Rape and the Media

This is difficult. Any criticism of the newspapers' reporting of the scumbag rapist cabbie runs the risk of seeming like a plea mitigation of him, or ignoring/minimising the horrific damage he has caused dozens/hundreds of women (and their friends and families). So just for the record: if the evil little prick ever sees the light of day, it'll be too soon.

And yet, and yet...

This hand-wringing in the papers, several of which use women's (semi-naked) bodies as a marketing device allows us to think that the Monster is Out There. It's a variation on the “rapist is the freak in the hockey mask” myth. The rapist is the friendly neighbour, the ex-boyfriend, the partner. But we don't like to admit this.

Again, to be clear- contra the 70s radical feminist slogan not all men are rapists, but all men “benefit” from the prevalance of rape, insofar as it has a chilling effect on women's hopes and independence. (Of course, the husbands, fathers, sons and friends of a victim are affected by a rape).

Alongside this, how much coverage did the papers give to the actual substance of the criticism of Jacqui Smith and her mooted register of violent partners. Now there was a real story, a real campaign to be had. But there's less projection, less catharsis, and more awkward questions about funding choices, causes of the problem. Easier to find a real monster and give it acres of (cheap) and presumably salacious coverage (I've not read it).

Sigh.

Postscript, 28th March: One paper actually chose to cover this story as its front page lead- "Women dismiss new 'gimmicks' to tackle abuse". The paper? The Morning Star, March 10th.

Myths about rape.
FACT In 60% of the rapes reported to the Orange County Rape Crisis Center in 1991, the rapist was known to the victim. 7% of the assailants were family members of the victim. These statistics reflect only reported rapes. Assaults by assailants the victim knows are often not reported so the statistics do not reflect the actual numbers of acquaintance rapes.

FACT Over 50% of reported rapes occur in the home. 80% of sexual assaults reported by college age women and adult women were perpetrated by close friends or family members. There is no common profile of a rapist. Rapes are committed by people from all economic levels, all races, all occupations. A rapist can be your doctor, your boss, your clergyman, your superintendent, your partner, your lover, your friend or your date.