20 March 2013
Two different cases, on two different continents - you couldn't pick things less likely to be the same. Not only did they happen on almost opposite sides of the globe, one was in the richest country on the planet, while the other was one of the notoriously poor ones, the most technologically-advanced against one the most technologically-deficient, western people & morality against eastern people and morality.
Yet the two cases - one gang-rape in India and one group sexual assault in Ohio, USA* - have a startling similarity: in each case, people reporting the cases have deemed it necessary to blame the victim.
This so outrageous I can't find words necessary to state my disgust.
First and foremost: real men don't rape. Any man worthy of the name does not take advantage of a drunken woman any more than he would cut his own dick off. Men who rape are cowards, and the lowest form of coward - taking advantage of someone weaker. Outside of child rapists, rapists are the lowest form of coward on the planet.
Fortunately, I never, ever watch CNN. If you do, maybe their coverage of the trial in USA should encourage you to stop.
Only the people can change things, and in the case of supporting the rapist instead of the victim, CNN has shown that it does not deserve to live, and the people can kill it by not watching. No watchers = no advertising income = no show.
It'll never happen, because most people are apathetic bums, and there will certainly be a percentage of people who see a bunch of drunk footballers behaving like a bunch of drunk footballers. This is why Robin Brooke got away with rape - because many people see drunken women as being the architects of their own demise.
Why is it I wonder if that attitude would change pretty damned quickly if predatory men started taking advantage of drunken men and raping them?
The situation in India is more complex, but it shows that their police are simply unable to control their population, writing off enormous "no-go" areas, where anything can, and most likely will, happen. That attitude married to a culture which undervalues women, isn't a great advert for progress.
*In an even more disgraceful event, MSNBC & Fox joined CNN in allowing the victim's name to be broadcast. Thanks for victimising the poor girl all over again, guys!
Copyright © Alan Charman