OtherPress. Room 1020-700 Royal Ave. Douglas College New Westminster, BC V3L 5B2 TELEPHONE: 604.525.3542 WEBSITE: theotherpress.ca EMAIL: editor@theotherpress.ca STAFF LIST Natalie Serafini Editor-in-Chief Meditor@theotherpress.ca Eric Wilkins Assistant Editor Massistant@theotherpress.ca Angela Ho Business Manager Chris Paik Distribution Manager Cody Klyne Layout Manager Joel McCarthy Graphics Manager Mike LeMieux Production Assistant Ed Appleby Illustrator Jony Roy Social Media Coordinator Angela Espinoza News Editor Mnews@theotherpress.ca Michael Sopow Sports Reporter Cheryl Minns Arts Editor Marts@theotherpress.ca Chitwan Khosla Features Editor WM features@theotherpress.ca Sophie Isbister Life & Style Editor Mlifeandstyle@theotherpress.ca Elliot Chan Opinions Editor Mopinions@theotherpress.ca Sharon Miki Humour Editor Mhumour@theotherpress.ca Staff Writers Brittney MacDonald Cazzy Lewchuk Mercedes Deutscher Senior Columnists Patrick Vaillancourt Steven Cayer Adam Tatleman Andrea Arscott Columnist Allie Davison, Julie Wright Contributors Chandler Walter aa gal aaa da The blame game he Jian Ghomeshi scandal led to a lot of women coming forward and asserting that he abused them, and this outpouring of divulgence has prompted other women, not associated with Ghomeshi, to open up about their abuse. The #BeenRapedNeverReported trend was started by Antonia Zerbisias of the Toronto Star and her friend, to empower women who have chosen not to report a crime against them. Another very different response to the Ghomeshi confessions has been blame— not entirely for Ghomeshi, but for the women who didn’t come forward about their abuse sooner. Clearly, based on how rapidly and globally the #BeenRapedNeverReported hashtag has spread—with 41,549 total tweets between October 29 and November 3— experiencing violence, abuse, or assault and not reporting it is common. With it being so common, it can’t be unmotivated or insignificant. A report on abuse of older adults lists reasons like “fear of more abuse ... a belief that they are getting what they deserve ... a belief that police : or social services cannot help : them ... [and] a belief that : they cannot prove the abuse is : happening.” LifeCentre.uk.com also : notes that “For many people : [not reporting] is a good : decision and enables them : to concentrate on their own : healing and ability to rebuild : life positively.” In addition, while 46 out : of 100 rapes get reported to : the police, only “12 lead to an : arrest, nine get prosecuted ... : three [lead to] even a single : day in prison,” according to : Rainn.org. Of course the justice : system can be complicated, : and is set-up to be fair and : just to all parties, which in : part explains the relatively low : rate of convicted rapists; there : has to be enough evidence to : convict someone of a crime. It’s : not too surprising though that : some abuse survivors do not : want to put themselves through : such an emotional rigmarole, : when it might not result in any : substantive consequences It’s also common to blame the victims, or to assume the : accused is actually a victim of : malignity. I understand the : value of innocent until proven : guilty and maintaining justice ® Get to know us! © The Other Press has been Douglas College’s student newspaper since 1976. Since 1978 we have been an autonomous publication, independent of the student union. We area registered society under the Society Act of British Columbia, governed by an eight-person board of directors appointed by our staff. Our head office is located in the New Westminster campus. © The Other Press is published weekly during the fall and winter semesters, and monthly during the summer. We receive our funding from a student levy collected through tutition fees every semester at registration, and from local and national advertising revenue. The Other Press is a member ofthe Canadian University Press (CUP), a syndicate of student newspapers that includes papers from all across Canada. © The OtherPressreservestheright to choose what we will publish, and we will not publish material that is hateful, obscene, or condones or promotes illegal activities. Submissions may be edited for clarity and brevity if necessary. All images used are copyright to their respective owners. : victims coming forward is : problematic enough, but : this is compounded by our : response when they don’t come : forward. Yes, ideally we would : catch criminals and lock ‘em : up, so they were unable to : commit crimes again, and yes, : that is largely dependent on : people coming forward with : allegations. Again though, : there are so many reasons why : : avictim might not step forward : : right away, if ever. The process : of coming forward about abuse : is emotional and difficult, and : often fraught with accusations : of falsification, so I don’t : think we can blame anyone : for not opening up about their : abuse. When we—as a society : that traditionally blames and : in the courts; in the social realm : : though, it’s more complicated : when an abuser is given the : benefit of the doubt over the : abuse survivor’s word, and we : lend weight to the rate of false : rape accusations. Even generous : : statistics which assert that 10 : per cent of rape allegations : are false (the statistics range : from two to 10 per cent, and are : difficult to pin down), so many : more allegations of rape and : abuse are all too real. Our response to abuse discredits survivors of abuse, : assuming their dishonesty— : turn around and blame them : for not stepping forward : “sooner, we create a vicious no- : win situation for survivors of abuse. It can be difficult to : navigate moral issues such : as this, which might not lend : themselves to substantial : evidence outside of testimony, : and it can consequently be : tempting to side with the : accused. While it is important : to maintain innocent-until- : proven-guilty in the justice : system, we asa social collective : can listen to several women : stepping forward about their : abuse and say, “Hey, maybe : they’re telling the truth.” That : doesn’t mean then going wild : and pursuing vigilante justice— : justice is still a matter for the : courts. Simply saying “I believe : you” to an abuse survivor can be meaningful and powerful, : extending sympathy to a person : in need. 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