A girl was raped, and the media says what?

[eridani]

[davidpdx]

1. I saw this on Facebook

Fortunately I didn't watch coverage form any of these sources. The commentary that is given in most court cases is really where they go way overboard.

[get the red out]

2. So entrenched

They are so entrenched in "blame the victim" that they can't even see the rape culture right in front of their eyes.

[lunatica]

12. That's why it's called rape culture

[get the red out]

14. Journalists

One would hope that real "journalists" would be able to take a more dispassionate view than continued support of the culture though.

[Puglover]

3. Jesus Christ

that is beyond disgusting.

[kdmorris]

4. It is so disgusting that they would blame the girl

(and at 16, she is still a girl). Par for the course when dealing with athletes - they can do no wrong, whether it's raping someone, beating their girlfriend up or fighting a bunch of helpless dogs.

[bighart]

22. Not just athletes, celebs in general

I seem to recall a lot of support for Roman Polanski.

[kdmorris]

29. Good point n/t

[OldDem2012]

32. And the super wealthy who can usually buy their way out of trouble. nt.

[tjwash]

5. And look at all the free advertising they get to boot

NT

[City Lights]

6. Our corporate media is a disgrace.

[myrna minx]

7. NBC News radio made a *point* to note that the victim was drunk.

I guess that should exonerate those poor boys! It's disgusting.

[get the red out]

15. They were all drunk

My God, didn't any of these idiots ever go to college or high school? So what, she was drunk, I knew lots of young men when I was in college who drank at the parties with young women and never raped anyone, in fact, I never knew one that did rape anyone. Now how did that happen? Oh, yea, they had a conscious and knew right from wrong, fancy that.

[myrna minx]

39. I just can't believe that's how they reported the guilty verdict

for news at the "top of the hour" on NBC News radio. It was unbelievable.

We have so far to go.

[tblue37]

38. There was some indication that she might have

been roofied, and even that she went unconscious after just one drink, not several, but those witnesses suddenly clammed up or changed their stories.

[myrna minx]

40. She probably was, but due to the horrible "investigation", we'll never know

because testing wasn't done. The fact that NBC News radio "top of the hour" headlines reported the guilty verdict and mention she was drunk in the same headline. It's horrifying. No wonder women don't come forward.

[NYC Liberal]

56. That should make the crime more heinous not less!

But of course in rape culture the victim is to blame

[caseymoz]

8. The sentences were light.

By any standard you use, the judge went easy.

I'm relieved because I thought for sure he was going to acquit them. That would have been far worse for the girl, to have the court declare that she hadn't been raped.

[Puglover]

9. Hal Sparks

is talking about this on the Stephanie Miller right now.

[caseymoz]

10. They should have just lifted their stories from the Onion.

Warning: this comedy vid is almost unwatchable in light of this case. I post it for comparison purposes. Onion? or MSM news?

[link:http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zWLJZw9Ws-g|Athlete Overcomes Rape
]

[caseymoz]

11. Fixed link after several attempts. nt

[kdmorris]

16. It's incredibly sad that you can't tell

whether that's the Onion or the current MSM. So like watching CNN...

[caseymoz]

17. The Onion got rape culture right . . .

I have to marvel at it. This was somehow funny before the Steubenville reporting, and now it's just sad.

[Blue_Tires]

36. That's too close to reality to be satire...

[caseymoz]

43. That video is 2 years old. nt

[ReRe]

13. Truth is...

K&R

.... we don't know WHAT those boys gave her to keep her zonked for all those hours. I say they slipped something into her drink while she wasn't looking. Well, they aren't laughing now, are they? I hope the girl is getting the help she needs to try to get over this.

[mountain grammy]

18. Sympathy for the rapists, the victim was drunk.. unacceptable reporting of the crime.

And it is a crime, a violation, an assault on a young girl. There is no other way to report it. The mainstream American media is a travisty, nothing more.

[BlueJazz]

19. Promising students ..huh....to me they're pieces of human garbage.

At least there's this>>"I see in your application, you spent some time in jail for raping a 16 year old girl...funny, I've got a daughter who is 16...well...I've keep your Resume and let you know"

[Divernan]

31. Saw 1 perp referred to as an "honor student". Hah! Got A's for being a jock, no doubt.

When you read about the football culture - more of a cult/religion in Steubenville, it seems likely the jocks got high grades with minimal efforts. God knows I've seen that in some colleges.
Here's a review of the high school, posted by a student's mother:

Posted January 14, 2013

Steubenville and their athletic program is the last place you would want to send your child. Why is this school even listed on the Great Schools website when clearly the school, teachers and coaches fail to educate individuals that are fit for society. Sports coaches at this school should not be working anywhere near impressionable children and adolescents. As a parent...stay clear of this school and as a mother, keep your daughters away from the football and softball team. This school's pride for their sports team or "BIG RED" culture provides young men with a very damaging sense of authority, at the expense of others without little regard. Do you really want your child to follow and accept this school's "Big Red" culture?
—Submitted by a parent

And here's a review supposedly posted by a student, although the poor spelling and fulsome praise for the football coach indicates it might really have been one of those 27 football coaches:

Steubenville Big Red is one a place of great chracter. The academics are wonderful and the the teachers help the students to accel to their greatest potentiel. Not to mention the great athletics and football organization lead by Head Coach Reno Saccocia that has much success over his 25 year reign. It is truly a great school that I am proud to attend.
—Submitted by a student

[BlueJazz]

37. Geez, my English teacher would be shocked at the content of the second letter.

27 couches !!!!
I don't know WHAT to say about that

[RedstDem]

49. i wouldn't send my child there

girl or boy

[abelenkpe]

20. Drunk? No

Like everyone I've seen many of my friends gets drunk and do foolish things. There is a difference between being drunk and being drugged. Someone put roofies in her drink. The whole thing was a premeditated revenge attack on an underage girl. Those kids got off easy. Anyone blaming the girl is a sick sick person.

[siligut]

21. This has to be said over and over

"Someone put roofies in her drink. The whole thing was a premeditated revenge attack . . ." The boys were kidding about her being dead, she was so knocked-out.

[Iris]

26. I remember one high school spring break

this happened to a friend of mine. Fortunately, nothing happened. This whole incident just makes me flash back to that time. Basically, my memory is of two other girls walking with her - one on each side- keeping her upright, taking care of her until we all got back to our hotel room. Years later, she said she thought something had been slipped into her drink because she never experienced something that devastating after that one incident.

Even if the girls hadn't looked out for her, I know for certain that most of the guys we hung out with (we all went to spring break together in droves) would not have allowed that to happen to her, much less participated. And this is a small thing, but what I really sticks out to me is how they dragged her around like a rag doll vs. one of them picking her up and carrying her. If they were concerned for her, one of them would have carried her like a child, not dragged her around or hoisted her over their shoulders like a sack of potatoes (which I know didn't happen, but I'm sure if either of them had even considered carrying her, that's how they would have done it.)

[redqueen]

27. I don't think stressing this distinction helps.

It doesn't matter if she was drunk. It was still rape.

IMO stressing that she was drugged only feeds the idea that if she was drunk, it would somehow make it partly her fault. It contributes to victim-blaming.

[abelenkpe]

34. I agree it was rape

But there should be additional charges of kidnapping and drugging her. Drugging her drink makes their crime far worse. And one would think would stop the hideously wrong insinuation that the victim was to blame.

[redqueen]

35. I doubt charges for drugging her are forthcoming, absent new evidence.

And one would think would stop the hideously wrong insinuation that the victim was to blame.

Yeah, but at what cost? Because it would only reinforcing that if she was drunk, then the insinuation is somehow more valid.

[Curmudgeoness]

51. I think I was listening to that same caller.

Either that, or there are a lot of sick bastards out there calling radio stations. The caller I heard was on Youngstown afternoon drive time. And I have heard that same thing plenty of times already----funny how it is always from men!

Welcome to DU!

[Dryvinwhileblind]

23. Hey Anonymous...

...hack these POSERS, take 'em down....soon. We ABSOLUTELY need, now more than ever, a major news outlet for the People, non partisan "reporting", w/o the glossed over tricks, then grow that into the "Peoples Network", unencumbered by the robber barons. Are there NO people of integrity left in this "profession"? Surely this has been broached by citizens a hell of a lot smarter than me, yes?

[Mnemosyne]

24. Every 'news' story I have heard has depicted the poor girl as "drunken". Argh. nt

[dawnie51]

25. This is a case ...

where the crime is actually recorded, on tape, visible and indisputable; what chance does a woman have who does not have photographic proof of her rape? I am beyond disgusted by these people.

[spedtr90]

28. Athlete overcomes trauma of committing a terrible rape - The Onion

CNN was almost there...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=zWLJZw9Ws-g

[Soundman]

30. Can anyone direct me to a short story on the facts of this case?

I'm not interested in opinion I can form those on my own.

From what I see in the headlines that were posted in the op it could go either way. Seems on one hand they are showing what can happen to a young man if he strays from the path and allows his animal instincts to control him. It also says that a girl being drunk is not too be taken advantage of. I would have to see the abc news story before I believe the framing here. But at first glance I could see how this can be seen in a positive light for educational purposes. Or am I missing the point altogether?

[toby jo]

41. I live in this county - coverage has been endless

The kids were drinking, she asked the boys for a ride to the next party.

She was not dragged around from location to location, repeatedly and severely raped.

She was digitally penetrated at one location. That was with a finger.

She basically got drunk along with the party crowd, wound up naked and fingerfucked. On film.

One boy got a year in juvie, another got 2. They are both to be labeled life-long sexual predators. They may be held til they are 21.

There is to be a grand jury convening April 15th on other evidence and more prosecutions.

Opinion - the boys should have been able to stop themselves and help her out. She should have been able to stop herself, and get out. The ajudication is grossly out of proportion to the crime, too harsh, in my book. The football atmosphere here, as well as in most places is toxic. I hope the coach goes down, they are also after the local prosecutor, whose son was one of the boys that took film and then erased it, so he will supposedly not be charged. They are after a few parents, and the sheriff. It is a very corrupt county. There is probably a bottomless pit of discovery if they want.

You may catch some clear facts by local paper - The Herald Star. Keep in mind it's gross right-wing .

[WCLinolVir]

47. Where do you get your info?? Cause I have investigated this case and

I did not get that it was merely, as you say " a finger fucking". I also read all the texts and the statements which infer that she was solicited to attend the parties and picked up. "Opinion - the boys should have been able to stop themselves and help her out. She should have been able to stop herself, and get out. The ajudication is grossly out of proportion to the crime, too harsh, in my book. "
You have no idea what this girl was put through apparently and are ignoring all the evidence. Her lack of memory and her physical symptoms are also indicative of being drugged. Get a fu**ing clue.

[Soundman]

48. Thanks

By the reaction here I thought she was repeatedly raped and sodomized by the whole team and they were selling copies of it on iTunes.

I wonder if the trauma from the incident or the non stop media orgy that has surrounded it will cause the girl the most issues in life?

[WCLinolVir]

50. WOW. Unbelievable. Talk about clueless.

Let's see, which issue will cause the most problems. People blaming her, adults who did nothing, a group of people who call themselves the "rape crew" actually doing this to her and posting about it, an environment where this was allowed to happen more than once, apparently. A premeditated act that was where a girl is probably drugged, assaulted, treated like garbage, peed on, and dumped on the grass before dawn, unconscious. And you wonder what is worse? How about the complicity of a town trying to diminish the horrific acts of rapists because they play football and women are apparently fodder for abuse.

[Soundman]

58. Speculate much?

The wife and I had a nice chat about it last night, and if the person who responded to my post gave mostly correct information the outrage doesn't fit the crime. Sorry just don't see it. Perhaps you can direct me to the girls side of the story or has she appointed you as her spokesman and advocate?

[REP]

55. You're right; the rapists should have been tried as adults and sent to prison, not juvvy

At least they'll be branded as what they are for the rest if their lives: sex criminals and rapists.

And oh yes, the girl should have stopped herself from being the victim of a plot to drug and rape her. She was sooooo irresponsible.

Enjoy your stay.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

33. my comment sent to CNN:

CNN drips with Pity for pitiless young men who thought destroying a young girl (she's a minor) was hilarious? There are indications she was drugged, too, in order to facilitate their "fun". 

I can't describe the depths of my outrage, that your supposedly professional staff would twist public sympathy towards evil little entitled boys who are only sorry they got caught, while ignoring the fact that because of their craven acts, a promising young GIRL's life has been scarred forever. 

You not only owe the world an apology, you need to overhaul your attitudes if CNN's corporate culture can result in staff who dont understand the responsibility they bear to the survivors of conscienceless, violent jocks. 

[Whisp]

44. that's a good letter, Blanche. I toasted my bread just holding it up to your words on the monitor

they deserve those heated words and more.

I hope they feel the shame they should. I hope they get thousands and thousands of letters like yours.

Thank you.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

57. lol!

Now I'm kind of craving an english muffin, thanks to you!

Me too, I hope they got thousands and thousands of similar letters!!!

[just1voice]

42. MSM is trying hard to sell HS football interest, helps sells cars on TV

MSM only cares about what it can sell, they stopped giving a crap about news, reality, morals or ethics years ago.

[nyquil_man]

46. There are plenty of promising students with promising careers who don't rape 16 year olds.

This handwringing over two who do is sickening.

[demwing]

52. Actually, that part about drinking...?

If it makes even a handful of guys realize that having sex with a drunken girl isn't a damned YouTube party video, it's rape, and it's a serious crime...

I think I might be OK with that. Don't shame the victim, but make it clear that her being drunk isn't an excuse for him. If the goal is to have less men committing rapes in the first place, then yeah, I might be OK with that.

[MrMickeysMom]

53. Aren't ALL students PROMISING? ...

Take, for example, the mental trauma that this teenaged girl has undergone, compounded by threats and now the news media... Any promise of making it through without a lot of therapy and moving out of Ohio is pretty much not gonna be too promising.

All of these organizations make me want to puke. They have no concept of what is news anyway.

The NEWS is that we have been dragged into the bottom of the barrel for what passes AS news, and if you are a victim of rape, be prepared to be verbally raped some more.

Fucking pieces of shit.... Join me in never reading from them or watching them.

[lbrtbell]

54. Here's why this culture exists.

Men: Threatened by women making advances in society, so they feed their sense of persecution by pretending that false rape charges are everywhere...and keep women down by the ever-present threat of rape.

Women: Terrified by the aforementioned ever-present threat of rape, blame the victim's actions to convince themselves that they'll be safe from rape by not making the same "mistakes".

And thus, the age-old game of Blame The Victim continues, ad nauseum.