steubenville redux: victim-blaming in a florida football town

[niyad]

Steubenville Redux: Victim Blaming in a Florida Football Town




“She’s just ruining Jameis’ good character.”
That’s what I overhear a young mother, decked out in a garnet top and dream-catcher earrings, telling her teenage daughter at a Mexican restaurant here in Tallahassee. Her
daughter, also clad in Florida State colors, nods in eager agreement.

I cringe, glad that my toddler is too young to comprehend what she is saying. Glad that, at that moment, I don’t have to explain what victim blaming is. Glad that I don’t have to explain why a whole town has turned itself inside out to discredit a rape victim and defend a college football player who is her alleged attacker.

If you follow college football, you already know who this young mother was defending: Jameis Winston, Florida State University’s star quarterback and a suspect in an ongoing sexual battery case. And if you follow college football, you already knew all about Jameis Winston, whose on-the-field play and big personality have been the toast of sports media. If you’re to believe that media, Winston has singlehandedly brought Florida State—once a perennial national title contender—back from the dead. This year the Seminoles are expected to play Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. The signs of local businesses here read: “Go Noles! Bring on Bama!”

In Tallahassee, Winston is more than a football player: He’s a hero or a saint. In town he’s known as “Famous Jameis.”.

. . . .

Right before TMZ broke the story, the TPD turned the case over to State’s Attorney Willie Meggs, who described the case as a “cluster.” He told CBS Sports: Our office would have been
informed about this as soon as it occurred. We first learned about it at 10:02 a.m on Wednesday. … I don’t know if that’s alarming, but it’s a fact in the case. We can’t question motives. What the police department has done is clammed up.

. . .

http://msmagazine.com/blog/2013/11/22/steubenville-redux-victim-blaming-in-a-florida-football-town/

[gollygee]

1. K&R

Why do college students so seldom report rape? Read this article. It's hard no matter who the person accused is, but when it's an athlete, and particularly a sports celebrity, you're out of luck. Everyone seems to care about sports more than rape victims.

[NuclearDem]

2. And again, football proves to be more important than a woman's safety.

Notre Dame, Steubenville, Marysville, now FSU.

[seabeyond]

3. and this poster would be reinforcing this. but, wtf, right?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4073288

[niyad]

4. kick for sunday crowd

[seabeyond]

5. i am really liking the northeast though... if i were to choose

what area. what do you think.

[7962]

6. If he's guilty I wouldnt want him on MY team.

Or draft him for my NFL team. Its time coaches and owners stand up and TELL the fans that this stuff is WRONG