Attorneys for Ariel Castro, the man accused of kidnapping and imprisoning three women and a child for periods ranging from six to eleven years, say he will plead not guilty to the kidnapping and rape charges he faces. Strangely, they also seem to admit that Castro fathered the six-year-old child found with Amanda Berry and two other women last week, telling WKYC-TV that Castro loves his child “dearly.” (Photo via The Guardian) source
Before I am an artist, I am a father, a son, and a brother to some of the most cherished women in the world. So for me to suggest in any way that harm and violation be brought to a woman is one of my biggest mistakes and regrets. As an artist, one of the most liberating things is being able to paint pictures with my words. But with that comes a great responsibility. And most recently, my choice of words was not only offensive, it does not reflect my true heart. And for this, I apologize. To every woman that has felt the sting of abuse, I apologize. I recognize that as an artist I have a voice and with that, the power of influence. To the young men who listen to my music, please know that using a substance to rob a woman of her right to make a choice is not only a crime, it’s wrong and I do not encourage it. To my fans, I also apologize if I have disappointed you. I can only hope that this sparks a healthy dialogue and that I can contribute to it.Rapper Rick Ross finally apologizes for his controversial lyrics on Rocko’s “U.O.E.N.O.” source
Hey Bro: Posted because responses to several recent stories have served as a painful reminder that videos/messages like these can always use a signal boost. Just do yourself a favor, and avoid the comments section on YouTube.
Two Torrington High School football players stand accused of sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl. Four others were suspended in a hazing scandal last fall that is still under investigation. One player, the team’s second-highest scorer last fall, was allowed to play even though the team’s coach knew he had been charged with felony robbery and assault.
School officials claim that the sexual assault charges against 18-year-olds Edgar Gonzalez and Joan Toribio, the hazing and other incidents are isolated problems and don’t signal a deeper issue with the culture of Torrington High School, its athletic programs or football team.
…
But on social media in recent weeks, dozens of athletes and Torrington High School students, male and female, have taunted the 13-year-old victim, calling her a “whore,” criticizing her for “snitching” and “ruining the lives” of the 18-year-old football players, and bullying students who defend her.
Extremely tough read. A number of tweets are republished behind the link.
The Indian Parliament’s lower house passed a landmark law Tuesday that sets tougher penalties for rapists and police who refuse to file a woman’s complaint of rape, as well as criminalizing sexual offenses such as stalking, voyeurism and acid attacks.
The amendments to the existing law incorporate some of the sweeping changes that were demanded after the fatal gang rape of a young paramedical student in New Delhi in December, an incident that sparked a nationwide outcry against the lack of safety for women.
Despite the unprecedented protests that galvanized tens of thousands of Indians, the number of incidents of sexual assault has not diminished.
Those convicted of sexual assault in India will now face the death penalty in cases where their victim(s) dies or is left in a permanently vegetative state, and mandatory minimum sentences have been raised to 20 years in prison (formerly 7-10 years). Government approval will no longer be needed to pursue charges against policemen, government officials, politicians, or judges either; however, the legislation fails to address cases of marital rape or sex crimes committed by members of the Indian military. Still, it’s pretty hard not to look at today’s changes as signs of progress.
So don’t sign the petition demanding CNN apologize. Instead, draw attention to the good coverage.
ESPN’s Michael Smith and Jemele Hill devoted their entire His & Hers podcast this week to the topic. Hill discussed her own childhood assault as a 12-year-old and the fact that her mother was sexually assaulted as well. They talked about the responsibility parents have to educate their sons and daughters, about the pervasiveness of male entitlement in sports cultures and how difficult it is to achieve justice. Smith explains his sympathy for the convicted boys. Hill describes how she would counsel a teen girl to protect herself in a world that won’t respect her right to say no.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center tried to draw attention to a study suggesting that more than half of teenagers would find it tough to intervene; 40 percent said they wouldn’t know what to do.
And blogger and former Steubenville resident Alexandria Goddard describes her role in uncovering the documentation of the assault on social media.
It’s not wrong to feel sympathy for two boys crying over their ruined lives. Because of the perceived stigma, we don’t name the victim or see her image. I’m not suggesting that we change that, until victims voluntarily ask us to. But we in the media have to do more to put a face on the victims of childhood rape. We need to find ways to tell their stories, the way David Holthouse did in his moving first-person stories for Westward and This American Life.
“But we in the media have to do more to put a face on the victims of childhood rape.”
The judge in the Steubenville rape trial is about to announce the verdict. Watch live video over here.
EDIT: The judge ruled that Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond have been found guilty.
Second EDIT: Here’s a story on the matter.
backyardgoldmine says: I don’t understand why American news organizations are more concerned about the gang rapes that happen in India than the ones that happen here. Like the only articles Shortform Blog have about Stubenville are two articles about Rick Santorum giving a speech there.
» SFB says: We posted an article about Steubenville just a couple of days ago. As far as the case in India, it’s very significant issue culturally in that country and prior cases have led to mass protests. We try to cover issues happening in the U.S. as well as internationally. Fact of the matter: Both cases are worth our time and important to cover. — Ernie @ SFB
After spending the day in the picturesque Orchha town, known for its several forts and temples, the couple were camping about 250 metres off National Highway 75, a furlong from the local police station, inside the forest. According to local journalists, a few villagers had met the couple on Friday evening as they arrived. However, seven or eight men came back later with clubs and, after an altercation, started beating up the man.
The attackers “tied up the man and gang-raped the woman in his presence,” DIG (Chambal Range) D.K. Arya told The Hindu. Once the woman’s complaint was registered, she was taken to Gwalior district for a medical test around 8 a.m. as Datia does not have lady doctors to conduct medical tests. By midday, the test was conducted and rape was “informally” confirmed by a three-member panel of doctors at the Kamalaraje Women and Children’s Hospital in Gwalior. Later, the woman was brought back to Datia. “She is with us in Datia and out of danger,” Mr. Arya said.
The DIG confirmed that, so far, “50-60 villagers” from Datia and adjoining areas had been detained and a massive operation launched to nab the culprits. The attackers stole Rs. 12,000 and a mobile phone from the woman, the sources said.
The latest attack comes less than three months after a similar attack in New Delhi involving a medical student who later died. That incident led to massive protests throughout India.
There’s an abundance of evidence here that she was making decisions, cognitive choices…She didn’t affirmatively say no.Attorney Walter Madison • Defending Steubenville High football players Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond against charges of rape during a pre-trial hearing. The two high school students stand accusing of repeatedly raping an unidentified 16-year-old female student during a party last year, and are scheduled to begin trial Wednesday to face federal sexual assault charges. Madison argues that the charges were only leveled after the alleged victim’s parents found out what happened, saying the young girl was simply too embarassed to admit there was consent. source
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Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is reviewing a lieutenant general’s decision to overturn a guilty verdict in a sexual assault case.
Hagel wrote in a letter to Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) that he told the Air Force secretary and Pentagon lawyers to review the case after Lt. Col. James Wilkerson’s guilty verdict was dismissed by Lt. Gen. Craig Franklin.
While he’s called for a review of the case, Sec. Hagel was also quick to remind reporters that he has no legal authority to overturn the decision himself; however, many on Capitol Hill are hopeful that this will be a first step towards overhauling the Pentagon’s existing policies for investigating/prosecuting cases of sexual assault.
Delhi gang-rape victim dies in hospital in Singapore
BBC News: The 23-year-old woman gang-raped on a bus in India’s capital Delhi has died at a Singapore hospital, doctors say.
“The patient passed away peacefully at 4:45am on 29 Dec 2012,” a statement from the hospital said. The patient’s family had been by her side, it added.
The 23-year-old had arrived in Singapore on Thursday after undergoing three operations in a Delhi hospital.
Follow updates on the story at Breaking News.
Photo: A young woman, one hand covered in fake blood, takes part in a protest earlier Friday in Calcutta against the gang rape of a student. (Piyal Adhikary / EPA via NBC News)
As we pointed out last week, the incident, which was widely-reported, led to mass protests in New Delhi, leading to calls for calm by the Indian government. This latest development is quite sad and worth keeping a close eye on.
Anti-rape protests put pressure on Indian government: On December 16, a 23-year-old medical student was brutally gang-raped on a bus in the country’s capital, New Delhi. This weekend, strong protests have risen up in reaction, with thousands filling the streets in response. In response to the protests, which have faced police retaliation (see water cannons used in video above), Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh promised tough action. ”We will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women in this country,” he said. “I appeal to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm.”
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