TresSugar

The View Ladies Have a Case of Inappropriate Giggles

TresSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:00:02 -0800

Sofía Vergara, the young, Latina wife on Modern Family, went on The View today. Things got off to an awkward enough start when Joy asked the Colombian actress, "So you really talk like that?" but then things got worse. Like rape worse. The hosts remarked on how young she is to have an 18-year-old son, and Sherri joked that Sofía must have had him when she was 12." Then Sofía took the joke much, much further saying, "No, no, 13. I was raped." What?! Silence. Now let's all laugh and make it go away. So they did, and Barbara steered the conversation into the less-felony-ish waters of motherhood.

In all fairness, I don't think I could've handled this much better. Obviously, it was nervous laughter from bewilderment and embarrassment. But what a clip it makes!

Someone Cared! Woman Called 911 in Richmond Rape Case

TresSugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:22:01 -0800

Margarita Vargas, an 18-year-old woman from Richmond, CA (and a graduate of Richmond High) was the lone person who called 911 on the night a teenager was gang raped outside her high school while a homecoming party was still going on. It's alleged that at least 20 people watched and did nothing. Vargas says that her brother-in-law came home and told her he'd seen a woman being raped; it was Vargas who insisted they call the police.

It might seem pretty sad that we're applauding Vargas for doing what people should do, as she said, "without thinking twice," but you'd be surprised how often people are apathetic. So many people are saying, "What do you expect of Richmond?" but I can say, as someone who was grabbed on the streets of San Francisco in broad daylight and ignored when I asked for help - apathy happens everywhere, in all communities. (Just read about the bystander effect.)

Many years ago, I was walking down a busy street in a popular business district in a "good neighborhood" and a man grabbed me inappropriately. I had just bought coffee, so instinctively, I poured it in his face and grabbed onto him, hoping to get him arrested. As I grappled with him, trying to make eye contact with people walking by, riding by on their bikes, driving by, and yelling, "Someone help! This man attacked me!" no one did anything. Eventually, I couldn't hold the man any longer, and he got away, perhaps to assault someone else later. Helping out is rarer than you think, so kudos to Margarita, who even walked over to the school to make sure the police had arrived.

Rape Victim Asks Community to Use Anger to Bring Change

TresSugar — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0800

Adding something positive to a very dark situation, the 15-year-old girl who was gang raped outside her homecoming dance in Northern California asked her supporters to channel their anger toward making sure nothing like this happens again. Speaking to a few hundred people gathered on campus, the victim's pastor read these words on her behalf:

"We realize people are angry about this. But let the anger cause change, change that is necessary to keep our children, our neighbors and our friends safe."

The school district is implementing tougher security following this incomprehensible act of violence. Sadly, the school had been pushing for tighter security measures but didn't have the funding to do so until now. Even still, some worry that fences and lighting won't be enough.

This story has deeply disturbed many of us, so I can only imagine how those in the community must feel not only angry, but scared and confused. After the news that some of the victim's peers are defending the alleged rapists on MySpace, it's comforting to see that there are also many people who support her. Why do you think it took a gang rape watched by 20 people for something to be done to protect young girls at the school?

Teenage Girls Support Alleged Richmond Rapist on MySpace

TresSugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 15:21:49 -0800

The news about the gang rape of a teenage girl in Richmond, CA, outside a homecoming dance while others watched and did nothing continues to get crazier.

A seventh suspect (the oldest so far at age 21) was arrested today, but even as details about the horrific crime continue to come out, one of the youngest accused rapists, who is 15, seems to have unlikely supporters: teenage girls on his MySpace page.

It's not clear if they think he's innocent, but they hope he's freed and that anyone who "snitched" on him gets theirs.

"F*uck the system. F*uck the snitchz. Free Cody," writes Vanessa.

What is going on here? Typical teen confusion? Are young girls oblivious to their own vulnerability? Are they repressing their knowledge of their vulnerability by supporting an accused rapist instead of a female rape survivor? Or do teen girls just learn to hate themselves and each other at an earlier age? Help me out - I am genuinely at a loss for words.

UK Report Calls Date-Rape Drug a Myth

TresSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 -0700

Well this is depressing. A UK Daily Mail article titled Date-Rape Drug? No Dear, You Just Had Too Much to Drink claims that date-rape drugs are mostly an urban myth. The paper quotes academic research, recently published in the British Journal of Criminology, to argue that women are "willing to 'hide behind' the idea that a stranger poured poison in their drink - rather than face up to the fact that they had simply been binge drinking."

The original report claims that women often confuse binge-drinking induced blackouts and dizziness with drink-spiking, and researchers worry that this could cause women to be less careful about more common factors that put them at risk for rape - like heavy drinking. Unfortunately, this attitude suggests that because women are responsible for their binge drinking, they're also responsible for any assault they might endure. (What about the rapist?)

In addition, the authors say that "despite popular beliefs, police have found no evidence rape victims are commonly drugged with substances such as rohypnol." It seems like quite a leap to say that women getting drugged and then raped is an urban myth just because it might not be as common as a drunk woman getting raped.

It's troubling that some experts and the media cannot find a way to remind people about the dangers associated with binge drinking without discrediting women who have been victims of sexual abuse.

Rape Victim Denied Healthcare For Taking Anti-AIDS Drug

TresSugar — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:00:00 -0700

I'll admit that I didn't know anything about the anti-AIDS medication given to rape victims until someone I know had to take it. The preventative drug cocktail, which must be started within 72 hours of exposure and taken over 28 days, is given as emergency treatment to people who might have been exposed to the HIV virus, often victims of rape.

Thanks to the debate raging over healthcare reform, it has come out that health insurance companies deny patients health insurance because they took the medication. At least that's what happened to Christina Turner. After being drugged by two strangers, Christina had physical injuries indicating that she had probably been sexually assaulted. Her doctor prescribed her the anti-AIDS medication, but she soon found out that taking it made her uninsurable. When she lost her coverage for an unrelated reason, Christina went out to purchase a new policy. Insurance companies examined her health records and found the anti-AIDS prescription. They told her that it raised too many health questions, and that she might be able to come back for coverage in a few years if she could prove she was AIDS free. They didn't seem to care that Christina had never contracted HIV.

It horrifies me that a woman who has been a victim of sexual assault can have that tragic experience held against her by health insurance companies. And I also can't help but think of what Christina's story means for people who are actually HIV positive. If Christina was penalized for merely taking this medication, it surely must be harder to get coverage if you are already living with the disease. What is your reaction to all of this?

Jon Stewart: How Could Senators Vote Against Antirape Bill?

TresSugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:00:00 -0700

Senator Al Franken recently sponsored the Franken Anti-Government-Contractor Rape Liability Bill. The legislative amendment states that the US government will not hire companies who make employees sign a contract saying that they will not sue if they are raped by other employees.

Franken was prompted by a female employee of a Halliburton subsidiary who was gang-raped by her co-workers in Iraq. She could not press criminal charges because it happened out of US jurisdiction, and she could not sue, because the fine print in her employment contract waived that right.

Franken's amendment should put an end to such atrocities, but not all members of the Senate were on board. The final vote was 68-30 in favor. Jon Stewart wants to know: how is anyone against this? Watch this clip from last night's Daily Show to find out how certain lawmakers justified their opposition.

Coasters That Detect Date-Rape Drugs in Drinks

TresSugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 04:00:00 -0700

Getting reminders that there are predatory men out there willing to spike your drink with date-rape drugs kinda keeps me from ever wanting to leave my apartment again, but at least for the brave bar flies out there, there are now coasters that can be used to detect two "popular" date-rape drugs, GHB (aka "Roofies") and ketamine.

Some bars are willing to fork over the 40 cents-per-coaster to hand these out to women so that they feel safe enough to drink at their bars. It's pretty shocking that this is common enough that a whole industry has been built around it. In case you didn't know, there's also the lip gloss that detects date-rape drugs. Sigh. To watch a news clip about a reserve law enforcement officer who was busted by a bartender using one of these coasters, read more.

Should Authorities Drop the Polanski Case If Victim Wishes?

TresSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:00:00 -0700

It's been more than 30 years since celebrated director Roman Polanski, then 43, plead guilty to having unlawful sex with a 13 year old, after apparently giving champagne and part of a qualude to her. He served 42 days in a maximum security prison and, right before sentencing, fled the country when the media-conscious judge presiding over the case voiced his desire to give him another 48 days.

Over the weekend, Polanski was arrested at the Zurich airport and awaits the Swiss court's decision on whether or not he will be extradited to the United States.

Polanski, director of such classics as Rosemary's Baby, Chinatown, and the Oscar-winning film The Pianist, has been living in France ever since he fled the US. (He was a no-show at the Oscars when The Pianist won in 2003.) His victim, now 45 and the recipient of an undisclosed sum from Polanski after she sued him, wishes his charges would be dropped and that the whole case would go away. She believes that because his case was so mishandled years ago, continual attempts over the years to revive it bring unwanted publicity - and pain - to her, her husband, and her children.

Cop Poses as Twin, Rapes Woman

TresSugar — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0700

A Connecticut police officer found himself on the wrong side of the law when he posed as his twin brother in order to have sex with an unsuspecting woman - who not incidentally was romantically involved with his brother. Jared Rohrig has now resigned from his law-enforcement job after being charged with first-degree sexual assault and criminal impersonation.

The woman realized that Jared was not his twin brother after they started having sex and she noticed that Jared didn't have a tattoo on his backside like his brother does. She tried to get away from Jared, but he allegedly restrained her and continued to rape her.

If the allegations are true, Jared managed to mess up one woman's life and probably destroy his relationship with his brother. At least now that he's resigned, this man is no longer in a place of authority.