Since I'm sure that most Kosacks don't read the Calgary Herald, let me brief you on this story. Back in December, and 18 year old woman was raped at a light-rail station. She was from out of town and had been partying with friends. She got separated from her friends and ended up alone at a train station after the trains stopped running. She either passed out or decided to sleep it off until the trains started running again a few hours later. Instead she woke up to a 15 year old raping her.
Background story
I've never been one to write letters to the editor, but when I read an article equating the victim's actions with the attacker's, I felt compelled to write the following letter to the editor:
At least Ms. Fortney didn’t write, “she had it coming to her,” but it was pretty close.
I am not so much offended as I am disgusted by Ms. Fortney’s article “Calgary youths embroiled in sex assault trial on path of self-destruction,” that appeared online on May 11, 2011. Really, there is nothing about this article that does not disgust me.
About the defendant’s and the accuser’s desire to meet for a second time, “he has no choice…she I would hazard a guess wondering if it was a good idea to alert the police…” The defendant had a choice back in December. Go on walking past the drunk girl behind the ticket machine, or go back and rape her. He opted for the latter, so I would argue he had a choice as to whether or not he would appear in court on charges of rape. Perhaps the young woman does wonder if it was a good idea to report her rape, but perhaps, just perhaps Ms. Fortney might want to play reporter instead of mind reader. Especially considering the young woman’s possible regrets aren’t relevant.
I would ask this of Ms. Fortney: Does a night of drinking with friends put you on the path of self-destruction if you aren’t raped at the end of the night? Ride the C-Train after 9:00 on a Friday night and half the passengers are drunk 18 to 21 year olds. What differentiates this girl from them other than the fact that she was raped? Are they all on the path to self-destruction?
Ms. Fortney is attempting to link the victim and the attacker by their behavior. He raped and robbed an unconscious woman. She had the misfortune of becoming separated from her friends, having a dead cell battery, and being stuck at train station after the trains stopped running.
There is nothing linking these two other than an act of violence for which the victim cannot or at least should not be blamed.
The attacker isn’t on a path; he’s already arrived at his destination. The accuser wasn’t on a path of self-destruction, but she’s hopefully on a path to recovery.
If you read the article by Ms. Fortney, you'll also notice her little racist jab as well, which I forgot to mention in my letter. Apparently she thinks it's 1992 because wearing a white hat sideways is "gangster style." Never mind that half the teenagers in this city wear there hats like that.