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A voice for equality >> ellen KUBIT | THE “F” WORD: FEMINISM Rape is wrong. This statement is always a fact. Almost six months ago, a 16-year old Jane Doe from West Virginia became the victim of terrible crime. Two 16-year old members the high school football team in Steubenville, Ohio— a small-town located about 40 miles west of Pittsburgh—were arrested and charged for raping her and urinating on her while she was unconscious. Some reports indicate she was unconscious because of too much alcohol, but others claim she was drugged. The victim was unaware of what occurred that night but learned over the next couple of days through social media. Posts, photos, and videos on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube revealed the horrific events. Once word spread through the town and national media of this case, the alleged rapists have received support and defense from their coach and several members of the town. Others have not understood how anyone could defend anything that happened on that night. Between calling themselves the “Rape Crew” to stating “some people deserved to be peed on” to claiming “I have no sympathy for whores”, those involved clearly displayed disgusting behavior. Some still say she is lying. For several months after this explosion of wrongdoing occurred, some police officials and other influential town members have done their best to keep the incident away from anyone’s attention. Many people blamed the girl or have encouraged her to drop the
charges. But many, many more people all around the world stand behind the Jane Doe in this warped mess of terrorism, sexism, and corruption. Last Saturday, I attended the final protest of Steubenville’s Rape Crew in front of their courthouse. Though less populated and significantly colder than the first two, everyone still proudly held their signs and spoke words of encouragement for Jane Doe and other sexual assault victims. Two posters read: “I love Steubenville, I just hate rapists” and “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. Besides the fact that my blood always boils after hearing stories of sexual violence, this one takes me back to those awful high school years filled of small-town scandals that end well for the bad guys. How can there be teenagers who participate in such disgraceful behavior such as this? Where were everyone’s morals while the two boys carried her limp body across town? Why is she just one example of the millions who have been victimized by the despicable acts of rapists? I must note that this case still awaits trial, and therefore everything has not been proven. I strongly encourage everyone to learn more about this case than what I provide here. However, since this is an Opinion Column, I make it very clear that I stand with Jane Doe. Regardless of the given circumstances, Steubenville is still home to many virtuous men, women, teenagers, and children who by no means should be connected to the disgusting actions of these “alleged” savages. The rest of the football players shouldn’t share the same shame as
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the columnists and contributors in this section are solely their own. They do not reflect the views of The Observer or Case Western Reserve University. Last week’s photo of Gallery One at the Cleveland Museum of Art was not attributed to staff photographer Anqi Li. The Observer apologizes for our mistake.
Letter to the Editor When The Pretenders sang “My City Was Gone” in 1982, they proclaimed “My city had been pulled down / Reduced to parking spaces.” The world has changed in the thirty years since this song was written; Akron, and Cleveland, have since torn down historic structures for Hoffman’s favorite development, the parking lot. The lot at Euclid and Ford was never “our parking lot.” That site once housed a collection of street-fronting historic buildings. Torn down in the 1980s, these historic structures were deemed unimportant, and parking for suburbanites unwilling to walk was deemed essential. Additionally, a suburban-style strip mall, the Triangle, was built. This shortsited development seemed to think urban areas deserved suburban blandness. Uptown, then, is not encroaching on precious parking, it is a reclamation of Cleveland’s urban heritage. Land is valuable in urban areas, which is why parking costs money. The land has a potential to be something with a far greater return on investment, which is what Uptown is. Would Hoffman prefer an urban asphalt desert? Yes, that parking lot was sacrificed,
but it’s for something far more worthwhile than your sedan. It’s for economic development, a restoration of our urban fabric, and more shops and services for University Circle residents and workers. Additionally, two lots remain in the area, one behind Uptown, and the other behind the Triangle apartments. The garages coming in the Intesa development by Coral Co. are, by the way, adjacent to even more parking garages already extant. If Hoffman does find a bit of walking to his detriment, and is not handicapped, perhaps the editor would be better served to pay the necessary dues to store his car on valuable urban land. Or, park in the garage directly adjacent to Ford and the FSM Memorial Building. Parking lots are places to store cars temporarily, and if long-term parking is required, it costs money. Urban-centric buildings with street-level retail, like Uptown, benefit us all, not just those that drive. Uptown is more than a cup of coffee and a lost parking space, it is an urban renaissance. Zak Khan Undergraduate Student
their uncivilized teammates. Those who planned, executed, conspired, and hid the actions are the ones deserving of condemnation. The rage this case creates should not blind us but empower us. Sexual abuse and violence (should) have nothing to do with partisanship. Preventing your mother, sister, daughter, girlfriend, or even your brother from experiencing one of the most inhumane acts of terror is something we all need to strive to reach. We need a culture that strongly despises rapists, encourages its victims to speak out, and respects them for doing so. Dwelling on the miniscule chance that the victim lied about the attack should never dictate the discourse of this subject. That
hypothetical is far from the reality. Here is the reality, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, 80% of rape victims are under 30, someone is sexually assaulted in the U.S. every 2 minutes, 54% of sexual assaults are not reported to police, and 97% of rapists never spend a day in jail. This is about right versus wrong. This is about justice. This is about human decency. Ellen is a Political Science and English major. She intends to change the world for the better. If that doesn’t work, then she wants to travel the globe visiting castles.
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