Show I M X M l r. r J Y J ft t g Y 1 p d p J 7 t f t I t i f t t i r 1 Y Jl I 1 i Ji 1 t h. h t. t Lt r s Pt H J.- J. Mf a 3 W H 0 Media breaks their own ethics S Since once the identification of the woman reportedly raped at the Kennedy estate in Florida the media coverage has been accused of being unnecessary unwise and ir ir- ir responsible By supposedly breaking their own ethics the media has raised a critical social issue should issue should rape be treated differently than any other violent crime The Globe a Florida-based Florida tabloid was the first US U.S. publication to release the name of the alleged Kennedy rape victim The supermarket tabloid was the followed by NBC the New York Times and numerous other newspapers Wendy Henry in editor-in-chief of the Globe justified their decision by saying everyone in the world knows the victims victim's identity her name and photo had been published in newspapers and magazines worldwide Y 1 The Globe feels in matters of extraordinary public interest interest interest in in- terest out readers should also have access to all the facts We must also point out there is no shame in being the victim of a mugger in the alley added Henry In the May 1 issue of the Salt Lake Tribune Utah women were reported raped in 1990 a dramatic increase over the reported rape cases of 1989 The Salt Lake Rape Crisis Center estimates that for every reported rape there are four rapes that go unreported Rape is a violent crime When society is faced with rape all of the prejudices which surround women and sex in out society surface and the victim is forced to prove her own innocence The focus is then shifted from the perpetrator perpetrator perpetrator per per- to the victim and society continues the stigma that women who are raped are somehow responsible for their own victimization Rape victims are questioned about how they were dressed did they say no did they struggle enough Yet when a man is mugged the public rarely asks what he was vas wearing Those individuals who believe rape victims should be treated the same as other victims of violent crime say they are trying to remove the current stigma They contend contend contend con con- tend that if victims' victims names are published rape will be viewed on the same scale as other crimes and victims will benefit because the shame and secrecy that surround rape will be eroded The other side to this issue holds that if victims' victims names are released to the public further prejudice and humiliation will result These individuals feel that the stigma will be fed by the public and the victimization will increase A poll taken by Newsweek showed that 77 of those surveyed believed rape victims' victims names should be kept private and 68 believed that women would be less likely to report being raped if they knew their name would be published We the Horizon staff believe the medias media's handling of the Kennedy case has only succeeded in proving that reporting victims' victims names feeds society's stigma We have heard and read every little detail about this womans woman's past and feel the press has been irresponsible in the handling of this particular case We also feel that it is society's responsibility to change the way in which rape victims are treated not those who report the actions of that society If the press does choose to disclose rape victims' victims names they must not victimize the victim by reporting aspects that do not apply |