The tone of the coverage of the Reynhard Sinaga case. *Title edited by MNHQ*

[Dogsaresomucheasier]

Just watching tonight’s news. I do not wish to minimise the trauma suffered by the victims of Reynhard Sinaga, but I’m really struggling with the reporting of the case; even from female journalists. It seems so full of empathy and gravitas, when so many female victims go unheard.

@RufusthebewiIderedreindeer the original post has definitely been changed. The OP used the word aggravated in her initial post - and the tone was very different which is why all the first posters were so outraged. It has been changed since then.

I don’t remember beverley so happy to rely on your memory

But i think my point still stands

Rely ...is that right, doesn’t look right

the original post has definitely been changed. The OP used the word aggravated in her initial post - and the tone was very different which is why all the first posters were so outraged. It has been changed since then.

No. The title used "aggravated". That is why I clicked on the thread, all ready to be outraged, and discovered the post was reasonable.

If you look at the first responses other than your own, you will notice that they are quite divided, straight away, between people who read the title and reacted, and people who read the post.

I suggest you simply withdraw your first post on the thread.

Or people who read the opening post against the backdrop of the title...

Maybe you’re right and it was just the title which was so offensive.

I won’t be asking for my post to be taken down, it was a reasonable response to a distasteful title.

I agree with many posters on this thread about the poor reporting of the rape against women. I agree that it is utterly injust that those male victims won’t have been asked what they were wearing etc.

There is no question that justice for female rape victims has a LONG way to go but fighting for justice for female victims isn’t aided by diminishing the suffering of male victims. That was my point and I stand by it.

The original title was "AIBU To be aggravated that the most prolific rapist to pass through the British courts was attacking men"

It's absolutely baffling to think what goes through some people's minds... why on earth would you be aggravated that the most prolific rapist was attacking men? Do you feel left out on behalf of your gender or something? I really don't understand the thought process that would lead someone to become aggravated, never mind post about it on here.

Some people clearly think very, very differently to others.

I’m going to try to explain the “aggravated.” It was certainly an emotion I felt, but at the legal system and media that have a dreadful history of letting female victims down, NOT the victims.

Shit ‘explanation’.

I never thought from the wording that you lacked empathy for male victims. Not for a moment. I read it as frustration that female victims receive very different coverage and rape sentencing seems more lenient when females are the victims. And you're right.

But truly, once somebody goes all alliterative with comments about 'frothing feminists', you know your thread's been hijacked.

FWIW, I think some of the comments show how steeped in rape culture our society is - internalised, even - but many more are getting it.

Remember, when people are losing an argument, they often turn to semantics as a distraction.

YABVU. It may seem like he’s getting the book thrown at him more than a rapist of women, but that’s because they have indisputable proof that he raped 200 men because he FILMED the rapes. Some of the victims won’t even know they were raped. It’s shocking and the victims should be treated with empathy and dignity just as female rape victims should be.

yeah - the thread isn't about the legal process it's about the way the press report it.
I wonder after 21 pages why some people haven't grasped that yet?

The legal process is brutal too, this, I believe, is the first time heterosexual men have seen several someone’s who look like them experience it from the victim’s point of view.

@brefugee - in what way has the press reported it that is so offensive? I’m afraid I don’t have time to read all the posts and the articles I have read have been perfectly sensible.

Sympathy for victims - yes
Disgust at rape - yes
Emphasising the prolific nature of the offender - yes

The victims in this case were mostly heterosexual, they were drugged, raped and filmed by this predator. By any standards, and whomever the victims were, these were horrific attacks and the enormously prolific nature of his offending deserves reporting.

I can’t see how this reporting is at fault. We all know that the judicial/police system still has a long way in fairness to female victims but why is the reporting at fault in this case of male victims?

Harry
The point is that the press have reported it as all rapes should be reported. They have rightly focussed on the actions of the rapist not the rape victims.
Not all rapes of females or gay men have been treated the same way by the press. Let’s hope this case marks a change in the way the press reports rape so the suggestions of culpability by victim become a thing of the past b

Harry nope. You don't get to have someone precis 21 pages of conversation for you. The discussion topic is in the title (and was even before it was changed, abeit a bit convoluted). The discussion has tried to veer away, and has been brought back each time.

There is NOTHING about the coverage of this case which has been bad. It has been good. Now we want that courtesy extended to other rape cases.

I see this has resurfaced. I think it is a shame that MN have decided to alter how the OP chose to title this thread to make those of us who took exception to it look like unreasonable idiots. Cheers MN.

As for these threads it has descended into pointless bickering about semantics and trying to find a specific angle that makes people who think that this case was somehow an affront to rape victims seem reasonable (it's about the reporting not the case) even though they can't actually substantiate that accusation with contemporary UK examples and that their ignorance of the treatment of the male victims both before the case and during cross examination has largely led to this being an issue for them and exposes their latent prejudices more than anything else.

I agree, @Hopoindown31

Thanks @ChazsBrilliantAttitude - I see what you mean

I was hoping Someone would gives us examples of contemporary UK reporting of female victim rape cases to see how the the tone and coverage was different but I didn't see it.
Here's one from the Daily Mail
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7907647/Married-builder-jailed-21-years-using-date-rape-pills.html

Interesting comparative report, @Rosslynhill