Is It Just Me Questioning Why Women Get Such a Kicking?

Right I'm going to start off by giving a red triangle rant warning. I am peed off royally. You have been warned.

Last night, Elder and I shared a curry and then, as we're too darn lazy to go through the record collection anymore, put on Youtube and had a tune off. We're both members, via Facebook, of a number of music groups whereby you post a link to what you happen to be playing and others can comment on memories. 

It's not often other comments on anything outside music are discussed, but one London member happened to voice how upsetting it is that a 12 year old girl- a mere child- had been gang raped in Walthamstow.

Many of us members are parents. When I first heard about it on the news over breakfast, my heart bled for a child violated in that way. How will her life be after such an appalling act? I have seen the effect gang rape can have on a previously confident person who was an adult.

The second thing I wondered was why a 12 year old was out, alone, after midnight. However, I questioned the morals of her parents on this, nothing more.


The discussion started on Facebook of a group of parents with much the same attitude as me. Other rape cases of children in the UK were discussed, and the general question was how will we protect our kids? Is this really Britain in 2013.

Then, a lady came on and basically said that the child- let's remember this is a child- deserved it, as she was out late. 

She also complained that some members had also mentioned about the large group of Muslim men convicted of grooming vulnerable kids in Birmingham. Would we feel differently about it, less scandalised, if it had been white christian males?

Well, no, we wouldn't would we? And the anger over Jimmy Saville, Stuart Hall and the cohorts proves this.

It matters not a jot to many of us if a person is black, white, green, or has three heads. Rape is rape, whoever does it they are a sick, twisted beast of a person and they should be locked up for the protection of us all forever more.

The very fact that a woman can ever suggest that the 12 year old was at fault- these people prey on vulnerable children just like her- made me shocked.

If woman can be slating other women, giving any form of excuse for rape, makes my stomach churn.

Then we have the recent spate of rape threats to high profile people on Twitter. Over a banknotes lack of women.

Since when did rape, or threats of it, become the norm for disagreeing with a woman's opinion? Whatever happened to simply saying "I don't agree" but allowing others to have a differing opinion? It is the actions of a sad individual lacking in intelligence. 

The thing that annoys me though is Twitter's response- or lack of. They have now joined the reprehensible Facebook in basically glazing over abuse against women. I myself recently had abuse from a group of men over the Bounty campaign- Twitter did nothing. Since when is that or any kind of threats or bullying OK? 

It's never, ever freedom of speech to consider someone being raped and give a "but she" response. Rape is one of the most degrading, hurtful acts a person can be subjected to. It is a power trip of the most violent form. 

When even women, who should back each other over this, can feel fine publicly slating a 12 year old is fine, what hope is there for victims?