The Media and Victims
New York Post front covers, July 2, 2011 (top) and August 10, 2011
Although fair and balanced reporting on sexual assault does exist, we have encountered example after example of victims being attacked and slandered in mainstream media reporting of sex crimes. In no other crime does a victim face so much scrutiny and blame. In a climate where victims of rape who come forward publicly face so much stigma and where rape as a crime is--at the very least--downplayed and misunderstood, it is critical that reporting on rape does not contribute to victim-blaming and rape culture. These are some examples of unacceptable media coverage of sex crimes in New York:
We hope to change the standard in sex crimes reporting and stop the attack on victims articles like these encourage. Check our Take Action page for new updates on media coverage and action you can take to make it clear to journalists and editors that anything but careful and considerate coverage of sex crimes is not acceptable.
You can contact the New York Post office at 212.930.8000 or email Editor-in-Chief Col Allan (colallan@nypost.com); send a letter to the editor of the NY Daily News ([email protected]) or call to speak to an editor at 212.210.2100.
- Popular social-networking website - Facebook - refuses to remove pro-rape and pro-violence pages. Get the full scoop here.
- The New York Post never retracted or apologized for its July 2, 2011 front-page headline calling the hotel maid bringing charges against Dominique Strauss Kahn a "hooker," even though they could not back up their claim. Sonia Ossorio, NOW-NYC's Executive Director, commented, saying, "Our culture has no sympathy for a woman we consider to be less than pristine."
- And the Post hasn't learned from their mistakes. On August 10, 2011, the Post published another front-page headline, comparing the stock market to a "hooker's drawers...up, down, up."
- On February 24, 2010, both the New York Post and the New York Daily News identified the 14-year old runaway that Marvell Scott was charged with raping as a "hooker."
- The New York Daily News repeatedly refers to rape victims as "accusers." Jennifer White, attorney for legal programs at the Family Violence Prevention Fund, said: "Changing the word 'victim' to 'accuser' really buys into an outdated and disproved myth about victims who come forward with these kinds of allegations. [...] And it really has a chilling effect for victims who already have an extremely difficult time coming forward." Despite the damage calling victims of sexual assault "accusers" can do, the NY Daily News does it again and again and again and again. See NOW-NYC's May 15 Letter to the Editor: Don't Frame the Victim.
- Ex-NFL star Lawrence Taylor, who admitted to having “sex” with a 16-year old in an upstate NY motel room last May, was recently given the lowest possible level of sex offender status. However, not only was the girl he had sex with a minor, but she also claimed that she was forced into prostitution. This is what the NY Daily News and NY Post refer to as a "sex romp".
- On March 8, 2011, The New York Times reported on the horrific gang rape of an 11-year old girl in Texas. The reporter published quotations from townspeople who clearly blamed the girl for her own rape and did not provide context or the opposing viewpoint in this story. It was irresponsible journalism at best and deliberate victim-blaming at worst. Although the Times published a follow-up story that covered the case more fairly, this article should never have been written, approved, or published.
We hope to change the standard in sex crimes reporting and stop the attack on victims articles like these encourage. Check our Take Action page for new updates on media coverage and action you can take to make it clear to journalists and editors that anything but careful and considerate coverage of sex crimes is not acceptable.
You can contact the New York Post office at 212.930.8000 or email Editor-in-Chief Col Allan (colallan@nypost.com); send a letter to the editor of the NY Daily News ([email protected]) or call to speak to an editor at 212.210.2100.