Thursday, April 2, 2009

Live Blogging of SVU

* Beautiful Asian woman in her underwear wandering around with bloody thighs, collapses splaying her legs beautifully

* She can't remember her rape. So the lady cop says, with no preparation: "you were raped"

"I would never let myself be raped". Lady cop fails to advise that the definition of rape is that it is forced.

* She's looking at her bruises: "You got those bruises when he forced your legs apart". WTF. So far: she has not been offered any sort of on-screen support or counselling. The details of her rape have been thrusted onto her brutally.

* Of course the rape victim seems to be coping okay. Of course! She just seems vaguely puzzled she can't remember anything.

* Ooohh we've got victim-blaming getting nicely set up. She was trading diamonds and went home with a man they're pegging as the rapist. "It looks like a love connection" man cop says.

* Of course we've got the requisite female character providing conflict by suggesting the victim might be lying. It's always a woman.

* Ooh speculation and confusion! Rapists claims she consented, she can't remember - BUT SHE WAS ON HER PERIOD!

* Was under the influence of a drug that makes her compliant but incapable of remembering anything.

* Accused rapist downloads lots of rape porn. Also has a video of his rape of the woman and many many many many other woman, we get to see wonderfully fetishised footage of clothes being torn off.

* RAPEE WANTS TO WATCH HER OWN RAPE VIDEO. SHE HAS TO KNOW WHAT HE DID TO HER.

* Of course rapist has a female lawyer. Of course. TEH EVOL WOMENS BRING THIS ON THEMSELVES!!!!

* MORE footage of fetishised rape scenes.

* HOORAYE THEY'RE GOING TO PLASTER ALL THE VICTIM'S FACES OVER THE MEDIA TO TRY AND TRACK THEM DOWN!

* Oh yay! Slut-shaming! The rapist was using an escort service. Lady cop says "oh yay build a bimbo!" Website even has little input fields. They choose a girl from one video and put in her details. "Cup size?" "C" says one man cop. "D" says another and lady cop looks amused. Seriously, what the fuck?

* Large blown up photos of women's frightened, tear-streaked faces taped up on a board.

* Another vic who can't remember is told: "this man assaulted you". "No way." "Oh we have a video." "No." "You should watch the video."

* Lady cop says showing her vid would make her a victim when she isn't one right now - lack of memory makes it like it never happened. Male cop thinks it is an imperative!!! Otherwise it is THEIR FAULT!

* MALE COP RETURNS TO VIC'S HOME AND SHOWS HER HUSBAND THE RAPE VIDEO.

* HUSBAND WANTS TO KNOW WHY SHE LIED ABOUT WHY THE COPS WERE THERE.

* VIC WALKS IN SEES HERSELF BEING RAPED ON VIDEO!

* Once again lady cop is forced to talk about her own sexual assault. She did this the other week too, when she mistakenly thought one guy was a rapist and then thought she "owed" him an explanation. Whatever the hell.

* Now vic is getting to describe in graphic detail how her memory of the rape is slowly coming back.

* TESTIFY LADY COP SAYS. IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO STOP HIM! ONLY WAY! YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE!!!!!

* LET'S SEE IF JUSTICE IS SERVED!

* PORN! IT'S ALL PORN'S FAULT! HIS ABILITY TO ESTABLISH RIGHT FROM WRONG WAS DAMAGED AFTER WATCHING THOUSANDS OF VIDEOS OF WOMEN APPEARING TO ENJOY BEING FORCED!

* Lady cop says there's a connection between porn and rape. Denied by another male cop who enjoys some. YOU SEE WHAT WE DO ALL WEEK THEN GO HOME AND WATCH WOMEN BEING DEGRADED LADY COP SAYS!

* MALE COP SAYS WOMEN IN PORN IS LIKE A WHORE WORKING THE PIMP, STILL DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT!!!

* PORN MAKES NORMAL WOMEN WANT TO EMULATE HOOKERS LADY COPY SAYS

* Ah, we have another female testifying to the increased dopamine caused by watching porn is an ADDICTION that DROVE HIM TO IT!

* WOW! BUT IF PORN IS EASILY AVAILABLE THERE ARE LESS RAPES RECORDED! EVERYONE WHO WATCHES PORN IS A RAPIST, SECRETLY!

* Female doctor says rapist needs rehab not prison!

* WOW. THE WHOLE COURTOOM GETS TO SEE A WOMAN BEING RAPED.

* Hang on. Lady cop is getting blamed for vic remembering when... it was the male cope who took the video over and showed it to her and her husband... ?!?! But then again, why am I surprised?

* YAY! Another vic is forced to make a graphic confession in front of a bunch of strangers. But it's ok cos she's going to testify and he'll go to jail. Or so we assume as the detail of actual justice and punishment is rarely dealt with on this show.

* We are left with rapist screaming: I'M THE ONE YOU'LL NEVER FORGET.

I swear, what is this show? Softcore porn for hardcore misogynists?

I can't watch this show again. That would just be dumb.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

a journey

Possible trigger warnings. Speculative piece.

I want you to imagine something.

You are in a small room. Its ceiling is low, its walls are close, and they are made of thick, unyielding metal. There are only hard benches for you to sit on, and you are aware of the closeness of the ceiling as this tiny room bumps and rattles.

You are also aware of the heat.

The few windows are tiny and placed high, they are tight-shut allowing no air to seep through. The interior is dark and muggy. It is already hot enough that the underarms and groin of your clothing is soaked through with sweat. It is hot enough that fluids are rapidly leaving your body through your sweat glands, soaking your flesh.

The air is still and dry. There is no cool breeze to sweep across your wet skin and provide relief.

And it is getting hotter.

The temperature clambers upwards, making the air seem thick enough to cut with a knife. You flap your hands in front of your face, grab the corner of your shirt and wipe your steaming face, shake the ragged ends in a desperate effort to cool down.

You are thirsty. You lick dry lips and swallow hard. Your work your mouth, trying to build up saliva to relieve the unbearable dryness in your throat, the dryness that is like thorns scraping shallow and unrelenting against the tender muscles and ligature. It is hard to swallow, it hurts. It burns.

But it is the only relief you can get against the heat and so moments later, you do it again.
Except this time you can't work up the spit. Your body doesn't have enough fluid left.

It's still getting hotter.

You are alone in this small space, but the walls are creeping in on you. There is nothing to shield you from their heat, no where to hide.

In desperation, you begin to hammer at the walls and shout for help. The rattle and bump continues around you, the thick air drowning out your voice, the solid metal swallowing it up. You don't know if anyone can hear you, but no one is coming. You are angry, you are frightened, you are desperate.

As you battle for attention, for consideration, for recognition of your anagonising situation, your skin brushes against one of the hot metal surfaces of the room enclosing you. It will later be identified as a third-degree burn.

You are being literally baked alive.

Your blood pressure plummets, causing you to become dizzy, possibly even pain flares across your chest. One by one, your vital organs shut down, unable to sustain function in the suffocating heat. One by one, your kidneys, liver, heart, lungs and brain fail. They can no longer support your life.

And you realise, as consciousness begins to ebb away, that no one is coming. No one is going to unlock the door. No one is going to let fresh, cool air in. No one is bringing water and ice. No one is coming to save your life.

Not in time.


Sounds awful? It happened to this man. His name was Mr. Ward. Read his story.