"Most prolific" rapist reporting - male vs female victims

I said to Dh “I doubt what the men were wearing” was used in court at any point. It’s awful what has happened but the reporting is very different.

I think it's rather distasteful that people are suggesting anyone doesn't have sympathy for the victims or that it's some kind of competition. On this board we spend a lot of time discussing the difference between how men and women are perceived and treated. I honestly believe the tone md content of all the reporting I've seen differs to cases involving women. That is more than relevant for discussion here.

I’m glad someone else mentioned the “drunk and going to his flat” because any woman doing that would labelled as a total idiot, not “I was hammered and thought a fellow student was looking out for me”.

I’m not sure which cases we’re allowed to talk about but one famous one, I thought the female victim didn’t know either and it was detected by police, but she was still treated appallingly in court and the media.

So by that logic, a straight woman suffers less when raped by a man compared to a lesbian, and a gay man suffers less than a straight man when raped.

I do think a lot of people genuinely think that.

This is a truly horrific case. Really upsetting. All rape victims deserve consideration and access to justice.

I also noticed a huge difference in tone.

For the first time ever I heard air time given to the impacts of rape on the victims. On their family life. On their mental health. It's good that this was given air time. These men should be heard and treated with respect.

I want the same for women too. I've never heard a squeak on the impact on Worboys' victims of their ordeal. The problem is we are so used to hearing that women are raped.

I did feel uncomfortable with the reporting of the victims' feelings - but of course it is worse for men because many of them were not homosexual.

So by that logic, a straight woman suffers less when raped by a man compared to a lesbian, and a gay man suffers less than a straight man when raped.

Rape isn’t less traumatic for straight women or gay men just because they may have consensual sexual experiences with men.

Yup, have to say I noticed the difference in reporting. It stood out to me in fact.
The ched Evan's case , she was filmed too and absolutely vilified in the press and on SM.
The Cyprus teenager, filmed yet she was on trial.
The one in Ireland last June I think, where two men walk into the toilets she was being raped in and filmed it. I haven't heard what the outcome was but I can guess.
The perthshire hospital one, he got 10 years.
The K-pop stars were jailed but I think it was lenient, and one or both mass raped girls and filmed it.
I could go on but the reporting is so very different.

I did feel uncomfortable with the reporting of the victims' feelings - but of course it is worse for men because many of them were not homosexual.

So is the rape of lesbians worse than the rape of heterosexual women???

When that happens to women, it tends to get used against them, that they didn't even know.

Exactly.

That said, reporting is almost always sober post-verdict, especially when reporting restrictions have been in place. So that these trials weren't covered as they went on is an important factor here. Perhaps there should be reporting restrictions on rape trials across the board? I don't know.

Nobody is saying that these young men should be told they were architects in their own rapes: they are saying that their female equivalents should not be told this.

This.

Oh, and FWIW - most of the victims didn't know they'd been raped until the police identified them from the videos and came knocking at their door.

When that happens to women, it tends to get used against them, that they didn't even know.

Male rape is as bad as female rape. End of.

I think the only difference is that the video evidence made any possible defence completely unbelievable. I do think, that had the victims been female, the reporting would be similar. It’s extremely rare for the evidence to be so clear-cut; apparently the decision the jury had to make was were the victims asleep or not (some were snoring on the video), as people can’t consent if they are asleep.

I do agree with you about the reporting being more sympathetic but I think it's a bit distasteful to do a whatabout the womenz after what those poor men have gone through.

We should ignore the injustice? Most of these young men were targeted for the exact reason women who are raped are told that they are complicit - being so drunk they were "easy game" for a predator. Nobody is saying that these young men should be told they were architects in their own rapes: they are saying that their female equivalents should not be told this.

Oh, and FWIW - most of the victims didn't know they'd been raped until the police identified them from the videos and came knocking at their door.

Jesus H Christ. Why does this still have to be a competition between men and women? Read about the case before posting such drivel

It's not a competition......I think many of us would have considered the difference in approach and reporting of these rapes to other rapes of women we have heard about...certainly I did upon watching this on the news this evening.

The reporting struck me too. Completely different tone to the reporting, less sensationalist, no discussion of what the victims were wearing, more respectful of the victims, more straightforward condemnation of the rapist

.......or of the fact most of them were drunk and went back, willingly, to the rapists apartment.......

Goose, yes, but women are often not believed about assault.

So in that respect, no difference.i think it’s horrifically difficult to report full stop.

Re difference being the police found out from the phone - yes, I’ll have to read up. If there’s not even one person who reported this themselves, it’s not going to apply re what questions are asked.

In some ways this conviction is a positive step - as when someone says "she must have consented" or "she must have agreed to take GHB" or whatever, this case can be pointed to. Evidence - these men did not report therapes. Some may not have really "known" what happened. They didn't fight back. Etc. etc.
This can be a step to counter the arguments.

And the police obviously thought they'd come across someone like the East London killer - which is partly why they were looking for bodies.

Why?

Men are often not believed about assault, or think they won't be, the idea goes that they are strong men, and if they couldn't get away/fight back, they must really have been into it. With the attendant worry that people will believe they are gay.

People are asking - do rape victims all get asked the same questions?

Probably not, but this case isn't a good example of that - the victims didn't know they were victims until the police informed them. It wasn't the victims making an accusation and being believed because they were male.

“ I imagine it must be even more difficult for male victims to come forward than women”

Why?

Is it safe to presume this guy is in solitary?

Our legal system is so crazy though, I still think, give it 20 years and he’ll be asking for parole with a sob story.

This is not a competition between men and women about who is the worst victim. I imagine it must be even more difficult for male victims to come forward than women. The scale of the victims suggests that they weren't taken seriously. Let's just be glad that a heinous criminal has been put behind bars.

I think it's difficult to compare subtle difference of tone in reporting in cases where the facts are so unusual. I suspect that had this case involved women its one where there would have been a lot of sympathy from the media for the victims.

I have nothing but sympathy for the victims of this man, exactly as I would if they were female. It’s not their fault the media and judiciary find their rapes more serious and abhorrent because of their sex.

But suddenly GHB is a problem? After all the years of women being targeted by predators using it?

I agree that the way that rape (of women) is dealt with by our judiciary, media and society more generally is a fucking travesty.

But as far as this story is concerned, I think the emphasis and out thoughts should focus on those poor, poor men who were this bastard's victims.

I'm just a little bothered by the fact that most posters here appear to give absolute zero fucks about them.