Comments on: G.W. Paper Criticizes Sexual Assault Victims’ Lack of “Responsibility”

By: what we talk about when we talk about rape cases – deviance, rape culture, and the courtroom « Pocochina’s Weblog

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 22:27:56 +0000

[...] we don’t think that way about rape. We victim-blame and not-my-Nigel and raise the bar on “true suffering” to an impossible extent [...]

By: Good Work! | Change Happens: The SAFER Blog

Good Work! | Change Happens: The SAFER Blog — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:09:06 +0000

[...] Amanda at The Sexist takes on the victim-blaming going on at George Washington University. [...]

By: Attorney Uses “Boys Will Be Boys” Defense in Alleged Sexual Assault : The Curvature

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:01:02 +0000

[...] Seth Rudnitsky allegedly entered several dorm rooms illegally and then attempted to sexually assault.... Apparently Rudnitsky has even confessed to entering the dorm rooms and touching the women, though [...]

By: Lawyer Calls Attempted Sexual Assault “Being Silly” - The Sexist - Washington City Paper

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:25:52 +0000

[...] charged with first-degree burglary after allegedly entering a G.W. residence hall and attempting to sexually assault several sleeping women. That’s according to the charging documents in the case, which allege that Rudnitsky [...]

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:48 +0000

*has not been and is not currently a place, sorry

By: Emily

Emily — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:36:32 +0000

The GW Hatchet has not and is not generally a place where compassionate reporting on sexual assault occurs.

Take Back the Night, which occurs every year on campus, is shoddily covered, and sexual assaults are usually used as "teaching moments" for "irresponsible women".

Seriously.

By: Joe Schmoe

Joe Schmoe — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 20:43:45 +0000

"No one would say a man going about his business in the restroom was an “opportunity” for assault."

Actually, a man is quite vulnerable taking a piss. A lot of assaults and pick-pocketing occurs.

By: Christen

Christen — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:24:30 +0000

No one would say a man going about his business in the restroom was an "opportunity" for assault.

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:20:42 +0000

This isn't the first time the Hatchet has had questionable attitudes about sexual assault. Here's a gem from last year:
"Just like people think they normally wouldn't get up on a bar and dance, but after a few drinks, there they are on the bar dancing, people start to drink and do a lot of things they normally wouldn't do - like sexual assault[...]"
http://media.www.gwhatchet.com/media/storage/paper332/news/2008/10/06/Life/Slice.Of.Life.A.Call.To.Step.Up.And.Take.Responsibility-3471514.shtml

By: Kate-Madonna

Kate-Madonna — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 01:25:03 +0000

What an illogical argument on your behalf, Rick.
I suppose the next time you forget to lock your doors in an environment you feel safe and a robber comes, and harms your family or steals your valuables... maybe you'll just shrug and say, "MEH. Not their fault- shoulda locked my doors."

I find it hard to believe you have no compassion for these victims.

By: Rick Pierce

Rick Pierce — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:35:16 +0000

"These general safety precautions—lock your doors and don’t leave your guests unattended—are good to know, but it doesn’t take a G.W. Hatchet editorial for students to finally understand the arguments in favor of locking doors." ...I'm confused, isn't it the students failure to lock their doors precisely what led to the opportunity? And then wouldn't it require the newspaper to point it out for the future? Safety precautions are exactly that - precautions. It's your responsibility to employ them and I don't understand exactly how it's a failure of this editorial in identifying that. I hope your editor writes back and explain how an illogical and poorly argued blogpost made it onto the web under the CityPaper brand.