Naomi Wolf: Assange rape case "is not the State embracing feminism–it is the State pimping feminism"

[kpete]

With Julian Assange out on bail, Naomi Wolf blasts, fiercely, the cynical political "theater" that is the rape case against him. The "hateful manipulation of a serious women's issue" in order to silence dissent, she charges, "is not the State embracing feminism – it is the State pimping feminism."


...................

***"For all the tens of thousands of women who have been kidnapped and raped, raped at gunpoint, gang-raped, raped with sharp objects, beaten and raped – who are still awaiting the least whisper of justice – the highly unusual reaction of Sweden and Britain is a slap in the face. It seems to send the message to women that if you want anyone to take sex crime against you seriously, you had better be sure the man you accuse has also happened to embarrass the most powerful government on earth."

http://www.commondreams.org/further/2010/12/16

[hlthe2b]

1. Thank you, Naomi. I could not agree more.

[treestar]

2. So she's too in love with Julian to even stand by feminism?

when does a feminist disagree with a rape charge? Why doesn't she believe these women?

[EFerrari]

3. Women question the unusual zeal in pursuing Julian Assange for rape allegations

Letters, Guardian 9 December 2010

Many women in both Sweden and Britain will wonder at the unusual zeal with which Julian Assange is being pursued for rape allegations (Report, 8 December). Women in Sweden don't fare better than we do in Britain when it comes to rape. Though Sweden has the highest per capita number of reported rapes in Europe and these have quadrupled in the last 20 years, conviction rates have decreased. On 23 April 2010 Carina Hägg and Nalin Pekgul (respectively MP and chairwoman of Social Democratic Women in Sweden) wrote in the Göteborgs-Posten that "up to 90% of all reported rapes never get to court. In 2006 six people were convicted of rape though almost 4,000 people were reported". They endorsed Amnesty International's call for an independent inquiry to examine the rape cases that had been closed and the quality of the original investigations.

Assange, who it seems has no criminal convictions, was refused bail in England despite sureties of more than £120,000. Yet bail following rape allegations is routine. For two years we have been supporting a woman who suffered rape and domestic violence from a man previously convicted after attempting to murder an ex-partner and her children – he was granted bail while police investigated.

There is a long tradition of the use of rape and sexual assault for political agendas that have nothing to do with women's safety. In the south of the US, the lynching of black men was often justified on grounds that they had raped or even looked at a white woman. Women don't take kindly to our demand for safety being misused, while rape continues to be neglected at best or protected at worst.

Katrin Axelsson
Women Against Rape

http://www.womenagainstrape.net/inthemedia/women-question-unusual-zeal-pursuing-julian-assang

[tekisui]

4. You didn't read it, did you?

She doesn't disagree with the charge, she doesn't say she doesn't believe the women. She says the involvement of two nations' government, the solitary confinement and denial of bail has never been done to go after a rapist, let alone an alleged rape with ambiguous claims.

You should read it. She is right.

[Name removed]

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[rhett o rick]

10. The poster isnt ignorant. He accomplished his goal here and moved on. nm

[kgnu_fan]

7. A Letter from Women Against Rape to support Assange

Women question the unusual zeal in pursuing Julian Assange for rape allegations

http://www.womenagainstrape.net/inthemedia/women-question-unusual-zeal-pursuing-julian-assang

Letters, Guardian 9 December 2010

Many women in both Sweden and Britain will wonder at the unusual zeal with which Julian Assange is being pursued for rape allegations (Report, 8 December). Women in Sweden don't fare better than we do in Britain when it comes to rape. Though Sweden has the highest per capita number of reported rapes in Europe and these have quadrupled in the last 20 years, conviction rates have decreased. On 23 April 2010 Carina Hägg and Nalin Pekgul (respectively MP and chairwoman of Social Democratic Women in Sweden) wrote in the Göteborgs-Posten that "up to 90% of all reported rapes never get to court. In 2006 six people were convicted of rape though almost 4,000 people were reported". They endorsed Amnesty International's call for an independent inquiry to examine the rape cases that had been closed and the quality of the original investigations.

Assange, who it seems has no criminal convictions, was refused bail in England despite sureties of more than £120,000. Yet bail following rape allegations is routine. For two years we have been supporting a woman who suffered rape and domestic violence from a man previously convicted after attempting to murder an ex-partner and her children – he was granted bail while police investigated.

There is a long tradition of the use of rape and sexual assault for political agendas that have nothing to do with women's safety. In the south of the US, the lynching of black men was often justified on grounds that they had raped or even looked at a white woman. Women don't take kindly to our demand for safety being misused, while rape continues to be neglected at best or protected at worst.

Katrin Axelsson
Women Against Rape

[kgnu_fan]

12. Trying to educate people is difficult around here

[hlthe2b]

8. re: "So she's too in love with Julian to ... stand by feminism?"

Good God. Women can be our own worst enemy it seems. As an older dedicated feminist who likewise cares about the appropriate and strict lawful prosecution of sexual assault and rape (but not politicizing rape for other governmental agendas), I wonder what it is you read in Wolf's article. It certainly is not consistent with your initial response.

[krabigirl]

15. Wow...

[ChumbawambaFan]

6. I agree, it is a slap in the face to use this smear campaign when real victims are forgotten. nt

[rhett o rick]

11. Thanks for the post. Rec. nm

[lsewpershad]

13. So true Naomi

K&R

[Uncle Joe]

14. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, kpete.