This is a rant.
Why do we need to know that Lara Logan was sexually assaulted?
I was just watching MSNBC and they needed to tell me that she survived a "sustained" sexual assault and beating. Do I really need to know the intimate details of this woman's horrible experience?
I am just so frustrated at the sexist coverage of this incident in both the cable media as well as the print media.
Let me first state: I am so sorry that Lara Logan was attacked. Nobody should be violated in the manner she was and I have both empathy and pain in my heart for her. I wish her peace and her family support through a very difficult time.
My first reaction to the news that she had been assaulted was "Why do I need to know that information?"
I understand from the news reports that CBS decided to release the news to get "ahead" of other news organizations. Other news organizations were aware of what had happen and with Mrs. Logan's blessings CBS decided to release the information. I understand that Mrs. Logan and CBS were trying to make sure that accurate information was released but I feel that this story has brought out all the sexist and racist ignorant people.
Mrs. Logan isn't the first journalist to be attacked and sadly she will not be the last. Both MEN and women journalist often risk both life and limb to get a story. We have read of the attacks against other journalist who were covering the Egyptian story.
I wonder if this incident had happen to a male colleague and not to an attractive woman would we have heard about the sexual assault portion. Would the news organization have rallied around the survivor and instead protected his privacy?
I just feel like there is a sensational aspect of this crime that has attracted the news attention. "Scary brown men repeatedly assaulted a white woman" apparently makes a good headline.
Reading comments online about the event has equally discouraging. I have read that she "shouldn't have been there as a woman" That she "invited" this onto herself. It is so frustrating.
Something about this whole thing makes me very disgusted.