Opinion
Shout-out belittles rape
Looking for a print version?
Simply use your browser’s ‘Print’ command and a printer-friendly document will be generated automatically.
Also by Letters to the Editor:
- Clegg absurd, biased on CFACT (May 5, 2009)
- Fund peer tutors (April 28, 2009)
- UW policy consistent with nation (April 23, 2009)
- Biddy's initiative not worth it (April 20, 2009)
- A plan for better advising (April 20, 2009)
Sharing tools:
E-mail this article:
Dear Mr. Hughes:
I, like many other UW-Madison students, regularly enjoy reading the Wednesday shout outs. However, one particular shout out in this week's Badger Herald was of particular concern to me. The shout out read: "Shout Out to calling the Rape Crisis Center after getting pounded in the ass by two particularly difficult exams."
The shout out is concerning as it not only mocks the Rape Crisis Center's services, but also downplays the severity of rape. On a campus where statistics show that one in four women will be a rape victim by the time she graduates, it is especially important to be perceptive and aware of the severity of this crime. Using the term "rape" so freely is inappropriate not only because it negates the severity of the crime, but also because it denies any sensitivity to rape victims.
As a primary news source for students on campus, the Badger Herald is a publication that is widely read by and influences the student body. Including a shout out that mocks the Rape Crisis Center's services and downplays the severity of rape, a crime that UW-Madison has already seen too much of, is simply not responsible journalism. While I understand that shout outs are submitted by students and not made by the Badger Herald staff, it is the responsibility of your publication to choose shout outs that are not damaging to the student body, and this one is.
When the headline making sexual assault behind Ian's Pizza occurred in September, the Badger Herald staff did an excellent job of covering the story in a way that was not only respectful to the victim, but also informative to readers. However, choosing this particular shout out to print in Wednesday's newspaper was not respectful to anyone involved. As a devout reader, I would really like to see the Badger Herald's journalistic style to continue to be respectful and cognizant of issues on our campus, and avoid publishing future shout outs that are damaging to students.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Abby Newcomb Abby L. Newcomb PAVE Campus Outreach Coordinator uwpaveoutreach@gmail.com
7 Comments | Leave a comment
Leave a comment
Herald Blogs
The Beat Goes On
Brother Ali makes an ‘Exclusive’ stop
Muckrakers
Report: Barrett to make decision by the end of the week
Extra Points
Top Classified Ads (view all)
HOUSES FOR Fall 2010. All houses are on W Dayton or N Bassett. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 bedrooms. All have parking. madisoncampusrentals.com
PC Patrol just straight up does not work. It splinters mainstream support. Just a helpful hint. In a normative standard, you're right. Hands down. But, it's not pragmatic. Rape discourse arguments are a waste of the movement. Focus on legislation and meaningful social movements.
...get over yourself, and understand what the shout-outs are about?
3:05 and 3:43 are part of the problem. They probably like to blame rape victims, too.
"3:05 and 3:43 are part of the problem. They probably like to blame rape victims, too."
Nope, just the man-hating radical left who'd rather bash all men, just like that loser who posted "CASTRATE ALL MEN! ALL MEN MUST DIE!" last Friday.
o please....get a sense of humor
Seeing both sides of this shout-out, it's rather tasteless to demean rape in such a way and to use the Rape Crisis Center as a source of humor because there are few, if any actions that are more harmful and demeaning to a woman than rape. However, the shoutouts are notoriously inappropriate and offensive, it's the way they are.
However, I agree that this one crossed the line. There was really no humor involved, just belittling an organization that is there to protect rape victims, male and female.
i agree with the ms newcomb and i think this shout-out was tasteless. I never did really understand why "getting raped" by exams was such a common phrase. On the other hand, if you haven't studied, then sure..."i'm fucked" makes sense, but I usually reserve the word rape for when I'm actually discussing..well, rape for instance. I, thankfully, have not been raped, but many of my friends have and I don't think including the word in jokes really makes anyone feel any better.