Enemies of Reason Poundshop potshots at the media moral maze.

Ugh.

Some stories just make you feel sick. This one, about a woman being allegedly gang-raped, is one of them. So many things are horrible; so many things make the flesh creep. Not just the crime, which is appalling of course, but the coverage of it, and the reaction to it. Where to begin?

Firstly with the idea that, in this country, rape victims should never be identified, not even obscurely - that means, the fewer details, the better. What information does the Mail tell us about her?

- Nationality
- Age
- What she was doing at the time
- What she was studying
- Where she lives
- Where she was born
- What passport she holds

Yeah, I'd say that'd do it. But well, as well learned from the Madeleine McCann case, when something isn't taking place in the UK, the usual rules don't apply, despite the bluster about 'cannot be named for legal reasons' slapped on this by the Mail. Well not named, but nor should this person have been identified either, which is surely what she has been to many people. You'd think in a half-decent world, journalists would attempt to apply the same standards to crimes abroad as they would to crimes here, for very good reasons such as, oh I don't know, accuracy and fairness. But no. If it's outside Britain, then it's fair game - or so it seems. In the UK - do it and you get banged up. Abroad? Well we couldn't give a shit.

Doesn't this show exactly why the press needs to be regulated by the law? Because whenever the papers do have a chance to bend the rules, they do, regardless of the impact on people such as the victim in this particular case. Self-regulation is a joke. Here is evidence as to why Fleet Street can't be trusted.

You'll know by now, if you read this blog very often, that I am generally disgusted with the attitude towards rape shown by the tabloids - particulary with the idea that it's a subject fit to allow net numpties to comment on when the details are sketchy. You'll remember the comment about rape being 'unpleasant - even on holiday'. I'm also fed up by the constant victim-blaming culture that appears in such threads, which is an absolute insult to the victims and a complete disgrace. Add into that the idea that the perpetrators of this crime were foreign and you get another layer of hatred coming into the mix.

It was with a sense of trepidation, then, that I looked at the comments on this particular story. I'm afraid they're every bit as bad as I feared.

Presumably, they're coming to this country to do the raping that us lazy Brits won't do.
- Dave, Cardiff, 28/8/2008 14:14

Cunt.

Should this have happened in Italy,they would quite rightly! have rounded them all up brutally and physically deported all of them, of course we or the French will do nothing to these poor little immigrants.
- Royston Amphlett, Bournemouth Bournemouth., 28/8/2008 14:13

Why should 'we' do anything to these people when this is happening in France? Why round up 'everyone' for a crime committed by some of that number? Would this 'Royston' be happy, if someone committed a crime in his street, if he and his neighbours were dragged away and treated 'brutally'? Would that kind of group punishment be OK with him? Or would he suddenly become a little bit squeamish about it, if it wasn't foreign people it was happening to?

what a silly young woman.A lot of these people go to these encampmentsto write articles on illegal migrants_____usually sympathetic to them. If this was the case perhaps the attack carried out by these savages may cause her and others like her to change their attitude.whatever the case this attack shows the kind of scum that the do gooders want to allow into this country.
- colin booth, brotherton yorkshire, 28/8/2008 14:06

*punches monitor* You cunt, Colin. You absolute, motherfucking, dirty evil bastard. How dare you. Who knows what this woman was going to say? Maybe she just wanted to go there and make up her own mind, unlike a small-minded shit-stain like you? Oh no, but you know so much better don't you. Yes, perhaps she deserved to be raped for possibly having been somewhat sympathetic towards immigrants - and she's learned her lesson now, has she? So all's well that ends well in the world of Colin, is it? A nice bit of rape shows the wogs to be bad people and a woman deserves it anyway? Aaargh! I don't like getting angry, but you make me livid. You foul, awful, disgusting excuse for a human being. God help the world if it's populated with scum like you. You make me ashamed to be British. You make me ashamed to be human.

And this is why we don't need any more immigrants. If they were any kind of decent they wouldn't have to sneak into another country. Don't bother trying to deport them, they only sneak back again. It's like being invaded a dozen people at a time. A little, then a little more, then a few more and before you realize what's happened, you are surrounded by strangers in you own land. If you stand up for yourself you're called racist. Well how many Europeans do you find trying to sneak illegally into African countries or Asian countries (not counting the "Gary Glitters" of the world)? I feel terrible for this poor girl.
- Elizabeth, London, England, 28/8/2008 14:06

Yes, because only immigrants ever commit crimes, and no-one else ever does. I don't recall anyone saying "and this is why we don't need old men with beards" when Harold Shipman got banged up. But no of course, if people are immigrants then they must take collective responsibility for every crime ever committed by immigrants, mustn't they. "If you stand up for yourself, you're called racist" - no, Elizabeth, no. If you're racist you get called racist. If you're a worthless piece of scum, you get called a worthless piece of scum. You worthless piece of scum.

Be afraid... be very afraid.... this is the type of scum who are coming to live in an area near you very soon, and this is the same type of scum who are being welcomed to the UK with open arms, being given free housing, free health care, free benefits etc. etc.... is it any wonder they are all clamouring to get here!
- Bobbi, swindon, 28/8/2008 14:06

What a trigger for the net Nazis this crime has been. An appalling crime, of course - but it has given this foaming fucktards the excuse to say that all immigrants are rapists, which of course they aren't, or that this crime is evidence that immigrants are somehow worse than other types of human beings, which isn't true either. It pushes all the right buttons though for these woeful little Englanders, who've snapped out of their kennels and are now straining on the leash.

girls, look, the term 'asking for it' may seem heartless, stupid, and even ignorant, but come on !, these men have travelled through god knows what hardships and misery to find themselves dumped in a no mans land utterly without hope, they are virtually soulless and dehumanized, throw a young attractive woman into that volatile cocktail and you have a receipe for disaster, these refugees are emotionally scarred, and knowing they have little chance of being caught what have they got to lose ? you girls have to understand that Men are hard wired to act in such a way the moment the thin veneer of civilization is removed from them.
- MarkC, London UK, 28/8/2008 14:05

"The term 'asking for it' may seem heartless..." - yes, Mark. You have no heart. Or brain, it would appear. It reminds me of "not condoning rape in any way..." How can you justify rape because someone's had a hard life? That's just as appalling as the overt racism seen elsewhere on this thread. You can have some understanding of a man stealing if he's starving, or poor, or oppressed; but rape? No. Men aren't hard-wired to rape. They're not hard-wired to be pricks on messageboards either; surely we have to let free will into the equation at some stage?

Gang rapists coming to live near you real soon with our Govt's Blessing.
- baldie, leicester uk, 28/8/2008 13:53

No they aren't. If these people are illegal, they're illegal. That's the thing about illegal immigrants, they're illegal. Therefore, they're not legal. Do you understand, Baldie? No, you don't. You don't and you never will.

It would be interesting to know what she aimed to get out of this story? Whether she wanted to highlight the plight of the immigrant trying to sneak into this country. If it was, I bet she has changed her mind!
Silly girl for going over there on her own.
No doubt they will get here one day, and probably be rewarded for their efforts.
Just think, we are importing rapists, murders and criminals. Great stuff.
- Mr Black, London, England, 28/8/2008 13:50

Yes, blame the victim and say she deserved it for possibly being sympathetic towards the immigrants. Jesus wept, is anyone else losing the will to live? But you can't turn away; you have to keep looking. You need to know what these people are really like and what they really think.

Oh thank fuck, some sanity:

the people with snide comments towards the victim are certainly no better than the barbaric rapists. You say it is situation not charachter that makes a man rape, well that is scary, it is awful to think that so many possible gang-rapists walk among us! Just needing the right situation to pop up to take advantage, I mean the victim basically deserves it...
- Sandra, Reykjavík, Iceland, 28/8/2008 13:44

But...

Anyone who says, or even thinks she asked for it needs to take a good look at their conscience.
The crime of rape, in my opinion is the most sickening and disgraceful crime that could be committed against anyone.
As many have commented before, it shows the type of rubbish that wish to enter the UK, does anyone really think they will be good tax paying citizens, living within the laws of the land? NOT A CHANCE. SHUT THE DOOR NOW.
- Roly, Corfu expat, 28/8/2008 13:36

Well at least it shows that not everyone who hates immigrants is also in favour of rape, so that's something. Shades of grey, people. Textbook expat saying the borders should be closed, though. And then there's the label of 'rubbish' - it's something designed to dehumanise, as if there's some great gang-raping amorphous mass of immigrants at Calais, just waiting to come across the border one by one...

I feel very sorry for the girl who got raped. Just imagine the savages who raped her could be marching on the streets in Britain in days to come or they may be here already. We are all victims of the system and the government is the real offender for allowing this dreadful situation. The borders should be policed at all cost to protect uninvited and undesirable subjects to enter the country illegally.
- s.mauriman, Gillingham Kent, 28/8/2008 13:34

Aaargh! The borders are policed! What kind of fucking nonsense is this? Of course the borders are policed? Why are they at a camp if they could just stroll in with a big beaming smile?

Another flickering glimpse of sanity:

I am utterly disgusted at the people calling the victim 'silly' or 'naive'. An atrocious crime has been committed for which she was not responsible, whatever naivety she might have shown. HAVE SOME COMPASSION! She will be scarred for life by this. If it were your own sister, cousin, friend etc, would you be calling her 'silly' now? Appalling.
- Josefine, Ludlow, Shropshire, 28/8/2008 13:30

But these views are by far in the minority, I'm sorry (but not surprised) to report. I'd love to be able to tell you that it's just a few idiots labelling all immigrants as rapists, but it isn't. I'd love to say it's the minority of idiots saying that it was the woman's fault for being raped. But it isn't. What does that tell you about people who read the Daily Mail?

I don's suppose this unfortunate young lady will be voting for NuLabour then?
- Mr G, Leeds UK, 28/8/2008 12:57

I bet you thought that was really funny, didn't you Mr G? Well it isn't. A woman has been reportedly raped and traumatised for life, and you're pissing yourself laughing at a pathetic little dig at NuLabour...? What kind of human being are you?

Good luck to the young woman concered and I wish her a speedy recovery. But what did she expect? Did she believe the NuLabour lies that these people are decent, law-abiding citizens just looking for a new life in Britain? Perhaps, once she recovers, she will redo her journalist report, this time without the lies spread by NuLibour.
- John Wilson, Warrington, UK, 28/8/2008 12:42

Oh just die. Please, die. You're no use to the human race. You don't have the basic qualities of compassion and empathy, therefore, just die. Kill yourself now. There's no point in carrying on living. The world doesn't need you. Thank you, goodbye, now shut the door behind you and die.

Not much compassion for the victim as usual.
- Anne Oswald, Birmingham, 28/8/2008 11:54

You're not kidding, Anne. You're not kidding. There's more comments, so many more, but I've almost lost the will to live myself now. Is it right to 'have your say' about sex crimes and ponder whether someone deserved it or not? Is that OK, because it happened abroad? Is it right to identify victims of sex crimes, because they happened abroad? Apparently so, if you're the Mail.

I don't know about you, but I just feel sick. I need to wash my brain in bleach and forget I ever read any of that. What a thoroughly depressing, miserable comment on the country I live in.

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