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Original poster

Raping Asian girls worse than raping white girls because it 'harms their marriage prospects' :o

187 replies

OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 09:42

Link

A judge has just ruled that a man who raped Asian under-13s should receive a longer sentence, because the victims' families were now worried about their marriage prospects. In other words, damaging these girls' property value in the marriage 'market' actually counted in terms of assessing the damage done by raping them.

I think this is horrific. Not just because virginity should have no bearing on the value of a girl or woman, but also because implicitly it seems to support the notion that underlay the belief of the Rotherham rapists that white girls were 'trash' who could be abused freely because they were already devalued. Like it's OK to rape white girls because they have no trading value.

I get that feminism coexists quite uneasily with cultural diversity, and this is a very difficult area to navigate, but really feel like this needs a feminist response.

OP posts:
ExitPursuedByABear · 18/09/2015 17:02

Signed and shared

Wishful80smontage · 18/09/2015 16:53

Signed and shared

HelenaDove · 18/09/2015 16:47

Thank God for this thread I was horrified when i saw the thread about this in AIBU.

I cant believe it.

AbeSaidYes · 18/09/2015 16:26

Signed and shared.

IsabelleEberhardt · 18/09/2015 16:06

Brilliant. Thanks for doing this Manatee.

antimatter · 18/09/2015 16:06

signed!

Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 16:03

New petition on change.org.

OP posts:
Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 15:54

What about

"We call for racial and cultural stereotyping to have no place in criminal law, and for all women to be equal in the eyes of the law when determining the harm inflicted and sentencing appropriate to rape and sexual assault."

OP posts:
Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 15:50

Hmm good point about 'revoked', Thumb. Will have a think.

OP posts:
ThumbWitchesAbroad · 18/09/2015 15:13

The only problem I have with it now is this bit:
"We call for this racist judgement to be revoked"

Don't really want it fully revoked, do we? What would that actually mean, would he have to be re-sentenced, or just have it reduced to the more usual sentence?

Just have the judgement edited to reflect the fact that ANY rape is equally bad, regardless of race or culture.

Actually I'd like to see all other rapists have their sentence increased to match his, rather than have his reduced...

Wishful80smontage · 18/09/2015 15:01

OP the last version is spot on- really encapsulates all the key points. Please let us know when ready I will more than happy to share on FB and twitter hopefully we can get this going viral quickly :)

Bakeoffcake · 18/09/2015 14:27

I couldn't believe what I was reading yesterday.

It's saying white girls don't matter as much therefore any man who wants to rape should choose a white child because you won't get as much of a sentence.

I cannot believe this sort of thing is happening in a British court.

johnImonlydancing · 18/09/2015 14:18

YANBU. (I am Asian).
Unfortunately this crazy decision has just added fuel to racism.

Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 14:09

So then the full text would be as follows. The point about equality in the eyes of the law is currently repeated but I think it's appropriate considering how fundamental that is to UK justice.

Text:

Jamal Muhammed Rahim Al Nasir was handed a harsher sentence for raping two Asian girls, as the judge claimed that the girls would suffer greater psychological harm due to the 'shame' attached to their assault, and the impact it would have on their future marriage prospects within their cultural communities.

From the Yorkshire Post:

"Jamal Muhammed Raheem Ul Nasir was jailed for seven years at Leeds Crown Court in December after he was found guilty of abusing two girls, aged nine and 14, in Bradford. At the time, Judge Sally Cahill QC said that the fact the victims were Asian had been factored in as an “aggravating feature” when passing sentence. The decision was upheld at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

An NSPCC spokesman said: “British justice should operate on a level playing field and children need to be protected irrespective of cultural differences. Regardless of race, religion, or gender, every child deserves the right to be safe and protected from sexual abuse, and the courts must reflect this."

We call for equality in the eyes of the law for the victims of rape and sexual assault, regardless of race, religion or culture. We further call for recognition that rape and sexual assault is an attack on the individual victim, not on her value as determined by her male relatives within a patriarchal marriage market.

We call for a recognition that rape is equally harmful to rape victims, regardless of their cultural background. There is no cultural or ethnic group that is more or less harmed by rape. There is no cultural or ethnic group that is 'less harmed' and therefore, implicitly, 'more acceptable' to subject to rape and sexual assault.

We call for this racist judgement to be revoked and for all women to be equal in the eyes of the law when determining the harm inflicted and sentencing appropriate to rape and sexual assault.

OP posts:
Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 14:07

Um, that's more than one final sentence now Grin

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Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 14:07

Thanks Isabelle, makes more sense. For the last sentence, how about:

We call for a recognition that rape is equally harmful to rape victims, regardless of their cultural background. There is no cultural or ethnic group that is more or less harmed by rape. There is no cultural or ethnic group that is 'less harmed' and therefore, implicitly, 'more acceptable' to subject to rape and sexual assault.

We call for this racist judgement to be revoked and for all women to be equal in the eyes of the law when determining the harm inflicted and sentencing appropriate to rape and sexual assault.

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ALassUnparalleled · 18/09/2015 14:04

Dervel as grimble said it's a whole bingo card of offensive. The judge is an equal opportunities racist. She managed to insult Asian girls and parents and white girls and parents.

She is also giving substance to the myth that if a woman has had and enjoyed sex in the past well rape can't be that bad (ignoring of course that a 13 year old whether she is brown, black, white or sky blue-pink can't consent to sex)

MrNoseybonk · 18/09/2015 13:59

I'd be delighted to sign and share the above petition and I'm sure most of the people I know would.
Could get a lot of support (rightly so!).
There have unfortunately been some racist comments on my local paper's facebook page, though, which is annoying.

Dervel · 18/09/2015 13:50

Isn't this whole judgement endemically racist? Making the presumption that Asian girls should only marry Asian men?

IsabelleEberhardt · 18/09/2015 12:38

We call for equality in the justice system for all victims of rape and sexual assault, regardless of race, religion or culture.

We call for recognition that rape and sexual assault is an attack on the individual victim, not on the victim's value as determined by male relatives within a patriarchal marriage market.

We call for a recognition that rape is equally harmful to the victims regardless of their cultural background; that there is no cultural or ethnic group that might be deemed by a judge to be 'less harmed' and thus implicitly 'more acceptable' to be subject to rape and sexual assault.

I changed the above slightly but feel free to ignore. I think the very last point could be made a bit clearer but I'm struggling to find the right words today.

Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 12:36

Thanks folks, please keep comments/suggestions coming. Have nipped out for lunch/meetings but will rewrite a bit later.

Regarding who it should be addressed to, does it make sense to address it to the government, the appeal court, something else?

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IsabelleEberhardt · 18/09/2015 12:31

Brilliant Manatee.

Very last paragraph you need to move the word 'regardless' I think?

And we call for a recognition that rape is equally harmful to its victims regardless of their cultural background;

I think that's better? Also not sure if should say 'its victims' or just 'victims' as its implies that rape is the criminal, not the rapist. (Sorry I may be over thinking a bit).

I'd try and split out your last paragraph so each 'we call for...' Stands out

SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius · 18/09/2015 12:20

That looks pretty much spot on to me, OTheH.

Can you separate out the last sentence, as that one seems to be the key, for me - I might put it in bold too, if you can do that.

Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 12:14

So far I have the following, but I think it could be tidied up. Any help appreciated Smile

TEXT

Jamal Muhammed Rahim Al Nasir was handed a harsher sentence for raping two Asian girls, as the judge claimed that the girls would suffer greater psychological harm due to the 'shame' attached to their assault, and the impact it would have on their future marriage prospects within their cultural communities.

From the Yorkshire Post:

"Jamal Muhammed Raheem Ul Nasir was jailed for seven years at Leeds Crown Court in December after he was found guilty of abusing two girls, aged nine and 14, in Bradford. At the time, Judge Sally Cahill QC said that the fact the victims were Asian had been factored in as an “aggravating feature” when passing sentence. The decision was upheld at London’s Criminal Appeal Court.

An NSPCC spokesman said: “British justice should operate on a level playing field and children need to be protected irrespective of cultural differences. Regardless of race, religion, or gender, every child deserves the right to be safe and protected from sexual abuse, and the courts must reflect this."

We call for equality in the eyes of the law for the victims of rape and sexual assault, regardless of race, religion or culture. We further call for recognition that rape and sexual assault is an attack on the individual victim, not on her value as determined by her male relatives within a patriarchal marriage market. And we call for a recognition that rape is equally harmful regardless to its victims of cultural background; that there is no cultural or ethnic group that might be deemed by a judge to be 'less harmed' and thus implicitly 'more acceptable' to subject to rape and sexual assault.

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Original poster
OTheHugeManatee · 18/09/2015 12:09

I'm happy to have a go at creating a change.org, but can anyone help me draft a pithy feminist critique of the ruling? Not feeling very bright today Confused

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