast some blame on the girl is the same that might allow for an environment where 18 people think gang-rape of pre-teens is enjoyable and not that big of a deal.

I am for second chances. Some young people really are just funneled into a bad environment of drugs and theft and robbery because of a lack of real or perceived opportunities and being surrounded by bad influences. But this is sick, sick behavior and I won't have a problem with the most severe punishment. And as far as the townspeople... I've lost some faith in humanity.

[intaglio]

39. A horribly written and edited piece

Someone has followed the "rule" for writing this and an editor has passed it.

"Where's the human interest?" is the rule and the writer has tried by inserting human detail where he can. The problem is that the most compelling detail would be from the girl and her mother but anything from those sources would be treading in a legal minefield; because of this the reporter has added non-incriminating detail about the men and youths involved and has unjustifiably included opinion regarding the behaviour of the victim.

How might it have been better? Well for a start off the editor should have struck through the term "boys" and substituted "men" for these were men and youths not barely pubescent teens which is what the term "boys" implies. Next the foul implied quotation regarding the girls dress and friends should have been editorialised into, perhaps,

Some locals, perhaps trying to find fault in the victim or her mother or to excuse the behaviour of people known to them, said the child was dressed unsuitably for her age or that she hung around with an older teens. A Mrs Harrison, one of the few who was willing to go on the record said, "Where was her mother? What was her mother thinking? How can you have an 11-year-old child missing down in the Quarters?"

I'm not a professional but even I can see how this piece would embarrass a cub reporter, let alone someone whose name is given a byline.