Reporting on Rape

Analysis:

There are many things to point out about how this story was covered. First, viewers should ask themselves if providing the age of the victim and the street names where the raped occurred violates the privacy of the victim? Second, the only people who channel 17 spoke with provided no contextual information about rape and sexual assault. Instead viewers hear from law enforcement, neighborhood people and a City Commissioner. All of them provide no real information that would be useful to viewers about either sexual assault prevention or what services for victims are available in the community.

When the police say in the story that people should keep their doors locked and not invite strangers into the home that perpetuates the myth that women are more at risk of sexual assault from strangers. Also, airing the comments from the City Commissioner borders on irresponsibility. Ask yourself, are those who commit rape more sick if they rape a 30 year old as opposed to an older woman. By running the comments from the Commissioner it lends support to the notion that rape is about sex, when in fact it has more to do with power. What reporters could do is to report on individual sexual assault cases as a public health issue, instead of merely a crime.

Story:

WXMI News Reader – People living in one Grand Rapids neighborhood still on alert tonight as an 84 year old woman was raped in her home. The attack happened on West Fulton, near John Ball Park. Fox 17’s Lisa LaPlant is live in the news room now with an update.

Reporter – Michelle, police are still looking tonight for the man. He broke into the home late night Tuesday and raped the woman upstairs in the bedroom of her home. Now neighbors are taking steps to help protect each other from another attack. From chatting on the sidewalks, to going door to door on a Spring afternoon, Carol Hennessey is a woman on a mission to prevent another attack. She took information to residents in the neighborhood where a man broke into the home of an elderly woman, then beat and raped her late Tuesday night. The woman was not able to see her attacker.

Neighborhood volunteer – When you hear of something like this you think of your own mother, of how vulnerable women are when they live alone.

Reporter – Tonight more than 30 people at the Lincoln Park pavilion heard from Police on how to protect themselves and their neighbors.

Police – Some things like locking your doors, keeping light on at night, but the most important thing we tell everybody is to know their neighbors.

Reporter – Policed received a tip from one neighbor who heard suspicious activity behind his house Tuesday night. Detectives are checking out every and any lead.

City Commissioner – It’s a pretty sick individual that would prey on somebody like that, but unfortunately there are those people in society today and that is why it is necessary to apprehend them as quickly as possible.

Reporter – It will hard for some people to sleep as long as the suspect is on the loose.

Neighborhood volunteer – I think we all feel vulnerable, we feel violated when something like this, because it is just not what you would expect. It is not what we have happen in this community.

Reporter – The 84 year old victim is still in the hospital tonight and is listed in good condition. And once again, anyone who may have seen anything suspicious should call Grand Rapids Police or Silent Observer.

Total Time – 1 minute and 58 seconds