Women, girls rape victims in Haiti quake aftermath

[cory777]

Source: AP

By MICHELLE FAUL, Associated Press Writer Michelle Faul, Associated Press Writer – Tue Mar 16, 8:43 pm ET

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – When the young woman needed to use the toilet, she went out into the darkened tent camp and was attacked by three men.

"They grabbed me, put their hands over my mouth and then the three of them took turns," the slender 21-year-old said, wriggling with discomfort as she nursed her baby girl, born three days before Haiti's devastating quake.

"I am so ashamed. We're scared people will find out and shun us," said the woman, who suffers from abdominal pain and itching, likely from an infection contracted during the attack.

Women and children as young as 2, already traumatized by the loss of homes and loved ones in the Jan. 12 catastrophe, are now falling victim to rapists in the sprawling tent cities that have become home to hundreds of thousands of people.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100317/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_haiti_earthquake

[Demit]

1. Sometimes headlines really need a verb.

[hlthe2b]

6. Exactly... Do editors even exist anymore?

Women, girls go from "victims" to "perpetrators" of rape at AP's sloppy hands...

[lunatica]

2. Haiti is Hell on Earth

None of this should be a surprise to anyone if they understand that poverty is terrorism unleashed on countless billions on this planet. Haiti is just that part of the poverty iceberg that's above the water line for everyone to see. How many times do we have to see this happen in the poorest countries before we make the connections.

Does anyone think it'll be any different here as tent cities grow? Give it time. Haiti and places like Somalia are prologue to any country that is gutted and ruined by their ruling class.

[Odin2005]

3. There are no words...

:cry:

[Pab Sungenis]

4. Or even just a qualifier and extra comma.

"Women, girls, victims OF rape in...."

Just another "let's eat Grandma!" situation.

[Beacool]

5. Same old, same old................

Women and girls are always prey. It seems that no matter the continent, country, race or even century, females are always used to satisfy the low instincts of predatory males. The story repeats itself ad nauseam.

Is it ever going to stop????????


x(

[Mike K]

11. You are correct in saying -

- there always will be predatory males. But it is the inherent nature of a culture that determines whether such conduct will manifest or if the predators know better than to brazenly commit such uncivilized offenses against women.

[chelsea0011]

7. And why do I need to know she was "slender"?

[marshall]

10. From the standpoint of the writer it highlights her vulnerability

They also mention that she is young and that she just recently gave birth. Writers want to evoke emotions from the reader.

I don't look at it as the equivalent of saying she is sexy, or voluptuous, etc. In times of hardship and famine being slender isn't considered a thing of beauty. At least that's what I learned in a cultural history class.

[lunatica]

12. Reporters always do a small description of who they're writing about

So you can get some sort of human feel about them. It's standard operating procedure in journalism.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

8. 1 in 3 women will be abused, assaulted or raped in their lifetime.

the percentage is HIGHER in some countries.
Yet I've seen quibbling about using the word "epidemic" to describe the rampant violence against us.

Women's rights (for example the right to live without undue fear of violence) are priority number eight hundred and ninety three in the world it seems. Where are the campaigns calling for a new perspective, that MEN can and must change their behavior, that the male-centered perspective dominating the culture deserves to change? Where are the discussions and analysis of cultural norms? Violence against women is so embedded, so "normal" it can only be discussed as the actions of a lone, twisted individual, and not a symptom of the deepest systemic patterns. Noooooooooo; generalized, accepted, socialized male centrality has nothing to do with anything.

Go ahead and focus comments on grammar..... form over substance, always.

[Beacool]

9. Yep, you are correct.

In college I took a human sexuality class. We once discussed a survey that had been conducted at another university. The sobering point of the survey was one particular question: "If you could force a woman to have sex with you knowing that you would not suffer any repercussions, would you do it? A full 48% responded yes. These were our future doctors, lawyers, politicians, etc.

Very disturbing........

:(

[BlancheSplanchnik]

16. geez

yeah....

was there any discussion after that revelation? Any attempt to wake up the men in the class? -- who I assume would have given similar answers to such a question, if they were assured of confidentiality.

Here's a link I'd like to see grow:
http://www.standupguys.org/

[mfcorey1]

13. Use some of the money that has been collected

to spread portable lights throughout those tent camps. Hire Blackwater that has been fired from Iraq. They need a job. Let them patrol and bust a cap in the behinds of the young thugs that have taken over.

[BlueIris]

15. "Hire Blackwater that has been fired from Iraq."

Yeah, that'll help.

[defendandprotect]

14. Patriarchy's war on women rolls on . . . carried out by those they

teach to rape and to be violent --

to disrespect females --

The "bird with one wing" is suicidal!!