LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor: In recent quotes and letters related to sexual assault, myths and assumptions that result in victim-blaming, normalization of sexual violence, and perpetuation of rape culture have surfaced.
1. Public defender Virginia Lyon claims Brian Scranton “is not a community safety risk… He has a history of being an upstanding citizen, a law abiding citizen.”
When a man’s DNA is identified inside another person who was unconscious or asleep at the time of penetration, no consent was given and that’s rape. Whether convicted or not, he is a threat to our community and not an upstanding, law-abiding citizen. How unconscionably disregarding of victims and any survivor of sexual violence to say otherwise!
2. Lyon referenced Scranton’s need to make money to care for his family. While the alleged rapist is spared loss of income by Judge Beckenhauer’s decision, did the judge consider the trauma experienced by Scranton’s victim(s) (and potentially the community) knowing her alleged assailant is at large? Who considers (or even mentions) victims’ economic hardships resulting from trauma that negatively impacts their ability to work?
3. The paper reported that Scranton mistook his recent victim for his wife. If that makes his act less egregious in your mind, rape culture persists. Intimate partners are not exempt from obtaining consent. It’s not OK to rape your wife or anyone!
4. Bob Kelly finds the tone of the letter penned by Men Ending Rape Culture (MEND) insulting. In contrast, I find it encouraging when men who recognize their male privilege are outraged, call on their male peers to act, and spend their unearned privilege to publicly denounce rape and boldly advocate for victims.
5. Kelly is “awed by the magnificence of the (judicial) process.” I do not share his sentiment nor do the survivors I know who have endured and/or understand the trauma of a rape trial that typically scrutinizes, undermines and/or misrepresents their character, credibility and sexual history while dismissing evidence about the alleged perpetrator that could influence the jury.
Prospective jurors answer questions to discern if they have been sexually assaulted, know anyone who has been sexually assaulted or have professional experience with victims of assault. Prospective jurors are not asked if they are a perpetrator, know any perpetrators or work with perpetrators. The process seems inherently biased and flawed to me.
Please educate yourselves. Search “rape statistics.”
Remember many rapes are not even reported! Most importantly, believe victims.
Robyn Cascade Ridgway
