NYPost blaming the victim in rape case

News Type: Opinion — Seeded on Wed Nov 15, 2006 1:58 AM EST

Article Source: majikthise.typepad.com

politics, journalism, rape, sexism, new-york-post

The New York Post's angle on this story is offense. According to the headline, an allegation of rape destroyed this man's life. The story presents Gardner as a tragic victim of circumstances. According to the narrative, it was the accusation that destroyed his life--not his foolish risk-taking in Atlanta, nor the humiliating way he got caught cheating on his wife, nor his preexisting clinical depression.

This was a man facing criminal charges who took his own life rather than fighting to clear his name. As far as we know, he wasn't a victim of anything but bad judgment and mental illness.

Gardner's suicide is tragic, but the Post's spin is offensive.

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{"commentId":381842,"authorDomain":"stacym"}

StacyM

I went to the New York Post page to read the article, and noticed this headline under the "most emailed" section as well:

"ACTRESS SET OFF ILLEGAL'S 'KILLER' RAGE BY CALLING HIM 'S.O.B.'"

{"commentId":381842,"threadId":"55012","contentId":"442340","authorDomain":"stacym"}

1 vote

#1 - Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:08 PM EST

{"commentId":381869,"authorDomain":"pwtenny"}

Paul William Tenny

The Post is basically a tabloid, this fits.

{"commentId":381869,"threadId":"55012","contentId":"442340","authorDomain":"pwtenny"}

1 vote

#2 - Wed Nov 15, 2006 6:23 PM EST

{"commentId":382045,"authorDomain":"djehuty"}

Djehuty

I changed the headline Majikthise used (NYP Exploits suicide for slut-shaming) even though I think it's entirely appropriate to be that angry about it... I only changed it because some people are really weird about the word "slut" and I thought it contained the possibility of being misinterpreted.

{"commentId":382045,"threadId":"55012","contentId":"442340","authorDomain":"djehuty"}

#3 - Wed Nov 15, 2006 7:48 PM EST

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"55012","isPrivate":false}

DJEHUTY

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NYPost blaming the victim in rape case

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