did the nyt blame the 11 y/o victim of a texas gang rape?

[niyad]

Did The New York Times Blame the 11-Year-Old Victim of a Texas Gang Rape?


There is so much that is horrid with regard to this story coming out of small-town East Texas: 18 men and teenage boys have been arrested in the gang rape of an 11-year-old girl in Cleveland, TX.

There’s what Feministing’s Chloe Angyal noted, that those quoted in the article seem strangely concerned with how participating in a gang rape is gonna be a real downer for the rapists (now that they’ve been caught). From The New York Times’ article:

The case has rocked this East Texas community to its core and left many residents in the working-class neighborhood where the attack took place with unanswered questions. Among them is, if the allegations are proved, how could their young men have been drawn into such an act?

“It’s just destroyed our community,” said Sheila Harrison, 48, a hospital worker who says she knows several of the defendants.
********“These boys have to live with this the rest of their lives.”*********

(no comment on what that child and her family have to live with, including her being torn away from her family, and being told THEY should move. sickening)

. . . .

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/03/09/did-the-new-york-times-blame-the-11-year-old-victim-of-a-texas-gang-rape/

[Whisp]

1. the evil girl child temptress, what she did to these fine boys!

I know.

Makes me want to throw vomit at these writers/people.

but hey, that's the way the world is.

and it sure isn't changing for the better.

batton down, more to come.

[niyad]

3. makes me want to do more than vomit on them. . .

[The Doctor.]

6. Of all the things you could want to throw, there are better things than vomit.

But I don't advocate for certain types of actions, so I won't mention them.

As for the writers, I can give the BotD.

[MH1]

11. ya know, maybe they are thinking about THE ADULT MALE PEERS

who drew the others into it.

But nah, that wouldn't be outrageous, so they must've meant evil child temptress, as you say.

[JoeyT]

15. No, probably not.

"Residents in the neighborhood where the abandoned trailer stands — known as the Quarters — said the victim had been visiting various friends there for months. 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."

I don't think the adult male peers would be referred to as "victim" or they'd be talking about how they dress older than their age or how they hang out with teenage boys at a playground. They're probably not going to call them "she" either.

Might wanna read that there article next time.

[Scuba]

2. Yeah, she was just asking for it. Jeezus H. Christ.

[TreasonousBastard]

4. I read that article in the Times and at no point did it EVER blame the victim or...

try to win sympathy for the perps. The article was about a horrible crime and the community trying to understand how it could happen. And what to do next.

Once again, a comment is picked out of context to make some point.

[uppityperson]

8. Thank you tb

[Alameda]

9. I didn't see it either....

[MH1]

12. yep. and as I noted above, some kids can be influenced by peers,

and that out of context comment was more likely to be referring to that than blaming the victim.

[jtown1123]

17. Nope, sorry. Please read this explanation and reconsider:

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2011/03/new-york-times-texas-rape

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[aikoaiko]

7. Does "this" means shame, disgrace, guilt, and insight that they are low life scum?

:shrug:

edited to add: I'm not sure those words are adequate.

[angstlessk]

10. I too wa raped at age 11...and hung out with a friend who was older..and we

hung out at places we should not have..but if you asked me what sex was..I would have no answer...I WAS 11 years old! I drank beer...and was raped...I drank beer...so my rape at age 11 was MY FAULT...I was a virgin...an 11 year old CHILD Even my mother blamed me..but she did not let them off the hook either...I remember the court proceedings as if it were yesterday...they claimed I 'asked' then to come in the back seat..
I arose from my seat in court an called them a LIAR! I never testified....I wish I could have!

[ProgressiveProfessor]

13. It was not the NYT blaming the victims, but others in the town who know the accused rapists

sure seem to be

[jtown1123]

18. Yes, but the journalist was lazy and irresponsible, No context, no framing

and why in God's name did he feel the need to mention she wears makeup?? Fail.

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2011/03/new-york-times-texas-rape

[ProgressiveProfessor]

22. I certainly agree with you on the poor context and presentation

[devils chaplain]

14. As horrifying as this story is...

...the reactions quoted from some of the townspeople frighten me even more. It's one creepy place I'd never want to set foot in. I can't help but wonder if the "forgiving" and minimalizing attitudes of the older generation helped create an environment where 18 boys and men could do something this horrible.

[jtown1123]

20. Their reactions had no counterreactions or framing, that is what upsets me

[jtown1123]

16. Mother Jones Piece on This:

http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2011/03/new-york-times-texas-rape

Great explanation

[KittyWampus]

19. No, the Times did NOT blame the victim. Stop the bullshit please.

The Times has a lot of blood on its hands but in this case it reported the story and quotes.

[jtown1123]

21. Then you do not understand journalism ethics or responsibility

From Mother Jones: You can't blame a reporter for reporting uncomfortable facts, like this evidence of a culture that places more responsibility on victims and has more sympathy for rapists. You can blame a reporter, though, for not using the tools available to him to provide a basic balance of information and opinions. A transition like this could follow that last quote: "But others have different concerns, like…" Now insert a quote from a person wondering what it's going to be like for the victim to have nightmares, post-traumatic stress, depression, possibly crippling intimacy issues for a very long time. Instead, the only other people quoted are saying things like this:

The rest: http://motherjones.com/rights-stuff/2011/03/new-york-times-texas-rape

As an aside, a lot of language was not quoted, as you suggest. "Drawn into" was the reporter's words.

[GeorgeGist]

23. These are the folks who refine ...

the Texas stereotype.