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Original poster

Shannon Mathews

391 replies

user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 07:36

This was a shocking case. The child was without a doubt a victim in terrible circumstances. Her own Mother stashing her away under the bed of her partner...drugging her, lying to the public and to her friends about such an awful thing.

But.

Does anyone here think that the press and the public demonised her in a far worse fashion than criminals who do worse have been?

She was pilloried, called terrible names...really made into a sort of figurehead for everything "unwomanly" when there are plenty of men who commit arguably worse crimes and who get away without the public disgrace.

Yes she did a truly awful thing but the fact that she was

A: A woman
B: Working Class
C: Ignorant
D: Unattractive

All added up to ensure that she was the perfect example of a demon woman. Can anyone expand or tell me more about this sort of thing? Do you agree with me? Are there other cases which are similar?

OP posts:
sushisack · 12/12/2016 12:16

I don't really understand why you're bending over backwards to defend some of these women OP, it's not really a good or useful use of feminist thought! They're bad people who did bad things!

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 12/12/2016 12:15

Oh my OP. I've just seen your post at 12.11. I don't usually like the "wow, just wow" approach but in this case it's all that springs to mind.

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 12:15

I agree Lass - this version of feminism doesn't do women any favours does it? WE are all responsible for ourselves in the end.

sushisack · 12/12/2016 12:14

This is all a bit of a reach, I do think the reaction to female criminals is different to those of male ones, particularly murderers, purely because they're more rare. Just as there is always a big furore about child murderers.

I do think Maxine Carr was demonised probably more than she should have been, probably because the press didn't labour the point that she thought him innocent, it's a more interesting story for the press if they thought she was complicit.

And I get really sick of people claiming Myra Hindley was easily manipulated, she was an intelligent sociopath in my opinion, to claim she was somehow duped into murdering children is pretty offensive.

MrsJayy · 12/12/2016 12:14

Shannon and the other children were Vulnerable Km knew what she was doing

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 12/12/2016 12:12

MrsJayy and it does lie with her. I'm looking at this from a cold perspective through the medium of Feminism

And that would include the particularly infantilisating view that no matter how badly a woman behaves we must (a) find some excuse for her and (b) reporting or commenting on it is anti-woman ?


MrsJayy · 12/12/2016 12:12

I do not think this is a feminism debate and i dont think we should blindly support Karen Mathews because she is female.

Original poster
user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 12:11

At the end of the day, the woman...Karen Mathews was supposedly someone with a learning disability...that according to The Independent anyway.

She was suspected to have got the idea for the kidnap from an episode of Shameless...this seems to be the action of a woman who was not only a terrible parent but also quite vulnerable herself.

It's like something a child would dream up.

OP posts:
QuimReaper · 12/12/2016 12:05

Not her lack of intelligence user, her lack of even the most basic moral scruples. It's like she doesn't even understand in theory why what she did was so wrong, and it's near-impossible to have any sympathy with that.

Original poster
user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 12:04

MrsJayy and it does lie with her. I'm looking at this from a cold perspective through the medium of Feminism.

OP posts:
2014newme · 12/12/2016 12:03

She is a demon. That's why she has been demonised. Pure evil, can anyone here imagine doing that to their own child? The kids had a terrible life anyway, notes begging for food were found in the house from the kids etc.
Nothing but contempt for her hope she rots in jail.

TheMagicFarawaySleeps · 12/12/2016 12:00

The comments about lack of jobs in the area due to Thatcher's decimation of industry would be valid. Except there were and are jobs in the Dewsbury Area and roundabout, so I fail to see how that has any baring on the KM case.

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 12/12/2016 11:57

I'm not buying at all that public reaction to KM is due to embarrasment at having been conned.

HalfShellHero · 12/12/2016 11:55

I think its more classism than sexism ...

Thisjustinno · 12/12/2016 11:51

In reference to KM I do agree with what PPs said about it also being about how people hate to be duped and made fools of, the embarrassment of being conned is really powerful.

HalfShellHero · 12/12/2016 11:50

*been had..

MrsJayy · 12/12/2016 11:50

I think your thinking is skewed user the sympathy should lie with Shannon

HalfShellHero · 12/12/2016 11:50

I think people were angry and outraged theyd had so badly my 'jeremy kyle fodder' British people are sneery and assume we could never be fooled by 'someone like that'...

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 12/12/2016 11:47

Black has not promoted himself in the same way as Hindley. No Lord Longford has championed his case.

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 11:46

user...
did you start this thread to make excuses for KM?
Lots of people come from depressed communities and don't feel the need to drug and fake the abduction of their children.
What point are you trying to make here? Yes women are more vilified because they are supposed to be more nurturing. Obviously this is not always the case...

Original poster
user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 11:44

MrsJay I did NOT blame Thatcher. So take your "Low" comment back thanks.

It was in relation to the benefits class comment.

YOUR community recovered. Many, did not. I assume your community recovered because work was provided in other sectors.

Or...don't tell me...they all became entrepreneurs?

OP posts:
MinesAGin · 12/12/2016 11:43

Just looked up Robert Black - what an awful man. He was arrested around the time my child was born and I avoided reading the news for a long time.

Original poster
user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 11:42

QuimReaper so we're to hate her for a lack of intelligence are we?

OP posts:
MrsJayy · 12/12/2016 11:42

To blame Thatcher really is low i grew up in thatcher era my step father was on strike for a year our area recovered, to say Karen Mathews is a product of this is insulting and ridiculous, Karen Mathews neglected her children Karen Mathews failed to protect her children karen mathews had her child hidden in a house for 20 odd days the only person who was supposed to keep Shannon safe exploited her put her life in danger for publicity and money. Shannon is now a young woman having to live with that but yeah lets excuse her parents behaviour because she was ugly and poor.

Original poster
user1477282676 · 12/12/2016 11:41

Shh on MN it would seem that for some people at least, you're only a SAHM if your husband works AND you have some "taste" and speak in a certain way.

If you wear clothing from a supermarket and you're brash...AND you get Working Tax Credits...well...then you're Benefits Class.

OP posts: