HLN: 'Wearing a Bikini on Spring Break is Asking for Rape'

[MrScorpio]

Colleen Claes

MARCH 22, 2010 8:11PM

EDITOR’S PICK

Listen. I didn't ask for HLN to be on when I turned on my television after work today. And I didn't want Jane Velez-Mitchell's awful show, Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell, to be on either, mishandling the topic of rape.

The "issue" at hand was the number of young women who have been raped in Daytona Beach while on Spring Break. The tacky, insensitive graphic on the bottom of the screen read: "SPRING BREAK RAPES!" in screeching italics. The sorry-ass-excuse of a "debate" going on behind the graphics was far worse.

Given that I have apparently been the sole outraged Tweeter of this show (believe me - I searched for it), and am probably one of five people in the country watching it this evening, let me fill you in on the highlights (or lowlights):

A female psychologist (the most educated-sounding of the three on the panel) explains that women have a hard time coming forth with a rape crime because it is "the only crime where you are forced to participate, and you feel the shame of participating." While "participate" is probably not the best verb choice, it's still a good stab at meaningful insight.

Host Jane Velez-Mitchell's response? Word for word: "Listen, I don't like to blame the victim, BUT..." As she goes on to - seriously - say, "If you're scantily-clad, wearing nothing but a skimpy bikini, I mean...You're making yourself vulnerable." (OH. MY. GOD.) Then she claims that everyone has to "respect the gavel" as she holds one up and goes to commercial break. (Since I don't watch, ever, I'm assuming this is some kind of gimmick.)

Random ex-frat-boy-looking dude on the panel's response after the commercial break? He was going to say the same thing Jane said, but did not out of fear that he'd be attacked because, as he says with dripping sarcasm...Are you ready? "These women are SUPPOSEDLY wearing this 'burka' of shame..." (Oh. And then my conscience imploded.) REALLY, dude?! A BURKA of shame? You somehow managed to offend both rape survivors and Muslim women who wear the burka in one short sentence. Kudos.

Psychologist woman shakes her head. Old random dude makes generic "Where are the parents?" argument, and everyone snickers at him for thinking parents would ever be present on Spring Break.

Final verdict from Jane: Her life experience as a "recovering alcoholic" makes her credible, of course, on the subject of drunken black-outs. And since you CAN "function" and yet "not remember" what you did the night before, this makes for a very fuzzy rape crime case. And again, she says it:"I'm the LAST person to blame the victim, but."And then something that's supposed to sound like logical thought spews out of her mouth.

Final verdict from ex-frat boy dude: "Listen, we can't stop rapists from committing rape. But we can reduce the number of rapes that occur by women not walking around scantily-clad and drinking so much on Spring Break." (Um...excuse me?! Who the hell bred this jackass?!)

Conclusively, ladies, beware: If you go on Spring Break and drink, wear a bikini, go to the beach, travel without your parents, or do anything that you would normally do while on Spring Break - you are partially to blame for being raped if this tragically occurs. Well, at least according to Ms. Jane "Send Females Back 70 years" Velez-Mitchell and her Broski.

I realize that this is opening myself up to a debate from men and women alike, with opinions of either "females should not be blamed for their rape" (my point of view) or "well, there are certain cases where they're kind of asking for it." Believe me, I've heard every argument that could ever enrage me on the subject of rape, but the point I'm making here is how tactlessly, insultingly, and plain disgustingly the topic was approached on this show. That's the thing.

She ended the debate by saying, "Thank you panel! Great insight." And then her producers cut to the newest, sensational story about a kidnapped woman. Oh, and a Jesse James/Sandra Bullock update. Such a sensitive and meaningful handling of the subject of rape, Jane. You should really be proud of yourself. (See, bro? That's how you do sarcasm.)

http://open.salon.com/blog/colleenclaes/2010/03/22/hln_bikinis_on_spring_break_are_to_blame_for_rape

I normally don't watch HLN. I've found this article particularly eye opening.

[mrcheerful]

1. I guess someone forgot to mention women wearing bee keeper suites in the middle east

Also get raped. Stupid 1950's talking points are really stupid to use in 2010.

[MrScorpio]

4. Even with the burkas victims are prosecuted for the crimes committed against them

Modesty is no guarantee of protection

[zbdent]

16. and, don't forget ... getting stoned to death for having sex outside marriage

/ with someone other than your husband.

Unless the attacker is ID'd by several male witnesses who are willing to say the attacker raped the woman ...

[damntexdem]

2. But without the bikini, the spring breaker would be nude.

But, yeah, it's the age-old story of blaming the victim of rape for the clothes worn.

[Hello_Kitty]

3. These discussions have to focus on the women's behavior

Otherwise someone might ask why Teh Dudez aren't expected to be able to control themselves and we can't have that!

[uppityperson]

26. +++++100000000000

[Odin2005]

30. +1

[Echo In Light]

5. .

[Mari333]

31. I am so stealing that gif

[Ozymanithrax]

6. I'm a 57 year old male college student and really wanted to wear a bikini at spring break.

Damn that Jane Velez-Mitchell.
Damn her to hell.

No one asks to be mugged and have their wallet stolen simply because they walk down the street.
No one asks to be kidnapped and held for ransom simply because they have money.
No one, and especially no woman, asks to be raped because she wears a bikini.

Rape is a violent, ugly, crime of domination. A woman could run naked on the beach or on main street and she is not asking to be raped. It is never her fault.

Some people are a waste of breath.

[Warpy]

7. Babies and old women get raped, too

I suppose it's those sexy diapers we wear at the extreme ends of our life spans.

Of all the horseshit that needs to die, it's the horseshit that victims of crimes are responsible somehow for having those crimes committed against them. People have the right to walk down a city street with money in their wallets. Women have a right to be appropriately dressed on a beach.

Criminals do not have a right to rob or rape.

I wish these women hating patriarchs would get that through their cement skulls.

[Mad_Dem_X]

22. +1. It's not just young women who get raped.

Are babies and the elderly "asking for it," too? The rapist is the one who is wrong, ALWAYS.

[jmowreader]

8. You're supposed to wear one of these, right?

Now understand: as a dress that's not bad--boring, but not too bad. But it's not being sold as a dress, it's being sold as a swimsuit.

[uppityperson]

27. Slut. I can see her ankles, shoulders and chest. Slut.

:sarcasm: just in case

[jmowreader]

33. It's worse than that

You can see her whole face and her bare arms, her hair is uncovered and she's wearing lipstick. All tolled, according to the Christian muttawa, means any man should be free to have any kind of sex they want with her and if she doesn't WANT to have sex with them, right then, it's her own damn fault.

I'm being only slightly sarcastic here because there are WAY too many people over there who think rape is the woman's fault.

[Tansy_Gold]

9. A murder victim

Several years ago, while I was taking a graduate course titled "Sociology of Murder," the brother of one of my fellow students was shot during a robbery of the convenience store where he worked the night shift. Two days after the robbery, he died.

No one in the class considered him to blame for his murder, even though he engaged in what might be considered "risky" behavior. He was working in a convenience store that had cash and cold beer (the two items the thief took). He was working alone. The store was in a poor neighborhood. Now, all his behaviors were perfectly legal and could be considered by some people to be "dangerous."

Why, then, is a woman who engages in "risky" but perfectly legal behavior considered to be at fault if someone else, against her will, rapes her?

Why? Because blaming her lets the rapist off the hook, and our culture is still male-dominated. Men's rights -- ESPECIALLY MEN'S SEXUAL RIGHTS -- are still protected, still fiercely argued, and women are still blamed and made to pay the price.

Bart Stupak, anyone?



Tansy Gold

[Pryderi]

10. If you wear a Cartier watch and nice shoes, you're just asking to be mugged, right? n/t

[rfranklin]

12. Actually, in some neighborhoods that would be correct...

What it says about this discussion, I don't know.

[Berry Cool]

14. That's part of the problem--that attitude.

Yes, if you wear an expensive watch and shoes in some neighborhoods, it advertises that you have money, and thus makes you more vulnerable to being mugged. But does it mean you DESERVE to be mugged?

Does a "right" of poor people, or of crooks, to mug rich people if they dare to enter a poor neighborhood wearing items that make them look wealthy, exist? Are these people fair prey?

I think not. I think the basic rule of law is that nobody has a right to steal anything from anybody else, no matter how ostentatiously a rich person may display wealth before a poor person.

Under the law, what's ours belongs to us. And under the law, a woman's body belongs to her, too--even if she has a really beautiful one and flaunts it.

[rfranklin]

23. You are arguing against a point that was not put forth...

I never said that person deserved to be mugged. But if you are silly enough to flash a solid gold watch in a neighborhood that you know to be dangerous, you should not be surprised if someone relieves you of that bauble.

[Kalyke]

11. I suggest Velez-Mitchell and ex-frat boy dude need this manual:

Sexual Assault Prevention Tips Guaranteed to Work

1. Don’t put drugs in women’s drinks.

2. When you see a woman walking by herself, leave her alone.

3. If you pull over to help a woman whose car has broken down, remember not to assault her.

4. If you are in a lift and a woman gets in, don’t assault her. You know what? Don’t even ogle her.

5. When you encounter a woman who is asleep, the safest course of action is to not assault her.

6. Never creep into a woman’s home through an unlocked door or window, or spring out at her from between parked cars, or assault her.

7. When you lurk in bushes and doorways with criminal intentions, always wear bright clothing, wave a flashlight, or play “Boys Who Rape (Should All Be Destroyed)” by the Raveonettes on a boombox really loud, so women in the vicinity will know where to aim their flamethrowers.

8. USE THE BUDDY SYSTEM! If it is inconvenient for you to stop yourself from assaulting women, ask a trusted friend to accompany you when in public.

9. Carry a rape whistle. If you find that you are about to assault a woman, you can hand the whistle to your buddy, so s/he can blow it to call for help.

10. Give your buddy a revolver, so that when indifferent passers-by either ignore the rape whistle, or gather round to enjoy the spectacle, s/he can pistol-whip you.

Don’t forget: Honesty is the best policy. When asking a woman out on a date, don’t pretend that you are interested in her as a person; tell her straight up that you expect to be assaulting her later. If you don’t communicate your intentions, the woman may take it as a sign that you do not plan to rape her.

[Berry Cool]

15. I like that list!

It's time the men shouldered the burden of rape prevention, instead of the women!

We need an Ad Council equivalent of Smokey Bear.

"Remember, men--you're the ones with the penises, so you're the only ones with any control over what is done with them. Only YOU can prevent rape."

[dalaigh lllama]

19. You should post that as an OP. Excellent list!

[etherealtruth]

24. Oh my gosh, thanbk youfor "the list"

I really wanted to read it again after arguing with some jack-ass last night about rape

[uppityperson]

28. EXCELLENT list, thank you. Very good. eom

[Odin2005]

32. 11. If you brefriend a disabled woman, don't rape her.

[sandyj999]

13. Did we time travel back to the 50's when I wasn't looking? n/t

[sandyj999]

20. Headline News I believe Nancy Grace (enough said)

[Matariki]

17. What's 'HLN'?

don't watch tv, but want to avoid 'HLN' at all costs - whatever it is.

[Quantess]

18. CNN's Headline News, I'm guessing?

Which would be the same channel that featured 2 hours primetime of Glenn Beck every weeknight, before he went to FOX.

[dchill]

21. Used to mean Headline News...

Now it's "HLN" - for "Hot Lewd Nudes!"

[uppityperson]

25. Males cannot control their emotional need to dominate every female they see, right?

And, men rape women because women are drunk or otherwise vulnerable and the men just can't control themselves?

[Odin2005]

29. WTF!?!

:grr: