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Monday Links: "Jackie," the UVA mess, and believing rape victims. Bonus: How birth control lowers divorce rates

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As most of you no doubt know, the story that a UVA student known as “Jackie” told Rolling Stone of suffering a gang rape at a UVA fraternity is coming unraveled; a number of key details in the story appear to be false.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind, though:

1) After reluctantly speaking to journalist Sabrina Rubin Erdely, Jackie asked to be removed from the story; Erdely and Rolling Stone refused to honor her wishes. Ultimately, Erderly and Rolling Stone are responsible for the story, and the story’s errors, not Jackie.

2) Friends of Jackie report that in the Fall of 2012, after the night in which the assaults allegedly took place, she displayed many of the symptoms of someone who had been sexually assaulted, growing withdrawn and depressed and ultimately returning home before the term was over. I still think it’s very likely she did indeed suffer some sort of sexual assault.

3) A right-wing “journalist” has doxxed Jackie, posting what he says is her real name and other personal details.

Here are some useful pieces on the whole sad mess:

The UVA Mess Is Now a Full-Fledged Shitstorm, by Anna Merlan at Jezebel

A letter from a friend: Jackie’s story is not a hoax, by Emily Clark at The Cavalier Daily

No matter what Jackie said, we should generally believe rape claims, by Zerlina Maxwell at the Washington Post

Who is Jackie? Rolling Stone’s rape story is about a person – and I believe her, by Jessica Velenti at The Guardian

UVA Rape Survivor: Don’t Doubt a Victim’s Story Just Because It Sounds Horrific, by Liz Seccuro at Time.com.

And a few other pieces that have nothing to do with UVA:

Divorce rates keep declining. Thanks, birth control and abortion! (The teen pregnancy rate is at its lowest in decades too.) by Amanda Marcotte at RH Reality Check

Einstein’s letter defending Marie Curie shows just how long trolls have been slut-shaming women in science, by Scott Kaufman at Raw Story

On David Denby’s creepily salacious review of Wild, by Barbara Herman at International Business Times

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cassandrakitty
cassandrakitty
9 years ago

Maybe it’s part of a super secret campaign to challenge gender stereotypes by proving that no, not all women have high levels of emotional intelligence.

goodrumo
9 years ago

Great collection here We Hunted Mammoth, I can add a few if you like, Jackie’s dad has made a statement, a friend also has written a letter supporting her in regard to something traumatic did happen, will find my links and post in new comment. That Charles C Johnson is scum of the earth, he does have history of his slimey attacks on others as well, remember he was the one who doxxed the ‘ebola patient’. He also wrote a couple of not very good articles for reason magazine as a contributor, reason is meant to be a libertarian media publication but between slime-ball Johnson, Robby Soave (he wrote that ‘rape hoax’ article) and now their senior editor Peter Sudeman they basically are coming across as rape apologists. Not before Soave writing a very misleading article regarding a debate Jessica Valenti participated in. He ran with the silly, lying headline she had said rape jokes cause rape, (Jess had been instead describing a rape culture environment). That played out over twitter btw, (still available.) Both Soave and Johnson were writers at the right wing faecal rag ‘Daily Caller’. Johnson may well have committed a felony, his doxxing potentially may earn him an interview with the FBI -> 18 USC 1512 http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/1512

goodrumo
9 years ago

Sorry, I see you got her friends letter of support. Here is Jackie’s father’s news: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2865965/My-daughter-told-truth-Father-girl-center-University-Virginia-gang-rape-storm-defends-20-year-old-saying-raped-simply-mistake-fraternity-attack-happened.html I wont quote out of it but please read it might help clear a few of the details, (the how and why).

weirwoodtreehugger
9 years ago

For brain bleach I just came across this adorable compilation of cats in costumes and had to share. http://fascinationwithfear.blogspot.com/2012/10/october-28-twenty-eight-comical.html

kittehserf
9 years ago

OMG those poor kitties – it’s a relief to know at least some of those are photoshopped!

Though I do think that pirate cat is going to kill someone very, very soon.

schwadevivre
9 years ago

@ kittehserf – think Greebo in his sleazy human form.

Just a note on the Einstein letter, several people on Raw Story are complaining about the use of “slut shaming”. Well considering the fact that the reptiles who were trolling Mme Skłodowska-Curie were complaining about her affair it was, in modern terms, slut shaming.

grumpyoldnurse
9 years ago

Oh yeah, Yoffe likes to peddle the bullshit theory that rape will magically disappear if those slutty, slutty college women just stop drinking and slutting at bars

Hahahahahahahahahahahahah *deep breath* hahahahahahahahahaha! Grown-up type adult human beings actually still buy that codswallop? Oh, dear Bootsy in a box! we are doomed!

grumpyoldnurse
9 years ago

On a personal note, I am gratified that Einstein referred to the haters as ‘reptiles’. Makes my feel almost clever for calling that sort of person ‘lizard people’.

cassandrakitty
cassandrakitty
9 years ago

I tend to use “lizard people” more for the confusing, empathy free, generally awful individuals for whom “not convinced X is a carbon based lifeform” would also work.

sparky
sparky
9 years ago

This UVa thing sucks. The hell is that “journalist” trying to accomplish by doxxing Jackie? It’s so obviously an attempt at harrassing her, I just can’t.

Crissa
Crissa
9 years ago

I don’t get the furor on the Jackie story. It doesn’t matter whether her story is even true or not – the important part was that the school didn’t investigate.

Puddleglum
9 years ago

I don’t get the furor on the Jackie story.

Could you unpack that thought a bit? I can’t tell if you mean a) you don’t see why people are upset Jackie was doxxed or b) you are wondering why the initial point, that the school didn’t investigate, is being ignored.

Crissa
Crissa
9 years ago

Could you unpack that thought a bit? I can’t tell if you mean a) you don’t see why people are upset Jackie was doxxed or b) you are wondering why the initial point, that the school didn’t investigate, is being ignored.

Could you unpack your assholishness? Honestly. You’re just looking for something to trump up your social standing here. ‘Oh look, I defended the chat! Look! I stabbed someone unfamiliar! Isn’t that awesome!’

You read every post by someone new as if it’s the worst troll possible. I have re-read my comment, and the sentence ‘the important part was that the school didn’t investigate’ should’ve been enough. I can’t say she wouldn’t have been doxxed had the school investigated… Often victims are savaged, which makes it hard to recommend they report at all. But I can say far fewer women would’ve been raped had due diligence by the school been done.

No, Jackie isn’t in the news because she was doxxed, now is she? She’s in the news because some asshole thought it was more important to ‘investigate’ the story by printing the accused’s excuses. That was terrible journalism; finding inconsistencies in a victim’s story isn’t surprising, but printing only the alibis? Ugh. It’s not newsworthy, and only feeds the abuse – like doxxing – she got.

The school didn’t investigate, despite all these reports and stories they were able to uncover. That’s what the Rolling Stone article was about.

Pocket Nerd
9 years ago

And for the next 10 years the standard rape-culture-apologist rallying cry will be “But JACKIE!!”

Thanks a smegging bunch-a-roonie, Rolling Stone.

Policy of Madness
Policy of Madness
9 years ago

You’re just looking for something to trump up your social standing here.

I had no idea Puddleglum was the one with low social standing here, who needs to step on someone else to increase it. Thank you so much for clearing that up for me.

That was a perfectly polite request for additional information, way more courtesy than I would have given you, and way more than you have proven again and again to deserve.

cassandrakitty
cassandrakitty
9 years ago

Pretty sure Puddleglum’s social standing is just fine? We could take a vote I suppose, if you insist? Also pretty sure that she (? not sure of Puddleglum’s gender actually) didn’t mean to attack you and was just trying to figure out what you meant. Seriously, chill, go have some hot chocolate or something.

weirwoodtreehugger
9 years ago

Could you unpack your assholishness? Honestly. You’re just looking for something to trump up your social standing here. ‘Oh look, I defended the chat! Look! I stabbed someone unfamiliar! Isn’t that awesome!’

New people aren’t attacked around here unless they open with an antagonistic comment. It’s a moot point though because you aren’t new and unfamiliar. You’ve been a consistent shit stirrer for awhile now. This is just the latest thing.

cassandrakitty
cassandrakitty
9 years ago

Imma go look at some pretty pictures until this latest drama blows over, it’s getting kind of old tbh.

kittehserf
9 years ago

@ kittehserf – think Greebo in his sleazy human form.

Oh yes! 😀

Could you unpack your assholishness? Honestly. You’re just looking for something to trump up your social standing here. ‘Oh look, I defended the chat! Look! I stabbed someone unfamiliar! Isn’t that awesome!’

Right, I’m contacting David. The only asshole here is you, Crissa. You’re trolling now. Fuck off.

New people aren’t attacked around here unless they open with an antagonistic comment. It’s a moot point though because you aren’t new and unfamiliar. You’ve been a consistent shit stirrer for awhile now. This is just the latest thing.

Exactly, WWTH.

Bina
9 years ago

On a personal note, I am gratified that Einstein referred to the haters as ‘reptiles’. Makes my feel almost clever for calling that sort of person ‘lizard people’.

Ruled by their reptilian hindbrains, no doubt. Although the conduct of this type of idiot would embarrass a reptile, if reptiles are capable of embarrassment. (Are they? I have no idea.)

Puddleglum
9 years ago

Wow, I really didn’t expect that, lol. I thought I was being really nice, for once. I shall just go back to being snarky. Clearly it suits me more.

cassandrakitty
cassandrakitty
9 years ago

I think this one could make drama out of “could you pass the salt”, honestly.

Robert
Robert
9 years ago

Also, speaking from experience, being asked to explain or amplify upon a statement should not be misconstrued as an attack. When the Mammothariat decides to attack, it is not phrased as a polite inquiry, and has typically been prefaced by at least one opportunity to retract an offensive or ill-advised statement.

grumpyoldnurse
9 years ago

FWIW, I didn’t think Puddleglum was being antagonistic.

I’m also suitably embarrassed that I wrote “Makes my feel” instead of “Makes me feel”. Is the embarrassment a good thing, as it marks me as not a lizard person?

thebewilderness
9 years ago

I confess I have never been able to figure you out, crissa. Are you one of those peeps who views every question as a challenge that must be vanquished? How long are you going to pretend to be new around here? Are you always this much of a jerk or do you save it just for us?