Not only does this headline completely erase the men who allegedly gang raped a woman, it put all the focus on her actions. Specifically, her choice to meet men on Tinder.
“Tinder” headlines are the new version of “she was asking for it”.
This is such an insidious and persistent form of victim blaming. If a woman meets a man on Tinder and he allegedly commits any kind of violence against her, you can guarantee media reporting will put Tinder at the front of the headline.
If any of those men had met the women at university or through friends or over cabbages in Coles, their meeting wouldn’t even rate a mention at the bottom of the articles. It absolutely wouldn’t be the focal point of the headlines.
Whether you call it patriarchy, rape culture, rape myths, or just assholes, the effect is the same. Women who actively and confidently pursue sex or relationships with men (by, for example, having Tinder account) are always blamed for any violence those men chose to enact against them.
“Nice girls” wait passively for men to want them. “Good girls” are the objects of desire, they do not feel desire. Women and girls who reject those myths are punished with slut shaming and, if men hurt them, with victim blaming.
Tinder has nothing to do with the choices men make. How two people met is irrelevant to the violence men allegedly choose to commit against women.
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Please read before commenting or sharing:
This post is a general observation about how the media portrays women when reporting on alleged sexual violence. Nothing in this commentary should be interpreted as judgement about the accused’s guilt or innocence. Only the court can make such a judgement.
Please be careful if you share or comment on this post. The trial is still ongoing and the men accused of the alleged gang rape have a right to the presumption of innocence. Any comments that prejudge a guilty or not guilty verdict would be contempt of court and could jeopardise their right to a fair trial.
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