Tell Me More About This Assange Rape Conspiracy, It Sounds Fascinating! by Alex

Trigger Warning for description of sexual assault.

It makes me laugh my fucking face off imagining shadowy representatives of various governments sitting around brainstorming about ways to get to Julian Assange. They're all sitting there – old chinese takeout containers are strewn about, the floor around the waste paper basket (with a basketball hoop attached, natch) is littered with crumpled up ideas, all the men are well past a five o'clock shadow – then someone is like, "I've got it! We can trump up some rape charges!" And while the mood has definitely shifted, more optimistic?, they're not all sold. Could the public believe that Assange was a violent rapist? "Hear me out! It won't be the kind of attack that people usually associate with rape, he won't have left bruises or broken bones. There won't have been a knife or a darkened alley. It will be the other kind of rape, when the rapist knew their victim. No less serious, no less prosecutable, that insidious rapist who takes advantage of trust. That rapist who doesn't respect the loved ones, friends, dates, acquaintances they rape enough to ask. Enough to stop at no." By now everyone is nodding (give or take a couple still thinking a made up tax-evasion charge is the way to go), simultaneously excited by the possibility of a solution to their problem and sickened by the existence of sexual assault.

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One Thought on Julian Assange Before I Lose My Goddamn Mind and Start Weeping in a Corner Because Preserving Rape Culture is More Important Than Anything, EVER by Alex

Perhaps I am still too much of an optimist, or something, too naive maybe, but if the message of Wikileaks is that transparency must and will exist in government and military communications and operations, and freedom of speech, and democracy, and accountability, and the people vs the man, then isn't it a bit hinderance to place so much importance on Julian Assange alone? Will Wikileaks fall if he's tried and found guilty of rape? Does the organization consist only of him? I realize that he is the director and founder and editor-in-chief, but is he completely irreplaceable? Is he completely above the law? What if he was brought up on murder charges? Pedophilia? What is the line?

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"I am Over the Passivity of Good Men. Where the Hell are You?" THIS x10000 Posted by Alex Snider

The best thing you will read today (possibly this week, maybe this month), from The Huffington Post:

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Repeat After Me:

"...contrary to pervasive narratives about women who "feel guilty" after a consensual act inventing rape charges, the reality is that women who feel shame, or fear, or regret after an actual rape frequently re-imagine the encounter as consensual, because admitting rape even to themselves is so difficult. Rapists are exponentially more likely to indirectly benefit from women "consenting" after the fact as a survival strategy than are innocent men likely to be victimized by false rape charges."
(Via Melissa McEwan at Shakesville)

Et Tu, Star?

Thanks, Toronto Star, thanks for getting in on the "why would someone like DSK need to rape a maid he got money and power and she's a lowely maid! I call honeypot conspiracy!" action. I don't actually know whether to laugh or, nope, I'm just pissed at the ridiculous tone of this "France is burning, whatever shalt we do" crap. 

Of course, it's always only a matter of time when a man is accused of rape before the woman accusing him becomes the subject of scrutiny and ridicule and all the shit that quite frankly the man accused of rape should be on the receiving end of but come on, Toronto Star, you have absolutely nothing to gain in this. There is seemingly no point to printing shit like: 

France goes to bed with new nightmarish images: DSK at the court hearing, looking exhausted and haggard. In France, cameras are not allowed in courtrooms. The real shock comes when DSK is denied bail. France’s ex-future president is going to spend a week at Rikers Island prison. The French feel numb. The whole nation is in denial.

Oh, nightmarish you say! Heavens! Hold on whilst I put on some pearls so I can then clutch them! What hyperbolic nonsense. He was arrested. He was charged. He is being treated like every other person who is arrested and charged in America. Actually, he is probably being treated better than a lot of other people who are arrested because he most likely will not be subjected to police brutality or have his rights trampled on in any way.

And, really the French "feel numb"? It's because they almost elected an alleged rapist to be their president, right?

We Need to Talk About "Lolita" by Alex Snider

Lolita is a book you read twice, three times, four times but never once. Reading Lolita once will leave you feeling sorry for Humbert Humbert, blaming Dolores, resenting Nabokov for making you a little hot under the collar (only for the first half, the 'tease' leaves you wanting the rest of the novel), in other words: you will miss the whole point.

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Lest We Forget Judge Dewar is Criminally Negligent... by Alex Snider

 Photo from CBC

Just so no one thinks we've gone soft what with all the pretty pictures and Ninja Turtles, we want to remind you all to keep on the Judge Dewar business. The Winnipeg Sun is alleging that he has been all about rape-apology in the past but I can't find any further confirmation and since it's the Sun, I'm a little wary (not that I am not one hundred percent positive that he's a completely incompetent turd with an extensive history of misogynistic and reckless rulings who should be removed from the bench I just want to hear it from someone with an ounce of journalistic integrity).

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Judge Dewar's Rape Apology by Alex Snider

I've tried starting out this post ten times but I am just so enraged and saddened that I don't even know where to begin. Everyday, there are stories about rape survivors and the evisceration of their accounts by the media -- whether they were alone, dressed inappropriately, too pretty, drunk, in a dangerous neighbourhood or country or even if they are accusing someone that people don't want to think of as a rapist.

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Say "No" to Rape Apologists Posted by Rebekah Hakkenberg

If the recent reckless statements made by a Toronto Police Officer at 31 Division has you just as upset as we are, then please consider taking the time to send a letter or an email to the following people, demanding more than just a slap on the wrist for the officer in question. Feel free to copy and paste!

This letter should be addressed to

Constable Wendy Drummond, Toronto Police Service spokesperson

wendy.drummond@torontopolice.on.ca

Director of Communications, Toronto Police Service

mark.pugash@torontopolice.on.ca

Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service

william.blair@torontopolice.on.ca

Office of the independent Police Review Unit

OIPRD@ontario.ca

professionalstandards@torontopolice.on.ca

Mario Sergio, MPP York West,

PA to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

msergio.mpp@liberal.ola.org

Fiona Crean, Toronto Ombudsman

ombuds@toronto.ca

Every 17 minutes, a woman in Canada is raped.  This letter is meant to address the conduct of a Toronto police officer from 31 Division during a talk at Osgoode Hall on January 24, 2011.  

We are extremely concerned that a public officer and community protector could make such abhorrent remarks suggesting sexual assault victims were responsible for dressing like “sluts.”  The remarkable public response is indicative that the public, too, find the officer’s behaviour disgusting.  As an ambassador of the Toronto Police Service, his words have discredited the oath he took:

• To act with honesty and integrity
• To treat people with respect
• Not to abuse the extraordinary powers and authority police officers are granted
• To act in a manner that does not discredit or undermine public confidence in the police service.

These statements made to a selective audience of students and staff at York University have now become of major public concern, given the officer’s publicly-funded position.

Toronto Police Service has indicated the officer will be issuing a written statement of apology to the students and staff of Osgoode Law School and will be “disciplined.”  Misogyny has no place on a police force, especially given that almost 1 in 4 women in Toronto will be the victim of sexual assault in her lifetime.  Public servants, especially those in positions of power, must be held to a higher standard of conduct and must be held accountable.

We wish to request instead that the Toronto Police Service ask for the officer’s immediate resignation.   The public has lost confidence that this officer can adequately advocate for or act to protect victims of sexual assault.  

Sincerely,

A Rape Scandal to Call One's Own by Alex Snider

Hurray for you Toronto Metropolitan Police! You have brought us rape-hating Canadian ladies something to see red over in our own country! South Dakota, you're gonna have to wait; you too, Lara Logan.

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Not to Harp on About Feminism or Anything But... by Alex Snider

Have you ever had something, an idea, an opinion, a cause, anything, that was really important to you and you wanted to tell lots of people about it so they could understand you a little better? And, has that something, whatever it may be, affected your life? How about the lives of people you love? Or people that are in really horrible situations and need extra support because they're busy struggling to just survive? What about those who haven't been born yet, your future children, nieces, nephews?

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20 Things You Can Do To Transform Rape Culture

If you're unfamiliar with the concept of rape culture, Shakesville has an excellent primer which I urge you to read.

Given the so-called "frenzy" we've been watching (and participating in) on Twitter in the last few days,  when even so-called progressive liberals like Micheal Moore and Keith Olberman are willing to contribute to and perpetuate an environment of apologism and denial, it's easy to feel frustrated or even defeated.  That's why I'm so grateful we have bloggers like Sady who aren't backing down, even when faced with threats, harassment, and the continued silence of a Stupid White Man.  Inspired by Sady's mission to raise money for RAINN, Alex and I are both donating to the TRCC this Christmas.  I'm also sharing this guide from the Toronto Rape Crisis Centre:

20 Things You Can Do To Transform Rape Culture

1. Speak up. Don't listen quietly to sexist jokes or comments. Tell your friends you're uncomfortable with how they portray woman.

2. Teach your children to respect children of the opposite gender. Model for them that each sex has an immeasurable value and that neither should be seen as better, more powerful, smarter, than the other.

3. Talk to boys about their sexuality. Tell them about their responsibility, too.

4. Talk to girls about their sexuality. Give them the information that will enable them to make intelligent, thoughtful, responsible decisions about their sexually. Tell them their body is their own and is for their pleasure.

5. Support your daughters, nieces, and neighbours. Encourage them to relish their mental and physical strength.

6. Don't be silent when you see a T-shirt, sign, poster, movie, or anything you find offensive to women. Say something.

7. Insist that your clergy talk about ending violence against women in your church or synagogue.

8. Don't use words that perpetuate the language of the rape culture. Ask yourself if you would use the same word for a man. Ask yourself what the word you want to use implies.

9. Call your public officials. Find out what they're doing to transform the rape culture. Insist on their involvement.

10. Boycott movies that show women being sold, raped, and hurt by men. Help send a message that these portrayals of women will no longer be commercially successful.

11. Ask your child's school if they have a sexual harassment policy. If not, volunteer to serve on a committee to develop.

12. Encourage men you know to explore and then act upon what it means to be anti-rapist and non-violent. Insist they have the courage to behave in ways that promote a safer society.

13. Make you home free from violence and sexism. Don't watch or allow your children to watch television, movies or read magazines that perpetuate violence and the rape culture.

14. Ask your employer if your firm or organization has a sexual harassment policy. Have they provided or will they provide training for employees on harassment? If not, form an employee committee to advocate for a policy and training.

15. Write letters to establishments you find offensive and tell your friends and colleagues to do the same. Write to advertise on offensive. If there is no response, be prepared to take more direct (non-violent) action through information picketing, flyering, etc.

16. Have conversations of consent with a potential sexual partner. Verbally explore each other's comfort level with the activities taking place.

17. Learn to say "no". Learn that it is okay to be assertive. Know that it is possible to be respectful of others while asserting your feelings.

18. Support and promote women who provide positive role models. Celebrate the accomplishments of women with your children, partners, and friends. Teach others that the best women to look up to are the ones who are making a difference, not the ones who are the most famous, beautiful, and wealthy.

19. Remember: the rape culture is one for which we're all responsible, but don't blame the victim.

20. Dare to dream of a culture free of sexual and all other forms of violence... a rape culture transformed.

VIA Toronto Rape Crisis Centre 

Sady Doyle Does It Again Posted by Rebekah Hakkenberg

So, Keith Olberman and Micheal Moore said some things.  And Sady Doyle said some things.  And Olberman BLOCKED Sady on Twitter, and Moore remains silent.  And Sady had a few things to say about that.  Just.  YES.  Politically motivated or not, true or not,  these accusations need to be taken seriously.

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