Portrayal of a Rape Victim
To the Editor:
Not surprisingly, I found the March 9 news article about the gang rape of a young girl, “Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town,” disturbing.
Almost as disturbing were the characterizations of the victim and her mother. While the 18 boys and men charged with the attack were described in innocuous terms except that a few had criminal records, I was shocked to see the article report that town residents said the 11-year-old girl “dressed older than her age, wearing makeup and fashions more appropriate to a woman in her 20s.” The article continued, “She would hang out with teenage boys at a playground, some said.”
How is this relevant except to subtly blame the victim?
A resident of the town was quoted as asking: “Where was her mother? What was her mother thinking?” — as if her mother were somehow to blame for this heinous crime.
I wonder why these particular quotes were included. The suspects are innocent until proved guilty, but shouldn’t the victim be afforded the same rights?
Jinnie Spiegler
Brooklyn, March 9, 2011
Not surprisingly, I found the March 9 news article about the gang rape of a young girl, “Vicious Assault Shakes Texas Town,” disturbing.
Almost as disturbing were the characterizations of the victim and her mother. While the 18 boys and men charged with the attack were described in innocuous terms except that a few had criminal records, I was shocked to see the article report that town residents said the 11-year-old girl “dressed older than her age, wearing makeup and fashions more appropriate to a woman in her 20s.” The article continued, “She would hang out with teenage boys at a playground, some said.”
How is this relevant except to subtly blame the victim?
A resident of the town was quoted as asking: “Where was her mother? What was her mother thinking?” — as if her mother were somehow to blame for this heinous crime.
I wonder why these particular quotes were included. The suspects are innocent until proved guilty, but shouldn’t the victim be afforded the same rights?
Jinnie Spiegler
Brooklyn, March 9, 2011
