No, a 14-year-old was not “as much in control” as her rapist

By Katie Halper

A judge has apologized for his comments about a teen rape victim who committed suicide, but the words still sting

A 14-year-old girl is raped by her 49-year-old high school teacher. As the criminal case drags on, the girl, now 16, kills herself. The teacher pleads guilty and is sentenced to 30 days in jail.

CONTINUED: http://www.salon.com/2013/08/28/no_a_14_year_old_was_not_as_much_in_control_as_her_rapist/

How not to be terrible when talking about rape

The rules for accurate rape commentary are a lot like the rules of not being a horrible person. A few pointers

By Katie Mcdonough | Sep 5, 2013

Fourteen-year-old girls in juvenile detention facilities do not “consent” to be raped by their corrections officers. Latex-clad 20-year-old pop stars do not “encourage a teenage culture” in which boys can sexually assault unconscious girls with impunity. And convicted rapists who escape punishment and violate the terms of their rehabilitation programs — only to be faced with a mere 30 days in prison as a result — have not received a sentence “appropriate given the nature of the case.”

And yet this is, verbatim, how we’re talking about rape in 2013. A little more than a year out from the “legitimate rape” comment that killed Todd Akin’s political career, it’s become clear that, far from being a ridiculous outlier, Akin’s view of sexual violence is basically how too many people with high profiles choose to talk about rape: quick to blame survivors, even quicker to excuse perpetrators.

It is so easy to be better. Writing about sexual assault with accuracy, empathy and common sense is really about taking the time and forethought just to be a good person.

Here are five ways to start.

CONTINUED: http://www.salon.com/2013/09/05/how_not_to_be_terrible_when_talking_about_rape/