The Cairns Post is back after erasing an alleged violent rape and replacing it with “date goes horribly wrong”.
The “date” went wrong? Really? That’s how they choose to describe 21 charges of rape, sexual assault, physical assault, robbery, and enter with intent?
A date goes wrong when you’re wearing white jeans and you sit in a puddle of spilled coffee. A date goes wrong when your date tips soup in your lap or sneers at Swifties or brings their parents with them.
Rape, assault and robbery charges are not a date, they’re crimes to be tried in court.
Erasing an alleged rape like this is not an accident or a mistake. It’s a choice. That choice tells me a lot about the person who wrote it and they audience they think they’re writing for.
*This man has been charged but not yet tried in court. He has the right to the presumption of innocence. If you are commenting on this post on social media please remember than anything you say that prejudges his guilt or innocence could be contempt of court and could disrupt his trial.*
Want to know more about the myths that contribute to this?
BOOKS
Jane Gilmore’s books, Fixed it: Violence and the Representation of Women in the Media, Teaching Consent, and Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children are available now with free shipping inside Australia if you purchase from: www.JaneGilmore.com/books
PODCAST
Also available now is the Fairy Tale Princesses Will Kill Your Children Podcast in which Jane invites expert guest on the show to explore agism, women’s unpaid work, consent, power and silence, and coercive control. Find out more here.
FixedIt is an ongoing project to push back against the media’s constant erasure of violent men and blaming of innocent victims. If you would like to help fund it – even $5 a month makes a big difference – please consider becoming a Patron
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