And here we come to the end of a week about rape.
Two stories were much talked about in these here Broadsides parts. One was the brutal sexual assault by an Egyptian mob of CBS journalist Lara Logan and the other was the Toronto cop who really stepped in it when he told a York University audience that, if women wanted to avoid getting raped, they should avoid dressing like a ''slut.''
First, Logan. I have not much new to say about this. I do want to point out that we still don't know much about her attack although I fully expect she will eventually tell her story. She's a pro. I also want to express my utter disgust at the usual neocon suspects who used this incident to accuse Muslims (and maybe they were Christians in that mob?) of bestial behaviour. (And no, I am not linking to them.) And it's pretty clear that this goof is trying to cover his most kickable butt. Some pretty crappy things were written in the wake of Logan's ordeal -- including comments about her appearance, as if looks have anything to do with sexual assault. Great read about that here.
Which brings us to the Toronto incident. The cop in question has apparently apologized.
A police officer who suggested women can avoid sexual assault by not dressing like “sluts” has apologized, saying he is “embarrassed” by the remark and that assaulted women are “not victims by choice.”
“I made a comment which was poorly thought out and did not reflect the commitment of the Toronto Police Service to the victims of sexual assaults,” Const. Michael Sanguinetti wrote on Thursday to Osgoode Hall Law School where he made the comment.
“Violent crimes such as sexual assaults can have a traumatizing effect on their victims. . . . My comment was hurtful in this respect.”
Uh, it was wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy beyond hurtful. It was stupid, sexist, ignorant, inaccurate ... need I go on?
Women and girls of all ages get raped. Young, old, short, tall, fat, thin, blonde, brunette, in burkas and bikinis, in wheelchairs and on crutches.
Rape is not about some dick seeing some hot looking woman and suddenly deciding to put a knife to her throat and violently assault her. It is about some sick guy who wants to exert power and control over women.
Rape is also a weapon of war, an invasion and occupation of the body and soul of a people.
If they're sleeping soundly in their beds when some killer breaks in, whose fault is it? If they're walking home from work and they're attacked, whose fault is it? If they're in the parking garage of their hotel and some guy jumps them, whose fault is it?
So why did this police officer -- and so many others -- put the blame and responsibility on the victims?
Has the Toronto police force learned NOTHING from the repeated and sustained efforts of Jane Doe, the woman who successfully sued the cops for allowing her to be attacked by a serial rapist? What kinds of thing do the police say among themselves when a rape victim comes in and wants to report an attack?
And we wonder why so few women do go to the police? And why so many rapists are never charged, let alone convicted?
If rape is to be avoided, isn't is better to educate the potential rapists???
Click here for the Top 10 Tips For Avoiding Rape.
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